Posted by Sr. Terry Rickard, O.P., D.Min. | Filed under Cultural Mosaic, español, God in the Stuff of Life | May 16, 2012 No Comments »

In the bestselling novel The Shack, the Trinity appears in unorthodox form to Mack, a father whose youngest daughter has been murdered. In this story, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as “full of dynamic shades and hues of color and motion”—a Spirit alive and active and visible in everyday life. At one point in the story, God appears as a gardener and asks the father to assist her in clearing out a tangled mess of flowers and thorns that, we later discover, is actually Mack’s heart. Although The Shack is just a story and not a catechism, it reflects some truths about a loving and personal God who cares for us. I think that is why so many seekers and people of faith are drawn to the book—enough to make it a best seller!

The gardening imagery is an apt metaphor for the Holy Spirit’s work of planting the word of God in our hearts and pulling up the weeds of doubt and fear that threaten to choke out the faith blossoming in us. The Holy Spirit is a dynamic member of the Holy Trinity that often gets short shrift. In my early years, the only time I thought about the Holy Spirit was when I was preparing for exams. In those days—when my major was socializing and athletics—I was praying more for a miracle than for recollection of information I had not retained through study.

Today I experience the Holy Spirit as the one who moves me from being a lukewarm believer to a fully committed disciple. It is the Holy Spirit that moves me beyond my selfish desires to a motivation to give myself more generously to others. It is the Holy Spirit that moves me from simply acquiring knowledge to developing true wisdom. It is the Holy Spirit that activates my faith and helps me to live more fully each day in God’s love.

As we celebrate the feast of Pentecost we pray for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit on each of our hearts and on the heart of the Church. May we recognize the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit moving in and through our world in the shades of color found in the people, the events, and the many manifestations of nature we encounter each day.

El Espíritu Santo vive y obra en nuestra vida

En la muy popular novela La Cabaña, la Trinidad se aparece en forma poco ortodoxa a Mack, un padre cuya hija más joven ha sido asesinada. En esta historia, el Espíritu Santo se presenta como “lleno de matices dinámicos de color y movimiento”, un Espíritu vivo y activo, y visible en la vida cotidiana. En un momento en la historia, Dios aparece como un jardinero y le pide al padre que la ayude en la limpieza de una maraña de flores y espinas que, más tarde descubrimos, es en realidad el corazón de Mack. A pesar de que La Cabaña es solo una historia y no un catecismo, refleja algunas verdades acerca de un Dios amoroso y personal que nos cuida. ¡Creo que es por eso que tantas personas en busca de Dios y tantas personas de fe se sienten atraídos por el libro, lo suficiente para que sea un best seller!

Las imágenes de un jardín es una buena metáfora de la obra del Espíritu Santo, la siembra de la Palabra de Dios en nuestro corazón y arrancar la cizaña de la duda y el miedo que amenazan con ahogar el florecimiento de la fe en nosotros. El Espíritu Santo es un miembro dinámico de la Santísima Trinidad, que a menudo se subestima. En mis primeros años, la única vez que pensaba en el Espíritu Santo era cuando me estaba preparando para los exámenes. En aquellos días, cuando mi especialidad era socializar y ser atleta, estaba rezando por un milagro más que para recordar la información que no había retenido por el estudio.

Hoy conozco al Espíritu Santo como el que me convierte de ser una creyente tibia a una discípula totalmente comprometida. Es el Espíritu Santo que me mueve más allá de mis deseos egoístas a la motivación para estar dispuesta a darme más generosamente a los demás. Es el Espíritu Santo que me mueve desde la simple adquisición de conocimientos al desarrollo de la verdadera sabiduría. Es el Espíritu Santo que activa mi fe y me ayuda a vivir más plenamente cada día en el amor de Dios.

Al celebrar la fiesta de Pentecostés roguemos por un mayor derramamiento del Espíritu Santo en cada uno de nuestros corazones y en el corazón de la Iglesia. Podemos reconocer la presencia dinámica del Espíritu Santo en y por medio de nuestro mundo en los tonos de colores que vemos en las personas, los acontecimientos y las muchas manifestaciones de la naturaleza que nos encontramos cada día.

Sr. Terry is the Executive Director of RENEW International and a Dominican Sister from Blauvelt, NY.

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | May 15, 2012 No Comments »

“’I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth’” (John 17:13-19).

John’s Gospel is one of contrasts—to be of the spirit rather than of the flesh, this world as opposed to heaven, light instead of dark.

This passage from John was part of Jesus’ last discourse before his passion and resurrection. This reading is used in the liturgy between the feasts of the Ascension (when Jesus ascends to heaven) and Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit descends upon the followers of Jesus).

In John’s Gospel, to follow Jesus is to live in the light. “The world” here refers to those who have not understood Jesus’ message—those who ultimately arrest and kill him. Jesus knows that he will depart from the disciples’ presence. He is preparing them for the time when he will no longer be present in the flesh but will be with them in a different way. He tells them that they will be protected by God, as they are entrusted to be the bearers of Jesus’ mission.

So, why is this reading used between the feasts of Ascension and Pentecost? Perhaps it is because as Jesus’ mission in the world had come to an end, he passed this mission along to the disciples. We, too, are the disciples of Jesus and must take up the mission of Jesus in the world. The end of the physical presence of Jesus was directly connected to the beginning of the new Church, which is enlivened and protected by the spiritual presence of Christ.

God is with us, no matter where we are or where we are going. Like the disciples, perhaps we also need to hear that we are protected, even as we are living through challenging times. This reading reminds us that every ending is another beginning—the beginning of something more powerful than we could have imagined.

What “in between” times have you been through? How have you experienced the presence of God in these times?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | May 14, 2012 No Comments »

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs” (Mark 16:15-20).

The Ascension is a beautiful development in the story we have been following for the past forty days. Jesus was “taken up” and seated “at the right hand of God” before our very eyes.

In this Gospel, Mark assures us the Resurrection has taken place— the Ascension is the culmination of the resurrection narrative. Jesus ascended from the warm embrace of his community of believers on earth. He was teaching and affirming at the moment of his ascension. He was with those he loved, his friends and followers, and assured them that they were ready to begin the serious work. Before the Ascension, he gave them instructions.

This Great Commission to the disciples was to proclaim the Gospel to all creation.

These are our instructions, too. The faithful fulfillment of our duties is to proclaim that God is with us and God is gracious. This simple and blessed assurance is our job.

As the disciples had grown and developed in the Easter narratives, we faithful continue to grow and mature, to evolve and change. Now we do so as living witnesses, developing the gifts that God has entrusted to us, bearing fruit by sharing the word with others.

The Ascension is far from the end of the story. The faithful are on earth, and Jesus is at the right hand of God, readying us for the next stage. The story is really just beginning.

How do you proclaim the Good News in your own life? How can you be a better witness of Jesus through your actions and in your conversations with others?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by Sister Pat Thomas | Filed under Pastoral Pathways | May 10, 2012 No Comments »

It has been said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell God your plans”.
 
I am reminded of the story of the Israelites in the days of the Judges. In the First Book of Samuel, the newest judges, who just happen to be Samuel’s sons, are highly corrupt and unfair. The people demand a king rather than live under the guidance of these judges. When Samuel goes to God with the people’s demand, he expresses a personal sense of failure. God tells him that the people are not rejecting Samuel; they are rejecting God as their king. God explains very clearly what would happen if a king was put in place, and the news is not good. Even so, the people reject God’s words and continue to demand a king, so God relents and agrees to let the people have a king.
 
God does not give up on the people and make them sink or swim by their own devices. God does not let the failures of the kings destroy the people. God holds them all close and watches them carefully. He sends them what they need when the days grow dark during the reigns of some of their kings.
 
God does not want our plans to fail, but sometimes we put too much of “us” into them. No prayer, no reflection; it is all about whatever we want to do and when we want to do it. If the plans fail, we never understand why.
 
I don’t think that God laughs at us when we make plans. God is not sadistic or cynical about us. God loves us. So when our plans go awry, God is there with arms open to tell us it is time to start over and put in the missing piece — God. As we make our plans, major and minor, let us keep our own hearts and minds open to accept God’s direction. Let us be willing to listen to the wisdom of the prophets in our lives today who can share God’s words with us. Let us be willing to change our plans, to let go, and to let God!
 
Sister Pat is a member of the RENEW staff, a Dominican Sister, and loves working with Young Adults as the program manager of Theology on Tap.

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | May 7, 2012 No Comments »

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.’ ‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you’” (John 15:9-14).

We are challenged in this passage to follow and remain faithful to the commandments. We are to give of ourselves, even to the point of laying down our lives for others. Above all, we must love each and every other person as much as we are loved by God.

One words sums up this whole reading—Love.

Love is what we remain in and are faithful to. Love is what gives us comfort, challenges us, provides us strength, and love is what we must dare to share.

Our friendship with Jesus demands that we remain in that love. We have to work at sustaining our friendship with him by following the commandments. In baptism, we enter a community that commits itself to remaining in God’s love and to sharing that love with all whom we encounter.

What have been the moments when “remaining” has been difficult and challenging?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by Anne Scanlan | Filed under Spiritually Speaking | May 2, 2012 No Comments »

Mary is a remarkable woman! I have grown in my affection for her over the years.

When I was in grade school, in the 1950s and 1960s, the May crowning of Mary was always the highlight of the year in my parish. Being a girl, this was especially a big deal for me because girls were excluded from most church activities such as choir and altar serving. But the May crowning procession was different. There, an eighth-grade girl was chosen to crown Mary and was accompanied by four First Communion girls. This was the tradition until my class. My class was told that none of us was worthy of such an honor. Instead, a second-grader would crown Mary. I was devastated!

Because of this, Mary became unreachable, untouchable, and being like her was unattainable. I felt this way for many years until, as a Dominican preacher, I met Mary in a brand new way through Luke’s account of the Annunciation. In praying that passage, I met a woman who was actively engaged in her relationship with God.

Mary was not, in this encounter, silent, passive, or submissive but open, listening, speaking, and questioning. Mary was alert, attentive, interacting, puzzled—alive! Mary was never told “Be quiet,” “Don’t question,” “Just say yes.” Mary was invited to be the Mother of God and was free, as we all are, to say “Yes” or “No.” Mary chose to say “Yes,” not because she knew what it all meant but because she knew she could trust the One who was asking—just as the One who was asking could trust the one being asked.

When we sense God is calling, asking, and inviting, may we be open, engaging, questioning, alive, and graced to trust the One who is asking, because the One who is asking is trusting us.

Anne Scanlan is a member of the RENEW staff, serves on the Why Catholic? team, and is an exceptional liturgist.

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | Apr 30, 2012 No Comments »

“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing’” (John 15:1-5).

Lent is about “pruning” bad habits and eliminating things that get in the way of our relationship with God, our selves, and others. Easter, on the other hand, is about the resurrection, new beginnings, and joy. It is the result of this pruning – a strengthened and invigorated relationship with God or a renewed outlook on life and faith. New life begins from where we have changed or withdrawn from old, unhealthy behaviors.

Think about it this way: When we are consumed by anger, we don’t have as much energy going toward love. We take that energy away from love to feed our anger. If we prune away that anger, we have that much more energy to give to something more constructive.

Now that Lent is over and the “pruning” is complete, we can see how we are connected to Christ and we can choose where to grow by redirecting our energy. Easter is a time to begin anew and become who we now can become only because those old encumbrances are gone.

Only branches that are connected to the vine produce grapes. So, too, will we be fruitful as long as we maintain our connection to Jesus. The Gospel tells us that as long as we live in Christ, even if we occasionally need a little pruning to make us stronger or better, we will always be fruitful.

How have you strengthened your relationship with God this Easter season?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by Charles Paolino | Filed under The Everyday Gospel | Apr 25, 2012 No Comments »

I was doing research on the Internet in connection with my work at RENEW, and I came across the names of actresses who have played Mary, the mother of Jesus, in conventional re-tellings of the Gospel story in the movies or on television.
 
The names included Ruth Hussey, Olivia Hussey, Dorothy McGuire, Siobhan McKenna, and—the most recent one—Keisha Castle-Hughes. Each of these women brings a slightly different interpretation to the role.
 
One thing that doesn’t vary in their performances, though, is the dignity with which Mary is portrayed—probably because producers, directors, and actresses realize that hundreds of millions of people hold Mary in high esteem.
 
It’s a significant, hope-filled thing in the time in which we live that so many people still have a special regard for a woman who lived two thousand years ago, a woman about whom we know so little.
 
There are several things about Mary that make her the object of such devotion.
 
One of them is the fact that Mary—alone among ordinary human beings—was conceived in her mother’s womb without original sin.
 
Another is the fact that Mary was chosen to bear a son who was both human and divine, both man and God, the one foreseen by the prophets, the savior, who would overcome the consequences of the sin of Adam and Eve.
 
These two things were gifts from God, gratuitous gifts—meaning that they were gifts that God did not have to give—not to Mary and not to the world.
 
Both of these gifts make Mary unique—the only woman of her kind who ever has lived or ever will live on earth.
 
Another thing that arose from Mary herself helps to account for the influence she continues to have so long after her life on earth: her respect for the will of God.
 
In the Book of Genesis we read that Eve, the first woman, and her husband, Adam, made their own will paramount to the will of God.
 
The story has to do with eating the fruit of a certain tree, but the details of the sin are not important. What’s important is that Adam and Eve knew the will of God, but they acted according to their own contrary will—in other words, they made themselves gods.
 
If we accept that God exists, then we must accept that his will is supreme. At whatever point we act as though our will is supreme, we make ourselves gods. And we human beings do that every day; we do it every time we sin.
 
By contrast, here is Mary in the gospel story, learning through some mysterious means that she will bear a son through divine intervention, learning something that had to be both frightening and confusing.
 
But because she understands it to be the will of God, what is Mary’s response?
“Let it be done to me as you say” (Luke 1:38).
 
This sentence defined Mary’s life on earth; she submitted to the will of God.
 
It doesn’t make her a weak personality; far from it.
 
When we consider what she endured—trying to understand her own role in God’s plan, trying to understand her son’s behavior, fearing for her son’s well-being, witnessing her son’s humiliation and death—when we consider what she endured because she accepted God’s will, we know that she was a very strong woman.
 
Moreover, after the Easter miracle, we find Mary in the company of other women and the apostles as the infant Church begins to take shape in a hostile environment.
So it’s no wonder that thoughtful people in the twenty-first century still honor and love Mary.
 
They do not see in Mary only God’s unique gifts to her—her immaculate conception and her role as the mother of the savior. They also see in her the model for every person, the model who teaches all of us that the key to everlasting life is contained in her simple response to the will of God: “Let it be done to me as you say.”

Charles Paolino is a member of the RENEW staff and a permanent Deacon in the Diocese of Metuchen.

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | Apr 23, 2012 No Comments »

“Jesus said: ‘I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep’” (John 10:11-15).

At one time or another, most of us have probably worked just for the financial reward—we punch in, punch out, and go through the motions. On the other hand, have you ever worked at doing something that you loved? Perhaps something that was challenging but that you found meaning in, and that you felt called to do?

In this gospel passage, Jesus spoke of himself as the good shepherd, as compared to the hired hand. The life’s work and call of a shepherd was to watch over his flock. It was his responsibility to see that no sheep went astray or was preyed upon. A shepherd didn’t just do his job; he was deeply invested in his sheep and herded them with care and concern. Jesus contrasted the good shepherd with the hired hand. The hired hand has no concern for the sheep but only for the reward of earning a day’s wages. When the wolf comes, the hired hand takes off, protecting only himself.

We know that, as the good shepherd, Jesus loves and cares for us. As Christians, we are called to share that love and care with those we serve and those with whom we work.

Ask yourself—are you just doing your job, or are you living out your vocation? Are you the hired hand, working only for the reward of money, prestige, or a line on your resume? Or are you the good shepherd who responds to the call of God, finding and giving meaning to the work you do and the people you encounter?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by Sister Pat Thomas | Filed under Pastoral Pathways | Apr 18, 2012 1 Comment »

I was listening to a press conference the other day, and a prominent politician spoke to the notion that we in America have lost our sense of hope. He was primarily referring to the economic state of our nation with the lack of jobs, the state of politics in our country, etc. This led him to ask the questions, “Where is there any hope? How can we have hope?” It made me wonder what kind of hope he meant. Is it the hope for material prosperity and success, the kind of hope that does not hang on anything larger than life?
 
If our sources of success and prosperity are limited to the human resources around us, we are doomed to failure. If all that we do depends on ourselves alone, there can be no hope— no hope of tolerance, no hope of peace, no hope of joy or happiness. Our efforts will achieve some things, but those things will not last if we do not ever acknowledge that we can achieve them fully only with the help of God.
 
We live in a world that is hurting and in need of healing. That healing must go beyond the material, pain-free existence that we are led to believe only money can buy. The healing we need comes from the joy and wonder of the resurrection, the promise that life is good because it is God’s gift to us and the promise of eternal life that has been fulfilled through Jesus’ resurrection.
 
We hear people tell stories of a tornado that destroyed their home or a fire that ripped through a neighborhood leaving many homeless. Yet, even as the survivors tell of their terrible experiences, they reflect, in gratitude, that no lives were lost, and they share the hope that they can rebuild. Where does that spirit come from if not from a sense that they are not alone and helpless?
 
In this season of Easter, how can we not live in hope? Our hope comes from the power of the resurrection and its promise of eternal life. The magnificence of the Father’s love poured out on us through the Son and the wonders of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that guide us in our choices are the gifts we need to maintain hope that goes beyond our everyday lives. If we bring that hope into our lives, they will never be just ordinary or humdrum. They will be ALLELUIA days!
 
Scripture tells us that our hope comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth! Praise be to Jesus Christ who did not leave us alone and hopeless but restored us to lives of joy and gladness through the power of his life, death, and resurrection.
 
Sister Pat is a member of the RENEW staff, a Dominican Sister, and loves working with Young Adults as the program manager of Theology on Tap.

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | Apr 16, 2012 No Comments »

“And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, ‘Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things’” (Luke 24:40-48).

In this final post-resurrection appearance, the two disciples were startled and terrified when Jesus appeared to them. Can you imagine—Jesus who had died was in their midst? Was he a ghost? Jesus realized their fears and disbelief and invited them to look at him and touch him. He even asked for food to show them that there was no doubt that he was alive.

In their joy, the disciples came to understand not only the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection, but to realize that it was also their destiny and calling. Death never triumphs; life and love always have the final say. They were the witnesses of this glory and joy and were charged with spreading this Good News to “all the nations” (Luke 24:47).

Just as the disciples were part of this story and mission, we are too. Jesus lives in and through us. As witnesses of the risen Christ, we are invited to proclaim this Good News throughout our day-to-day encounters, our relationships, and the very way we live our lives. What better way to live than to share the joy of the love of Christ through our words, actions, and our encounters with each and every person we meet?

How do you witness the risen Christ in your life?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by Sr. Terry Rickard, O.P., D.Min. | Filed under God in the Stuff of Life | Apr 11, 2012 1 Comment »

behold, in the early hour of dawn,
I see resurrection on my kitchen table,
every yellowed daffodil hurrahing in the morning,
stretching outward in the etched-glass vase.
—A Remnant of Resurrection, Joyce Rupp

In the late 1980s, while I was living and ministering in a parish in the South Bronx, one of the boys in our parish youth group was killed by a gang. I was devastated, and I wondered about the effectiveness of my ministry. Where was God in the violence and in the death of this young man? Was I making any difference in the lives of the young people in our neighborhood? It was a spring day, and I remember walking alongside a vacant lot. It was filled with weeds, broken glass, and empty crack vials. I noticed something yellow, and as I stopped and looked closer I could see three beautiful yellow daffodils pushing up against the weeds and broken glass. As they danced in the light wind, these hardy flowers were showing off all their beauty and glory in the midst of the strewn garbage. They were a bit bent and slightly scarred but full of hope and promise.

Like those daffodils, we too are scarred by our Good Friday stories of struggle, stumbling, and suffering. But we also give witness to the many kinds of resurrection experiences that are just as real in our lives. It seems that especially when our hearts are broken and scarred by pain and suffering—as the hearts of Mary Magdalene and Mary and Salome were that morning at Jesus’ tomb (John 20:1-9)—we can become more attuned to resurrection happenings in our lives. Suddenly we can see the daffodils among the garbage—the presence of the living Christ in the midst of impossible pain.

We are an Easter people called to embrace the cross always in the hope of the resurrection. We are a bit bent and slightly scarred, but full of promise and hope because the tomb is empty, Jesus is alive, Jesus is among us.

What are some resurrection happenings that keep your hope alive?

Sr. Terry is the Executive Director of RENEW International and a Dominican Sister from Blauvelt, NY.

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | Apr 9, 2012 No Comments »

“Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nail in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’ Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed’” (John 20:24-29).

Jesus was crucified around 30 AD, and the Gospel of John was written sometime around 100 AD. John’s community was struggling to keep faith in the face of persecution, the absence of Jesus, and the realization that Jesus’ return was not imminent.

Despite the joy we feel as we celebrate Easter, we can’t close our eyes to the fact that the world can be a cruel and unjust place. We are surrounded by examples of poverty, neglect, abuse, and apathy. We can become burdened by these things and lose touch with the loving God who created all things good and sent Jesus to redeem us from our sins. When this happens, doubt can be like a black cloud hanging over us.

The story of “doubting Thomas” is used to communicate this limited thinking. Thomas wanted obvious, empirical evidence. He was unable to let his present experience penetrate his grief over the loss of his rabbi and friend.

Unlike Thomas, we will never “see” Jesus and put our hands into his nail marks. However, we are asked to have faith in Jesus Christ present in the world. Our thinking about faith can never be limited to nailmarks. We can see Christ at work in the world in all of our positive encounters, and we can use that to inspire us to greater belief. We can believe that we were created beautiful and holy. We can believe that things can change for the better, no matter how hopeless a situation may appear.

Let us use this Easter season to respond to Jesus’ invitation to believe in him and to accept the peace that the risen Jesus gives to us. God wants nothing more than for us to live fully and respond to his call – to break free of doubt and proclaim, “My Lord and my God!”

When have you experienced doubt? How were you able to overcome it? How did it affect your faith?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International

Posted by RENEW | Filed under prayers | Apr 4, 2012 No Comments »

Your love, O God, embraces all creation, from the tree of the cross.
You have broken open the barriers of sin and selfishness
that separate us from one another and from you.
Remain with us and work through us
that others may come to see that love in us
that they saw and loved in Jesus-
a life freely given for the life of the world.
Until that great day, when your love will reign and all will be one,
may we walk in peace, work for justice,
live in gratitude, and celebrate unceasingly the wonders of your love.
Draw us all to you, O God, through the dying and rising of Christ,
in the power of the Spirit. Amen.
 

 
Excerpted from Lenten Longings – Year B: For the Life of the World, available from RENEW International

Posted by RENEW | Filed under Reflections on the coming Sunday's Gospel | Apr 2, 2012 No Comments »

“On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.’ So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20:1-9).

Alleluia, Christ is risen! Happy Easter!

John’s account of Jesus’ Resurrection speaks to the tremendous power of personal witness. Mary visited the tomb, mostly likely to anoint the body, since Jesus had been buried quickly to avoid ritual defilement for Passover, but she found the tomb empty. She did not keep this information to herself but ran to Peter and the other disciple—the apostle John. Mary was not afraid to tell them what she had experienced and act on what she had witnessed. She believed in what she saw and shared it. Such trust in God is at the heart of personal witness.

We don’t know when our moment to witness to God’s love for all people will present itself. We don’t know when we will be asked to speak the truth that others may find challenging. We can, however, draw courage from Mary’s willingness to speak and to act.

We are the powerful personal witnesses to Jesus in the world. Like Mary, we are invited to continue to speak the truth of Jesus, never knowing when our words and witness might draw others closer to God.

How do you witness your faith in your daily life? How can you be a better witness to your faith?

Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International