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"It is not in the realm of thoughts about God, but in God Himself that 'we live and move and have our being.' (Acts 17:28) He is present to us by His creative power, one with the divine substance, more intimately than it is possible to imagine. 'Closer is he than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet.' Our existence, though distinct, is rooted and grounded in God's existence."
- Dom Aelred Graham, Zen Catholicism
(God is here, now. Let yourself be awakened to this reality.)
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JER 14:17-22; PS 79:8, 9, 11, 13; JN 11:19-27
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name's sake.
Let the prisoners' sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to
death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
USCCB Lectionary
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Reflection on the Scriptures |
Today, the Church offers us wto options for a Gospel reading. One has Martha and Jesus at the Tomb of Lazarus - Martha's brother and Jesus's friend. The other is the image of Martha asking Jesus to put her sister Mary to work. Both are well
known stories of today's saint. Both also contain very well-known sayings of Jesus - "I am the Resurrection and the Life" and "Mary has chosen the better the part." And both remind Martha - and us! - that the encounter with Jesus is a real encounter with a loving God who calls us to new life.
We can see this quite clearly, of course, in the account of Jesus at Lazarus's tomb. His
friend has died and now Jesus approaches the family. Martha expresses here her deep and abiding faith in Jesus, and, moreover, her trust in God's loving providence. Jesus affirms her faith by telling her that Lazarus shall live. More than that, though, he deepens her faith for, when she would focus only upon the final resurrection at the end of days, he pulls her back into the present moment. Yes, Lazarus would live with saints at the final resurrection - but here and
now Jesus is Life. He is the Resurrection. The encounter with Jesus is one that brings life not only on the last day, but every day.
- by Nate Romano, S.J.
Creighton Online Ministries
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Selected Quotes from the Writings of St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
Now, O son of God, set in the valley of true humility, walk in peace without pride of spirit, which,
like a precipitous mountain, offers a difficult, or near-impossible, ascent or descent to those who attempt to scale it, and on its summit no building can be built. For a person who tries to climb higher than he can achieve possesses the name of sanctity without substance, because, in name alone without a structure of good works, he glories in a kind of vain joy of the mind.
- letter to the Monk
Guibert, 1176
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