Friday after Ash Wednesday

A short commentary on the Gospel of the day accoring to Catholic Lecionary

Gospel

Matthew 9:14-15

When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast

1.      John’s disciples came to Jesus and said,

2.      ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’

3.      Jesus replied,

4.      ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them?

5.      But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them,

6.      and then they will fast.’

 

This Gospel contains a profound life changing truth. Life is a wedding. Jesus is the Bridegroom. His community and each one in it he calls to be the bride. Life is meant to be a loving relationship of intimacy with Jesus. This is his desire and it should be ours. He gives himself to us. We should give ourselves to him. Now in faith, later in bliss.

 

There is an ominous note. The Bridegroom will be  taken away. Jesus will suffer violent persecution and a violent death. He suffers it willingly for the sake of his bride. The bride too suffers the loss.

Now we fast because

1.      we have lost our Bridegroom from sight. We have no interest in earthly pleasures except for survival. We are not at home here, because he is not here with us in sight, though with us in spirit. We long with all our hearts to be with him in every way. That only is the life of bliss.

2.      Our Bridegroom suffered freely and willingly so that his bride may have lasting joy with him. Now until we reach him, the bride fasts to share spiritually in the sufferings of her Bridegroom. How can I not suffer for him? ‘You suffered joyfully for me, I will suffer joyfully for you. I will crucify sin in my life. I will violently crucify everything that pains you, my Beloved.’ And so, we fast out of love for him and to be spiritually one with him. We are not interested in the pleasures of this world. Our desire is only for him.

3.      For the same reason we crucify our own pleasures reaching out to others in love, because this is the desire of the Bridegroom. We treat others as we would treat the Bridegroom if he was visible like they are. Why? This gives joy to our Bridegroom.

My life becomes a loving crucifixion for him, just as his was for me.

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 LORD THAT I MAY SEE: THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY

A SHORT COMMENTARY ON TH GOSPEL FOR TODAY ACCORDING TO THE CATHOLIC LECTIONARY

Gospel

Luke 9:22-25

Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it

1.      Jesus said to his disciples:

2.      ‘The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously,

3.      to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes

4.      and to be put to death,

5.      and to be raised up on the third day.’

 

6.      Then to all he said:

 

7.      ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine,

8.      let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.

9.      For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it;

10.  but anyone who loses his life for my sake,

11.  that man will save it.

12.  What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world

13.  and to have lost or ruined his very self?’

 

if you haven’t realised that life is warfare, you haven’t understood life in this world. You will become a victim of the enemy.

The life of Jesus, our guru and leader, shows it from the very beginning to the end. Satan is the ‘prince of this world.’ He has captured it by deceit. Men and women have fallen for his deceptive words promising the happiness they seek. The result is unhappiness and distress. His deceptive word: sin and get what you want and be happy. The truth is: sin and die and get a harvest of misery. No one want to hear this.

Jesus resisted Satan throughout his life. The conscious and unconscious allies of Satan lined up against him and brought about his death on the Cross.

If we want to follow Jesus, then we must join him in his war against Satan.  Satan and his allies will line up against you too. It will be a life-long battle – mainly temptation that comes from all sources. Yield and die, fight them and live. If you trust in the Lord, he will be your shield and you will be safe. Otherwise you will perish in your sins and be the eternal captive of the enemy, Satan.

Jesus conquered Satan on the Cross and lives for ever in glory. We must conquer Satan on the Cross too. It’s hard and uninviting. But it brings the same life of glory when the war is over.

Refuse to fight against his temptations and assaults and we die, and for ever. The choice is ours, now.

Lent is a wake-up call for battle.