Let Your Light Shine
October 23, 2024
Like the moon, we do not produce our own light. The light we share we receive from Christ who is the light of the world. We cannot share light we do not receive; and we should not hide what light God has given us. I’m reminded of this when I notice the glowing moon during the daylight. I wish I remembered this all the time. Especially, in the times I fail to reflect Jesus’ light all together. I’m grateful for the reminders.
“𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥; 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.“
- 𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣 8:12 (𝙍𝙎𝙑2𝘾𝙀)
“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘔𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥...“
- 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚 1:46 (𝙍𝙎𝙑2𝘾𝙀)
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘈 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯. 𝘕𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯.“
- 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙬 5:14-16
***𝐁𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬***
“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘚𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴.“
- 2 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙨 11:13-15
Plunging into Good Friday
March 30, 2024
From 4/15/2019
Something I’ve been reflecting on over the last week...
“The Church is plunged into the Darkness of Good Friday” is the title of a recent interview with Robert Cardinal Sarah.
In the interview +Sarah states, “I firmly believe that the situation that we are experiencing within the Church resembles in every respect the situation of Good Friday...”
I’ve been thinking, “what does it mean to experience the darkness of Good Friday?” What does this look like? Certainly, there are deeper soteriological and eschatological implications to consider; but I wanted to ponder this just on the apparent surface. So here’s my thoughts...
When I think of Good Friday, I tend to primarily recall the obvious, sorrowful darkness of it. That Passion of our Lord. The crucifixion and death of Jesus. Now look closer at the surroundings of that Day and consider some of the different groups that were there.
At the foot of the cross were Our Sorrowful Mother, the Beloved Disciple, and the other Mary’s (Jn 19:25) and those who followed bewailing & lamenting Him (Lk 22:27). Those within the body of Christ who did not abandon Jesus in His suffering. Those who faithfully remained and entered into Jesus’ suffering. Compassion literally means to “suffer with” or “co-suffering”. Today within the Body of Christ, on Earth, there are those who remain true. Those disciples who enter into the suffering of Christ by denying themselves, picking up their crosses, & following Jesus (Lk 9:23, 14:27). The predestinate are to be conformed to the image of Him (Rom 8:29). This image does not exclude Christ crucified. I hope to be in the company of this group. Tho, I fall short very often. I’d hardly come close if it weren’t for God’s grace and mercy.
We can see those who condemn our Lord to His death (Lk 23:21). Jesus is a nuisance to their way of life; and they readily condemn and mock Him (Lk 23:35). Wishing Him to go away and be forgotten. We clearly see this scene too in our present time. Jesus’ Passion is palpable for this group and the aforementioned group. Both groups are deeply engaged in this cataclysmic event.
There are others on the scene. Bystanders who find themselves plunged into this epoch: • The centurion who witnessed the crucifixion and proclaimed the glory of our Lord (Mk 15:39). • Simon of Cyre’ne who was seized and made to carry the very cross that imbibed the Blood of the New Covenant (Lk 23:26). Going about their daily business, these people unexpectedly encountered the suffering Christ. I can relate to this in my own conversion & encounter with the King of kings.
Then there are those who are indifferent to the happenings. Just another Roman execution. Nothing noteworthy for them. Some soldiers dividing Jesus’ garments and casting lots trying get what they can from Christ not very concerned with Him otherwise (Jn 19:23-24). Unengaged. Not concerned with the divine claims of this God-man on a cross. This is a perspective with which I can ashamedly relate. There was a time (and at times still) that I just wanted to benefit from Christ redemptive act, but not partake of His divine nature (2 Pt 1:4). Unlike the first group of devout believers, I did not want to be crucified with Christ. No self-abandonment to Him. I did not want to enter into His Passion so that Christ might live in me (Gal 2:20). I simply wanted to cast lots, collect, & depart with my pleasures. Yet, I could not long ignore the suffering servant before me.
I will address one last group in hopes to avoid further prolixity. The group who, tho within the Body of Christ, abandoned, denied, and betrayed Christ. Those who were within the closest circle of disciples. Of the twelve... one betrayed Him, 10 abandoned Him, one denied Him, and only one remained at the foot of the cross. This is another perspective I can relate too. I can be within the embrace of Holy Mother Church, a member of the mystical body of Christ, yet still abandon my Lord when it gets tough. Deny and betray Jesus when it’s not convenient to be a Christian in the contemporary cultural climate. Speaking generally again, some citizens from the City of the world, false teachers (2 Pt 2:1) masquerading as if from the City of God, within the Church preach another Jesus, a low christology, a counterfeit christ (2 Cor 11:4, Gal 1:8). They deny and abandon Truth which is to deny and abandon Jesus (Jn 14:6).
This might not be revelatory insight for some, but it is for me. I’m sure far smarter men have figured this scene out long ago with far less effort. Nonetheless, this reflection has helped me to better imagine what it looks like to be plunged into the darkness of Good Friday for myself and the Church.
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM
November 21, 2023
“𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩‘𝙨 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝.“ ~ 𝙎𝙩. 𝙋𝙖𝙪𝙡 (𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 1:24)
This is one of my favorite passages from Holy Scripture. It’s probably also one of the most difficult to wrap one’s mind around.
What could possibly be lacking in the afflictions of Jesus Christ who died once for all and declared from the cross, “It is finished”? Why is St. Paul rejoicing in his sufferings? How can he add anything to Jesus’ finished work?
St. Augustine understands this verse to mean, “𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦 [𝘚𝘵. 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭] 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩. 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘵. 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩: ‘𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙚“ (𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 2:20). St. Augustine then reminds us of the words of St. Paul in 1 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 12:12-13, “𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮, 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮, 𝙨𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩. 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮...“
St. Thomas Aquinas states about this verse, “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 ‘𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨‘, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘚𝘵. 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵“. Dr. Scott Hahn, in a talk about suffering, draws on St. Thomas’ commentary on Col 1:24 and phrases something like, “We unite our suffering with Christ’s suffering and He invests our suffering with His redemptive value”. This is why St. Paul rejoices in his suffering, because he knows that “𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙙‘𝙨 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨“ (1 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 3:9) and that his suffering won’t compare to the glory of what’s been revealed (cf. 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 8:18).
St. Paul, who suffered greatly spreading the Gospel, knew the demand Jesus put on His disciples, “𝙒𝙝𝙤𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚, 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙚“ (𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 14:27).
It’s an incredible thing of which to be demanded… to take up the cross of one’s own suffering, to bear it, and then follow Jesus, God incarnate, along the way of sorrows.
When Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection, St. Peter took hold of Jesus and rebuked Him saying, “𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪“ (𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸 16:22). I think St. Peter’s response is much like our own, particularly in our own lives and for those we love. We recoil at suffering, even the thought of it. The want of a christ without the cross. To want the promise of resurrection without the crucifixion. But, a christ who doesn’t demand we take up our cross is a counterfeit. A christ without scars is antichrist. This is why Our Blessed Lord then rebuked St. Peter, “𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙚, 𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙣! 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚; 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚𝙣“ (𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸 16:23). Jesus then says that if we would come after Him, we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him (cf. Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34). We can not be His disciples otherwise.
Not only His disciples, but also “𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙨, 𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩, 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢 (𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 8:16-17). As members of Christ’s body, disciples and co-heirs with Christ, we can know “𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨“ (𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 8:18). St. Paul does not tell us we won’t suffer or that we won’t experience significant suffering. He does tell us that our suffering won’t compare with God’s reward. St. Paul guarantees our suffering as Christians saying that we are only co-heirs with Christ provided we suffer with Him. We plead with God to alleviate our sufferings. Just as St. Paul thrice pleaded with God that his thorn in the flesh be relieved. Jesus responds, “𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲.“ God’s grace is sufficient for us and His power is made perfect in our weakness (cf. 2 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 12:7-9).
Speaking of those in Christ, St. Paul says that the predestined are to be conformed to the image of Jesus (cf 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 8:29). Jesus who appeared to the disciples and showed them the wounds of His hands and feet; and invited St. Thomas to place a hand in His side where the Sacred Heart is pierced (cf. 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 24:40, 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 20:27). This is the Christ we are to image. This is the Christ of whom’s body we are members. It’s as members of His body that we conform to His image in our lives, that He would live in us, in whom we take up our crosses and follow as fellow laborers and co-heirs whose suffering is invested with the grace of His redemption.
How hard is it to have ears to hear this in our times? The world proclaims almost any kind of suffering as evil and to be avoided or ended by any means, even means that include separating ourselves from God in sin.
Our Blessed Lord, a sign that is spoken against, a sign of contradiction (cf. Lk 2:34), looks at us, points to our cross and says “𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲”. Jesus speaks to us, “𝗗𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿. 𝗠𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆. 𝗠𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. 𝗗𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱. 𝗗𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲.”
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied!
September 9, 2023
“The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied: those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live for ever” – Psalm 22:26
God reveals His plan to feed us in the Holy Eucharist throughout Sacred Scripture. We can see this revealed in events of the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament. Here we will briefly highlight some of these prefigurements and fulfillments.
It is no coincidence that our Blessed Lord was laid in a manger at His Birth (Lk 2:7). A foreshadowing of Jesus feeding us in the Eucharist (Mt 26:26-28). A manger is an open box designed to feed livestock. The word “manger” comes from the Latin word “mandere” which means to chew. Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, means “House of Bread” in Hebrew and Aramaic, and “House of Meat” in Arabic. From the very birth of Christ, we see an orientation towards the Last Supper.
Jesus is a priest in the order of Malchizedek who, in Genesis, offered the non-bloody sacrifice of bread and wine (Heb 7:11-27, Gen 14:18, & Ps 110:04).
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb that was to be sacrificed and eaten with unleavened bread by the Israelites when God saved them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to the promised land (Ex 12, Lev 23:4-14). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes a way the sins of the world! (Jn 1:24). He is our pascal lamb (1 Cor 5:7). Jesus Christ, who nourishes us in His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist, stands before the Father, as our slain Paschal Lamb (𝘙𝘦𝘷 5:6, 5:12).
God fed the Israelites with Manna (Bread from Heaven) & quail meat as they journeyed through the desert to the Promised Land (Ex 16:4-13). Jesus fulfills the miracle of Manna & quail meat in Exodus, because He is the bread from heaven and we must eat his flesh to have eternal life (see Bread of Life discourse in Jn 6:22-52).
The Bread of Presence in the Old Covenant Temple was to be eaten by the priests and given every Sabbath as a holy offering to God (Lev 24:5-9); and be kept always before the Lord (Ex 25:30). This was a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and His people. The Holy Eucharist is Jesus’ Real Presence (1 Cor 10:15-16). In the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus states, “for this is my blood of the covenant”. The new covenant is the everlasting covenant.
From the very beginning God was telling us how He intended to feed us. Our Lord instructed Adam and Eve in the garden that they could eat from any tree, except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 2:16). It’s easy to overlook, but important to note, that of the trees they could eat from was also the Tree of Life. After the fall… “lest he put fort his hand and take also from the Tree of Life, and eat, and live forever”-therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden (Gen 3:23). Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). St. Peter, referring to the Cross, tells us Jesus was hung from a tree for our sins (1 Pt 2:24). Here St. Peter is calling us back to the Tree of Life from the garden. In John 6, Jesus tells us He is the bread from Heaven and if we eat His flesh and drink his blood we will live forever (v51), have eternal life and be raised on the last day (v54), He will abide in us and we will live because of Him (v56), and “he who eats this bread will live forever” (v58). Considering this imagery, and all mentioned so far, we can see how Jesus fulfills the Tree of Life from whom we eat and have His life in us, that we will live forever.
We began referencing Psalm 22. Jesus referenced Psalm 22 while nailed to the cross, when He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (Mt 27:46, Ps 22:1). Psalm 22 reveals to us how God intends to save us from the slavery of sin through Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection; and that He intends to feed us through Christ. Jesus fulfills what is revealed in Psalm 22. Read this Psalm, John 6 and the accounts of the Last Supper and pray. Ask God our Father for the grace of repentance and to draw you into a more intimate union with Him through the Holy Eucharist in the Holy Spirit. Spend time with our Lord, in the Blessed Sacrament, at adoration.
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” (Jn 6:35). At the King’s table we shall eat and be satisfied. Our hearts will live for ever.
- Jake
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