Preserving ourselves for eternal life - Fifth Sunday of Lent (B)

Fifth Sunday of Lent (B)

Jer 31:31-34
Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15
Heb 5:7-9
Jn 12:20-33

As we draw closer to the end of Lent, we are reminded ever more forcefully in the Sunday readings, that Jesus is preparing himself, as well as his disciples for his eventual death. In John's Gospel, Jesus tells his friends that "...unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." (Jn 12:24)

Jesus is telling us that rather than loving his life, he is prepared to lose it for our sakes; and that he will be glorified by his Father even at that moment. That in order to serve Jesus, we must follow him because "...where I am, there also will my servant be." (Jn 12:26) This is a beautiful promise to us... and gives us hope that we can attain eternal life and live forever with him.

The writer to the Hebrews states that through his suffering, Jesus learned obedience and when Jesus was made perfect, "he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." (Heb 5:9) Again, we are given this wonderful promise - the new covenant that God said he would make with his people.

"I will be their God, and they shall be my people" is what the Lord said to Jeremiah... "I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more." (Jer 31:34)

So as these days of Lent draw to a close, we ask again as we are reminded of our Lenten theme, that God create a clean heart in us and to place a new spirit within us. Now is the acceptable time, indeed!


~ Image from Living Walk

April Birthdays at St. E's ~ provided by Ethel Cooley

04/01 ~ Kenneth Majors, II

04/06 ~ Christopher Mahone

04/08 ~ Michelle Jordan

04/09 ~ Peggy Beverly

04/17 ~ Margaret Pittman

04/18 ~ Kenneth Ford

04/23 ~ Rosemary Overton

04/27 ~ Jay Schwermer

04/29 ~ Katie Stell

The Mystery of God's Love ~ Fourth Sunday of Lent (B)

Fourth Sunday of Lent

2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Eph 2:4-10
Jn 3:14-21

"By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion..." These words of the psalmist expresses so well the sorrow and repentance of the people whose beloved Jerusalem had been destroyed and their land laid waste by the Chaldeans who took them into captivity to Babylon.

The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied this disaster as he preached about the sins against the Lord, not only by the people, but by the priests and princes of Judah also. The Lord had sent many messengers among the people to warn them to repent but it was all in vain.

But even so, the Lord could not abandon his people. We see in 2 Chronicles, that his love for them was too great... his compassion enduring forever. In his mercy, the Lord inspired Cyrus, King of Persia, to send the captives home to rebuild their temple and their city.

We can scarcely imagine the joy of these repentant people, who had endured much for their sinfulness and were now being given an opportunity once more to live the covenant with their God.

This is just one instance of the mystery of God's love for us. Through the centuries, there arose many prophets who spoke of the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One, who would save us from our sins even though "we were dead in our transgressions", as Paul writes to the people of Ephesus. Paul reminds them that God's love and mercy brings us to life with Christ. That we have been saved by the gift of God's grace, our faith in Jesus Christ.

And in this week's Gospel of John, we read these beautiful and comforting words:

"For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
might not perish
but might have eternal life."

In this fourth week of Lent, let us be comforted by these words and strive to continue our Lenten journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving... and to dwell even more fervently on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. His becoming a human being like us, his life, his suffering, his death for our sins, and finally, his resurrection... all so that we might live...

Now IS the acceptable time!


~ Image: God so loved the World

Reconcile, Renew and Convert ~ Third Sunday of Lent (B) ~ by Ronnie Archer

Third Sunday of Lent (B)

Ex 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
1 Cor 1:22-25
Jn 2:13-25

Most of us, as youngsters, were taught the Ten Commandments, which GOD handed down to His people through Moses. We are constantly being reminded that the Commandments summarize the behavior that GOD has commanded from His people, and how He expects us to live our lives today also.

The second line of the Exodus reading today begins with the "voice" of God, "I am the Lord, YOUR God..." He is OUR GOD... how powerful is THAT! In these days of so many temptations and distractions, it can be, at times, easy not to remember WHO IS our God... To become so distracted and caught up in our daily lives that maybe we, "unconsciously, carve out idols for ourselves"... whatever they may be. We need reminders and a consistent prayer life to be able to live as OUR GOD commands us to live.

In St. Paul's letter to Corinth, we hear that "Jews demanded signs and Greeks looked for wisdom," but WE proclaim Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Christ's crucifixion was a sign of Sacrificial LOVE and STRENGTH, but to some, that appears as weakness; but to us who believe and are called, it is a sign of the endless LOVE and POWER of OUR GOD! "The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

The Gospel of John today depicts the strong love of Jesus for His Father's House. He knew that activity at the temple was not what His Father wanted to go on. After Jesus' "cleansing" of the temple, the Jews wanted to know what "sign/authority" He could show for upsetting the temple as He did. He said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." He was not speaking of the building, but of HIMSELF... the temple of His body. The disciples remembered that Jesus had said that and came to believe the Scriptures and the word Jesus had spoken.


~ Image: "Jesus Cleanses the Temple" - Priory of Our Lady of Peace
Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey

Second Sunday of Lent (B) ~ Transforming our Lives

Second Sunday of Lent (B)

Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19
Rom 8:31b-34
Mk 9:2-10

In Mark's Gospel today, we hear how Jesus took Peter, James and John up to a high mountain and in their presence, was transformed... transfigured. With Jesus stood Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets. As the apostles watched, they heard the voice of God in all His Glory, identify and acknowledge the presence of His beloved Son.

Though terrified by this event, the frightened apostles realized that they wanted to remain forever in the presence of the Divine. They offered to build tents for each of them. But alas, it was not to be and the dazzling scene faded and Jesus was alone with them once more.

What was the impact of this transfiguration on these three men? Jesus tried to explain to them that they should say nothing of the event until after He had risen from the dead. Their minds became distracted from the vision and turned instead to the meaning of the Son of Man rising from the dead... What could that mean? It could be that their minds remained clouded until the Holy Spirit descended upon them, long after Jesus' Death and Resurrection. However, we know that Peter, James and John finally understood and their experience has come down to us as an important lesson about change.

As we continue our Lenten journey, we are also called to be transfigured and transformed. That through prayer, fasting and alms giving, we ask God to create a new heart in us. A new Spirit within us so that our lives can be lived more in tune with God's Will. What is required of us?

Trust in God is what is necessary in order to change our hearts. We see the kind of trust we need as we listen to the Genesis reading that tells the story of Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to the Lord because God asked this of him. Abraham trusted God who had told him before the birth of Isaac that he would be the father of nations. The Lord put Abraham to the test and Abraham did not falter. He trusted that God's words would be fulfilled.

Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans, that God is always FOR us! Why else would He have given His own Son to live among us and to die for us on the cross? If God can do this for us, we can be assured that the trust we give to Him, will never be cast away.

In joy and gratitude, the psalmist sings:

"To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the Lord." (Ps 116:17)


~ Image: "The Transfiguration of Christ" by Titian

March Birthdays at St. E's - Provided by Ethel Cooley

Happy Birthday Everybody!






03/03 ~ Sheryl Smith

03/04 ~ Thomas James Allen

03/08 ~ Phyllis Booth

03/09 ~ Carolyn Nash and Joanne Nero

03/10 ~ Kelmern Tunstall

03/13 ~ Richard Richardson

03/16 ~ Mira Davis, Isreal Murray and Clifton Wright

03/19 ~ Marguerite Branch and Joseph Smith

03/22 ~ Stanley Lamb, Kelsey Nero and Akhira Walters

03/23 ~ Raymond Chita, Jr. and Ronald Timmons

03/24 ~ Lord Davis, Sr.

03/26 ~ Quinton Sullivan

03/31 ~ Ethel Cooley, Micole Jordan, Chelsea Mahone and Marva Williams


~ Image by Webweaver