Fifth Week of Lent, Fr Rick shares some thoughts on the Sunday Mass Readings

March 17, 2021

God decides the way of prophets, messengers and miracles is not working, and decides that in the new way, people can meet God directly in their hearts.

It sounds easy, but the briefest glance around the world shows this is not working well.

Catholic Tradition teaches the biggest obstacle to this plan is both deliberate and internal to the heart- the deadly sins that block the gates to paradise, cultivated by Satan, the Father of Lies. There are also external obstacles, like succumbing to other people's narratives and pressures, but also what is called the "repression of the sublime"- the refusal to accept the responsibility that destiny places on your shoulders, to be unique, to stand out and to stick your neck out when life obliges this.

The second readings describes Jesus as praying from this place of "Sacred Heart" which God has placed within us. The prayers are marked by the anguish, tears and yelling out in pain. The deepest prayer of any of us, from our heart of hearts, is this kind of prayer, and teaches us to know and understand the Sacred Heart inside of ourselves.

In the Gospel, some curious Greeks would like to encounter Jesus. Phillip and Andrew pave the way for this to happen, but become enthralled in Jesus revealing his anguish and explaining what was inevitably coming next for him. Jesus is determined not to ask to be spared, and asks God to glorify His name. (This means to show both the weighted value and the golden light of his Truth.) God answers, and consistent again with how hard it is to find the sacred center of the heart, many people believe it is not a voice, but thunder. Jesus says, "it is not thunder, and the words are spoken to you."

As we continue our way through the often long Lent of life, let us thank God for the gift of God writing the name of Jesus on our hearts. Let's be realistic about the challenges of finding it too easily, and to form the habit of praying from that sacred center. If we do this, if and when we hear God's voice, will never confuse it with thunder.

The video: https://youtu.be/4tA7t7pMHac