Passion Sunday (C)

Inspire in Us the Practice of Good (2011-2013):

Sunday Reflections for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)


Passion Sunday (C), March 24, 2013


Liturgical readings
Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm 22
Philippians 2:6-11
Luke 22:14 - 23:56

"Do this as a remembrance of me."




When the hour arrived,
Jesus took his place at table,
and the apostles with him.

He said to them:

"I have greatly desired
to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer.

I tell you,
I will not eat again
until it is fulfilled
in the kingdom of God."

Then
taking a cup
he offered a blessing in thanks
and said:

"Take this
and divide it among you;
I tell you,
from now on
I will not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the coming of the reign of God."

Then
taking bread and giving thanks,
he broke it and gave it to them,
saying:

"This is my body
to be given for you.
Do this as a remembrance of me."

He did the same with the cup
after eating, saying as he did so:

"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you."

...
...
...


Then he went out
and made his way,
as was his custom,
to the Mount of Olives;
his disciples accompanied him.


...
...
...


a crowd came,
led by the man named Judas,
one of the Twelve.


...
...
...


They led him away under arrest


...
...
...


At daybreak the council,
which was made up of the
elders of the people,
the chief priests,
and the scribes,
assembled


...
...
...


Then the entire assembly rose up
and led him before Pilate


...
...
...


The whole crowd cried out...
"Crucify him, crucify him!"


...
...
...


Pilate then decreed
that what they demanded
should be done...
he delivered Jesus up to their wishes

...
...
...


Two others who were criminals
were led along with him to be crucified.

...
...
...


Darkness came over the whole land until midafternoon
with an eclipse of the sun.
The curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two.
Jesus uttered a loud cry and said,


"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."


After he said this, he expired.


Points for reflection and prayer:
"Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear." (Isaiah 50)
"They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones." (Psalm 22)
"He emptied himself and took the form of a slave." (Philippians 2)

"But from now on, avoid this sin."

5th Sunday of Lent (C)

Liturgical readings
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:8-14
John 8:1-11

"But from now on, avoid this sin."




Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives.
At daybreak he reappeared in the temple area;
and when the people started coming to him,
he sat down and began to teach them.


The scribes and the Pharisees led a woman forward
who had been caught in adultery.
They made her stand there in front of everyone.


"Teacher,"


they said to him,


"this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
In the law,
Moses ordered such woman to be stoned.


What do you have to say about the case?"


(They were posing this question to trap him,
so that they could have something to accuse him of.)


Jesus simply bend down
and started tracing on the ground
with his finger.


When they persisted in their questioning,
he straightened up
and said to them,


"Let the man among you
who has no sin
be the first to cast a stone at her."


A second time
he bent down
and wrote on the ground.


Then the audience drifted away
one by one,
beginning with the elders.


This left him alone
with the woman,
who continued to stand before him.


Jesus finally straightened up again
and said to her,


"Woman,
where did they all disappear to?
Has no one condemned you?"


No one, sir,"
she answered.


Jesus said,


Nor do I condemn you.


You may go.


But from now on,
avoid this sin."


This way of presenting the text of the gospel is based on the paraphrasing method taught by Fr. Vermundo Miranda, CICM, professor of Maryhill School of Theology. The paraphrasing method is meant to help readers get a clearer understanding of the text in relation to the other verses and the contexts in which it is meant to be understood. I added my own style and restructuring of the text, plus fonts that are italicized (to highlight the statements that come from Christ) and fonts in bold typeface (to highlight the Person of Christ).

4th Sunday of Lent (C)

Inspire in Us the Practice of Good (2011-2013):

Sunday Reflections for Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

4th Sunday of Lent (C), March 10, 2013

Liturgical readings
Joshua 5:9, 10-12
Psalm 34
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

"His father caught sight of him and was deeply moved."





The tax collectors and the sinners
were all gathering around Jesus to
hear him,
at which the Pharisees and the scribes murmured,


This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Then he addressed this parable to them:


"A man had two sons.
The younger of them said to his father,


'Father, give me the share of the estate that is coming to me.'


So the father divided up the property.


Some days later this younger son collected all his belongings
and went off to a distant land,
where he squandered his money on dissolute living.


After he had spent everything,
a great famine broke out in that country
and he was in dire need.


So he attached himself
to one of the propertied class of the place,
who sent him to his farm to take care of the pigs.


He longed to fill his belly
with the husks that were fodder for the pigs,
but no one made a move to give him anything.


Coming to his senses at last, he said:


'How many hired hands at my father's place 
have more than enough to eat,
while here I am starving!



I will break away 
and return to my father,
and say to him,



'Father,
I have sinned against God
and against you;



I no longer deserve 
to be called your son.
Treat me like one of your hired hands"



With that he set off for his father's house.


While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him
and was deeply moved.


He ran out to meet him,
threw his arms around his neck,
and kissed him.


The son said to him,


'Father,
I have sinned against God
and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.'



The father said to his servants:


'Quick!


bring out the finest robe
and put it on him;



put a ring on his finger
and shoes on his feet.



Take the fatted calf
and kill it.



Let us eat and celebrate
because this son of mine was dead
and has come back to life.



He was lost
and is found.'



Then the celebration began.


"Meanwhile the elder son was out on the land.
As he neared the house on his way home,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.


He called one of the servants
and asked him the reason for the dancing and the music.


The servant answered,


'Your brother is home,
and your father has killed the fatted calf
because he has him back in good health.'



The son grew angry at this
and would not go in;
but his father came out
and began to plead with him.


He said
in reply to his father:


'For years now I have slaved for you.
I never disobeyed one of your orders,
yet you never gave me so much as a kid goat
to celebrate with my friends.



Then,
when this son of yours returns
after having gone through your property
with loose women,
you kill the fatted calf for him.'



"'My son,'


replied the father,


'you are with me always,


and everything I have is yours.


But we had to celebrate
and rejoice!



This brother of yours was dead,
and has come back to life.



He was lost, and is found.'"



Points for reflection and prayer:
"Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you." (Joshua 5)
"When the afflicted man called out, the Lord heard, and from all his
distress he saved him." (Psalm 34)
"God has reconciled us to himself through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5)