The Rambler

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] We’re in the Upper Room, as the thirteenth chapter of John’s Gospel begins to unfold. Judas has been sent on his way, and now we have Jesus making an announcement. Evidently, he’s going to be “glorified,” and in the process God will likewise be glorified (13:31-32). From our perspective, it doesn’t seem to add up. Judas is preparing to turn Jesus over to the Jewish authorities. If anything, the Lord is about to be “victimized,” not glorified. It would appear that he’s seriously misreading the situation.  But then again, perhaps not. A drama is being set into motion. We’re well on our way to seeing a “verbalized” love being transfigured into a “demonstrated” love. So when Jesus tells them that they need to have love for one another (13:34), it will be their way of proving something: namely, that they belong to this Lord of Love. You practice love because you are in communion with the Lord of Love. What does this entail? You’re ministering to the people ar...

  FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] You’ve gone back in time. You’re no longer a twenty-first century Christian; suddenly, you’re a first century Christian. Everything is fresh, everything is new. Jesus has ascended into Heaven, but he has left behind a series of glorious promises. You cherish each and every one of these promises. And yet, you find yourself struggling with the promise outlined in the Gospel of John, chapter ten: You are not going to perish, if you belong to Jesus (10:28) . The air seems to be going out of this promise……as you witness people around you dying off—whether through old age, through illness, or through the effects of persecution.  Jesus himself assured us that we would not perish!! Was he misleading us? You tell yourself that it was a sincere message, even if not a completely reliable message. It parallels a message that will be delivered later on, by way of folk tale. Chicken Little really believes that the sky is in the process of falling. The word ...

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] QUASIMODO . We get introduced to this name in an 1831 work written by the French author, Victor Hugo. The title of the novel is The Hunchback of Notre Dame . Early on we learn that the hunchback has been given a name: Quasimodo, which means “half-made.”  If he was fully made, or completely made, then his back would not be “hunched.” He would not be afflicted with a deformity. At least, that’s what the name Quasimodo seems to imply.  The Peter we encounter initially can likewise be described as half-made. However, in his case, there is a degree of hope. Quasimodo will persist in being Quasimodo throughout the entire 528 page story. He’s half-made and he will remain that way. But with Peter there is a progression. Yes, he has been embarrassing himself at various junctures.  Look for example at the Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty six. He vigorously attests to his loyalty in verse 33; nevertheless, the chapter closes with Peter denying Jesus, thre...

  SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER [C] The Peter we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. We can say that, after a number of false starts, he is now beginning to blossom. If he comes into contact with you, then you will be able to expect a positive result. In fact, according to the Book of Acts, even if he walks past you, the effect of his shadow will produce a meaningful impact (5:15). If only you could have a St. Peter enter into your life. You’ll be satisfied even if he simply walks on by.  A vagrant finds himself being passed by. He is stationed at a street corner, selling flowers. Some of the pedestrians walk on by, refusing to offer anything in the way of acknowledgement. Others stop long enough to stuff a dollar or two into his donation jar, but they continue on, not bothering to take one of his flowers. The point comes, however, when an actual customer steps forward. It’s a businessman, who opens his wallet, deposits a sum of money, and then picks up one of the flowers. He a...

  SOLEMNITY OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION Imagine for a moment that it’s 1967. You’re at the theater, getting ready to watch the latest James Bond movie. Much to your dismay, the hero is gunned down within the first five minutes! It’s definitely not what you expected. Nevertheless, since you’ve paid the admission, you decide to wait the situation out. After all, what did it say on the poster? It’s spelled out very clearly, in bold letters: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE.   Soon you come to realize that this was all being staged by the people at British Intelligence. It was a deception, intended to mislead the opposition. Bond is not dead. He’s alive, he’s well, and he’s stirring things up in Japan. We hear one of his colleagues making the observation: You have a lot of energy for a dead man, Mr. Bond! Of course, it’s said tongue-in-cheek. The death was a charade. Bond appeared to die, but he didn’t actually die.  Meanwhile, let’s consider the case of Jesus. Given what’s happened...

  A HOLY WEEK REFLECTION Primarily, we tend to emphasize the second half of Holy Week. The plan of salvation reaches its climax as we observe Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. Nevertheless, we do have liturgies that mark the earlier half of Holy Week. Note especially the Gospels for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Each one centers around the person of Judas Iscariot. On Tuesday, we hear about Satan “entering into” the heart of Judas (John 13:27). Meanwhile, the Gospel for “Spy Wednesday” outlines the arrangement that Judas initiates with the chief priests (Matt. 26:14-16). It’s an arrangement that will lead to the arrest of Jesus. And we know what happens once the authorities have Jesus in custody.  To what extent should we hold Judas accountable? Perhaps he deserves a healthy measure of sympathy. After all, he’s not responsible for his actions; he’s under the influence of Satan. It brings to mind a refrain from the 1970’s: “The devil made me do it!!”  We attr...