March 18-23: March 18 Monday: [Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church]: For a short biography click on https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-cyril-of-alexandria

Jn 8:1-11;: [They went each to his own house] 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”

The context: The Jewish civil and criminal code considered three grave sins as punishable by death, namely idolatry, murder, and adultery. The Law (Lv 18:20; 20:10; Dt 22:22), prescribes death for both the married woman and her partner if they are caught in adultery. If the guilty woman is betrothed, and she and her partner are within the City, both are to be taken outside the City gate and stoned to death (Dt 22-23). In both cases they have violated God’s sixth commandment and have destroyed the fidelity and unity of marriage. In today’s Gospel, we find the Pharisees preparing a trap for Jesus by bringing to him a woman caught in adultery. The trap and the escape: If Jesus consented to her death by strangulation or stoning, he would be violating the Roman law which forbade killing by private citizens. In addition, he would lose his reputation as a merciful rabbi. If Jesus said “no,” he would violate the Mosaic Law. Hence, Jesus ingeniously escaped from the trap by leaving the judgment to the conscience of the accusers. St. Augustine puts Jesus’ stand as follows: “Let this woman be punished, but not by sinners; let the law be applied, but not by its transgressors.” Jesus condemned sin, but not the sinner. He gave her a stern warning not to sin anymore, but showed her mercy, compassion and forgiveness.

Life messages: 1) We too should learn to hate sin and love the sinners showing them mercy and compassion, sympathy, and acceptance, and leading them to noble ways by our own exemplary lives. 2) We should show mercy and compassion to those who sin because we ourselves are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. 3) We have no right to judge others because we often commit the very faults we condemn, we are often partial and prejudiced in our judgment, and we do not know the circumstances which led someone to sin. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24.

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/

March 19 Tuesday:(St. Josph, Spouse of Blessed Virgin Mary):: For a brief account, click here: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-joseph-husband-of-mary Sm 7:4-5, 12-14, 16; Rom 4:13-14, 18-22; Mt 1: 16, 18-21, 24; Lk 2:41-51): Video: https://youtu.be/E8FAcs6lh_A

ST. JOSEPH IN THE HOLY BIBLE: We have the description of St. Joseph only in the Gospels of Mathew and Luke. They present him as Joseph, the just man, the dreamer, and the silent saint who was the custodian and protector of Jesus and Mary, always doing the will of God.

(A) Joseph, the just man: (Matthew 1:19). In the Biblical sense, a just man is one who faithfully does his duties to God, to lawful authorities, and to his fellow human beings.

(1) Joseph did his duties to God faithfully by obeying His laws revealed through Moses, through his king, and through his foster-son Jesus.

a) He obeyed the Mosaic laws: i) by circumcising and naming Jesus on the 8th day, ii) by presenting Mary with her child in the Temple for the purification ceremony, iii) by making Jesus “son of the Law,” bringing him to the Temple of Jerusalem for the feast of Passover at the age of twelve.

b) He obeyed his King’s law by taking his pregnant wife Mary to Bethlehem for the census ordered by the emperor.

c) He loved, cared for and protected Jesus during the Flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13)and after their return to Nazareth (Mt 2:20), and when he and Mary searched for Jesus when he remained in the Temple at the age of 12 when they had gone up to Jerusalem for the Passover (Lk 2:44-48) and when they all went back to Nazareth (Lk 2:51-52).

(2) Joseph did his duties to others faithfully:

a) to his wifeby giving her loving protection in spite of his previous suspicion about her miraculous pregnancy. He could have divorced her. Pope St. John Paul II: St. Joseph protects Mary “discreetly, humbly, and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand.”

b) to Jesusby loving him as his own son, giving him corrections and praise when merited, and teaching him to be a good, responsible man, training him in his trade, in the Law of Moses, and in good conduct (Lk. 2:52).

c) to his neighborsby being an ideal carpenter and good neighbor.

(B) Joseph, the dreamer (like Joseph in the O.T.) received answers to his fervent prayers as dreams. Joseph raised his heart and mind to God in all his needs and dangerous situations in life, besides praising and thanking Him.

Dreaming in the Old Testament was one way God used to communicate His will to men. Joseph received instructions from God through four dreams: i) “Do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife” (Mt.1:20); ii) “Get up, take the Child and his mother and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave” (Mt. 2:13); iii) “Get up, take the Child and his mother, and go back to the land of Israel” (Mt.2:20); iv) as a confirmation of Joseph’s prudent thought of taking Mary and Jesus out of Jerusalem (where a worse ruler might endanger them), and back to Nazareth, a small, out-of- the-way village in the country.

(C) As a silent saint, Joseph always did the will of God and protected and provided for Jesus and Mary. Hence, he continues to protect the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.

How did Joseph provide this protection and provision? By his unfailing presence and committed fidelity. He did it silently and justly by doing the will of God. He is a silent saint in our noisy world, giving himself to others. He continues to protect those who protect and take care of elderly parents, the aged, and the sick in nursing homes. He courageously fulfilled his protective role, starting with his receiving his wife into his home at the angel’s command in a dream and continuing through the flight to Egypt with Mary and the Child and their sojourn there, all the way to Nazareth and their life there, where, at some point, he died peacefully in their presence.

Life Messages: 1) We need to lead saintly lives by becomingfaithful in little things, as St. Joseph was. “Bloom where you are planted” was the favorite advice of St. Francis de Sales. Let us love our profession and do good to others.2)We need to consult God daily in prayer to know His will and to do it. 3)We need to be just, as St. Joseph was, by “giving everyone his or her due.” 4) We need to raise our families in the spirit of the Holy Family and to be responsible, God-fearing, ideal parents like Joseph and Mary. 5) Let us become protectors like St. Joseph, by keeping watch over our emotions, over our hearts which are the seat of good intentions that build up ourselves and others, and which prompt us to reject evil intentions that tear everything and everyone down! “We must not be afraid of goodness or even tenderness!” (Pope St. John Paul II). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

March 20 Wednesday: Jn 8:31-42: 31 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How is it that you say, `You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. 41 You do what your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

The context: Today’s first reading, taken from the book of the prophet Daniel, tells us how King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a 90-foot tall and 3-foot wide, 3-foot thick golden statue built, then commanded all his subjects to bow down in adoration before it as a test of loyalty. Many Jews did so, fearing persecution and death. But three young Jewish men, who were favorites of the king and were employed by the King in the royal court, refused to worship the statue because of their religious belief in one God, Yahweh. Hence, they were thrown into a fiery furnace to die. There, Yahweh, the only God, Whom they worshipped faithfully, protected them, as they were ready to sacrifice their lives rather than turn their backs on Him. It was their Faith, their loyal allegiance to God and their obedience to His will that saved them.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus told the unbelieving Jews that it was such loyal Faith and obedience to his teachings that would make them his disciples, enjoying true freedom. Jesus explained to them that true freedom is freedom from sin, submitting their hearts and wills to God their Father speaking through His Son Jesus. The Jews argued that they had never been slaves to foreign gods, although they had been under Persian, Babylonian, Greek, and Roman rulers. They claimed they had always kept the Faith of Abraham their father. Jesus plainly told them that they were slaves of sin and the devil because they not only refused to accept him as the Son of God and obey his words but were also planning to kill him.

Life messages: 1) Let us become true disciples of Christ by believing in Christ’s teachings, studying and mediating on his words in Holy Scripture, and obeying his commandment of love in our daily lives. 2) Let us seek Jesus’ help and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we may be freed from slavery to sins, evil habits, attachments, and addictions. 3) Let us grow in true Christian discipleship by freely submitting our heart, mind, and will to an all-merciful, all-loving, all-wise God. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L-24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

March 21 Thursday: Jn 8:51-59:: 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, `If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. 55 But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

The context: In today’s Gospel, Jesus surprises and infuriates the Jews by the blinding lightning and deafening thunder of his Divine claims. First, Jesus claimed that one who kept his words would not die because his words were God’s words. The Jews responded, arguing that even a great man of Faith, like Abraham who kept God’s words, had died. Next Jesus claimed that he had unique knowledge of God because he came from God. The Jews believed that God had revealed everything about Himself through the Torah. Third, Jesus claimed a unique obedience to God, his Father, because he thought, spoke, and acted as God wished. The Jews believed that their fathers and prophets had obeyed God perfectly. Fourth, Jesus claimed that he was not limited by time and, hence, that he was there with God even before Abraham, and that Abraham had seen Jesus’ “day, and he was glad.” The Jews believed that Abraham had been given a vision of the entire history of Israel including the vision of the Messiah. At this last claim, the Jews attempted to stone Jesus for blasphemy. But Jesus escaped.

Life message: 1) We need to put our trust in Jesus because of His claims of Divinity. If we believe that we will receive eternal life by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we need to live out our belief by obeying him. As God, Jesus is present in all areas of our lives, so we need to talk to him about everything and listen to him always. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

March 22 Friday: Jn 10:31-42: 31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, `I said, you are Gods’? 35 If he called them Gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, `You are blaspheming,’ because I said, `I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him; and they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

The context: In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah laments over the false accusations leveled against him by his friends and enemies. In the Gospel, Jesus refutes the accusation of blasphemy and avoids the attempt at stoning him to death (the Jewish punishment for blasphemy), by giving two proofs of his Divinity and equality with God as the Son of God. Jesus was called a blasphemer when he forgave the sins of the paralytic (Mt 9:1-8). Later during his trial before the Sanhedrin, the High Priest would do the same when Jesus solemnly confessed his Divinity.

Two arguments supporting Jesus’ Divinity: 1) The Book of Psalms, a book of Jewish Holy Scripture, reminds the Jewish judges of their high dignity and consequent responsibility saying: “You are gods, sons of the Most High” (Ps 82:6) because they are commissioned by God to act in the place of God in promoting His Justice. (God is reprimanding unjust judges reminding them of their position and role). If they can be called sons of God, Jesus argues, his saying, “I am consecrated and sent by God” (meaning, “Hence, I share the Divinity of God and claim it”), is not blasphemy but truth. 2) The truth that Jesus is the Son of God is supported also by the credentials of his miracles. Jesus claims that it is his Father who does these miracles through him. Hence, Jesus challenges his accusers to accept his deeds even if they cannot accept his claim.

Life messages: 1) By Baptism we are made children of God, heirs of Heaven, and members of the Trinitarian family of God. We, too, are consecrated and commissioned by our Baptism to bear witness to Jesus and his ideals. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L-24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections

March 23 Saturday: Jn 11:45-56: 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him; 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on thus, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; 50 you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and there he stayed with the disciples. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?”

The context: Today’s Gospel gives the reaction of the High Priest and his associates when the news about Jesus’ raising of Lazarus reached their ears. They convened a session of the Council to consider the matter. [Lectio Divina To understand
this reaction of one part of the population, it is necessary to become aware
that half of the population of Jerusalem depended completely on the Temple
for their lives and survival. Because of this, it would have been difficult for
them to support an unknown prophet from Galilee who criticized the Temple
and the religious authorities. This also explains why some even were ready
to inform the authorities. They were
afraid of the Romans, because in the past it had been shown many times, by the
Roman invasions in the year 64 before Christ until the time of Jesus, that the Romans
repressed with great violence any attempt at popular rebellion. (Cf. Acts
5:35-37). In the case of Jesus, the Roman reaction could have led to the loss
of everything, even of the Temple and of the privileged position of the priests]. Caiaphas, who led the Council, had held the High Priesthood from the year 18 to the year 36 AD. It was the popular belief that when a High Priest asked for God’s counsel for the nation of Israel, God would speak through him. God used Caiaphas to prophesy the redemptive death of Jesus for the whole world when Caiaphas said: “It is expedient for you that One Man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” Here, Caiaphas’ words have two meanings: 1) Caiaphas meant he wanted to put Christ to death on the pretext that that would ensure the political peace and survival of Israel. 2) The Holy Spirit meant that the new Israel, the Kingdom of God, the Church, would be founded through the death of Christ on the Cross, and that Jesus’ death would save not only Israel but “all the children of God who are scattered abroad.” The prophets had already announced that the future assembly of Israelites faithful to God would form the new people of Israel. These prophecies were fulfilled by the death of Christ, Who, when raised up on the cross, drew and gathered together the true people of God, composed of all believers, whether Israelites or not.

Life messages: 1) We are entering Holy Week tomorrow. It is in Holy Week that we gratefully remember how Jesus died for the whole world. 2) These are days given us by God so that we may express our gratitude to Christ who died for our sins, by repentance, by the renewal of our lives, and by our preparation to celebrate resurrection of our Lord. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L-24

For additional reflections, click on: https://bible.usccb.org/podcasts/video; https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/; https://www.epriest.com/reflections