Readings & Reflections: Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time & St. Angela Merici, January 27,2020

Born in Lombardy, Italy, Angela was orphaned at the age of ten and as a young girl joined the Franciscan tertiaries, offering herself in prayer for her sister, who had died without the comfort of the final sacraments. It is said that a vision confirmed her sister’s presence among the saints. Later, a second vision awakened in her the desire to form a company of virgins to serve God. In a historical period characterized b frequent wars and the conspicuous consumption of the upper classes, Angela grasped the inherent dignity of young women, gathering them into her home for instruction and support. She was invited to Bescia to create a school for girls. When Pope Clement VIII asked her to lead a group of nuns in Rome, she chose to return to the women of Brescia. In 1535 A.D., she established a “Company” for women who consecrated themselves wholly to Christ and yet lived a life in the world. Her Company recalled the devoted widows of the early Church and anticipated the secular institutes founded in the 20th century. In her testament, Angela wrote, “Be on your guard and especially take care to be of one heart and mind…. There is only one sign that is pleasing to the Lord, that of loving and being united to one another.” The “Company” she founded shortly before her death in 1540 A.D. is today known as the Ursulines.

AMDG+

Opening Prayer

“Lord Jesus, you are my hope and salvation. Be the ruler of my heart and the master of my home. May there be nothing in my life that is not under your lordship.”  In your Mighty Name, I pray. Amen.

Reading 1
2 Sm 5:1-7, 10

All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
“Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.’”
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king,
and he reigned for forty years:
seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah,
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem
over all Israel and Judah.

Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem
against the Jebusites who inhabited the region.
David was told, “You cannot enter here:
the blind and the lame will drive you away!”
which was their way of saying, “David cannot enter here.”
But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David.

David grew steadily more powerful,
for the LORD of hosts was with him.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
89:20, 21-22, 25-26

R. (25a) My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
Once you spoke in a vision,
and to your faithful ones you said:
“On a champion I have placed a crown;
over the people I have set a youth.”
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand upon the sea,
his right hand upon the rivers.”
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

Gospel
Mk 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Blasphemes against the Holy Spirit

When Jesus started His ministry, we all witness that instead of holding on to a good steady job in Nazareth, He decided to be a wandering preacher with no permanent home. He formed a strange group of men around him, and had welcomed even stranger dinner companions, most of whom were not the kind of people the ‘decent’ Jews associated with. The company He kept was considered unacceptable to society. The path Jesus took was a collision course with the powerful religious leaders of his time as He challenged them and making Himself, their mortal enemy. He did not care for security, safety, and reputation, neither was He concerned with rites, rituals and tradition. According to worldly standards, Jesus was out of His mind, even possessed by the evil spirit of Beelzebul.

As such what we witnessed in the life of our Lord Jesus simply may bring us to the conclusion that if there is too much sanity in our lives, if all is too safe and secure, balanced and moderate, if everything seems to be in place at least from the cover, if we have lived the life of a conformist, if our lives do not seem to show our firm conviction for what is right amidst social judgment, if we come across as weaklings in our faith, then there is a great probability that we are not truly following the Lord.

Jesus was never scared to rock the ordered sterile world of the scribes and Pharisees. That is why they had to look for extraordinary reasons to justify their cold hearts which could only accommodate rigid and judgmental thoughts. As such they could not see the goodness in any of Jesus’ actions but accused Him of being in league with the devil. In putting down Jesus, they distorted the truth just so they may appear godly and acceptable at the expense of Jesus.

Today as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have Him as our STRONG MAN. We can rest secure that his house will never be plundered but we need to decide for Him. We have to decide if we are for Him or against Him.

The other way those who opposed Jesus saw Him was He was too good to be true. They do not want to admit that God is the author of His miracles. In this attitude lies the special gravity of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit–attributing to the prince of evil, to Satan, the good works performed by God Himself. Anyone acting in this way will become like the sick person who has lost confidence in the doctor that he rejects him as an enemy and regards as poison the medicine that can save his life.

This why our Lord says that he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, not because God cannot forgive all sins, but because that person, in his blindness towards God, rejects Jesus Christ, His teaching and His miracles, and despises the graces of the Holy Spirit as if they were designed to trap him

Direction

We must firmly believe in our Lord’s marvelous deeds if we want to receive pardon for all our sins.

Prayer

Dear Father, as we eagerly await the return of our Lord Jesus, we pray that we may be found righteous and acceptable. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Reflection 2 – Day of Penance for violations of human life

Catholics in the United States observe today as a day of penance “for violations to the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life.” That was an adaptation of the Roman Missal, requested by our bishops and approved by Holy See. We pray the “Mass for Peace and Justice,” recalling the famous words of Pope Paul VI, “If you want peace, work for justice.”

Clearly, as Pope John Paul II taught, there is a clear link among all of the life issues: sanctity at the beginning of life, along the way and at the end of life. We want a society without abortion or cloning, a society that protects the dignity of every person, and a society that does not take life, either through capital punishment or through euthanasia.

But abortion, in particular, is an enormous issue, much of which is hidden behind the scenes. Well over a million children are willfully aborted each year. It’s estimated that, on average, over 40% of women will have at least one abortion before age 45. Yet we Catholics, among many other people, believe that life begins at conception, and that human life is sacred. We simply cannot, as society, ignore this.

On this day of penance, we are called to examine our own lives. In what ways have we been complacent? Or in what ways have we done harm to the cause for life by acting in ways that do not attract support? Are we pro-life in some areas and not in others? Do we support programs to help young women who become pregnant and need help?

This is a day of prayer, too. Our Mass today has special prayers for peace and for justice. The two are closely linked. We pray for God’s justice to reign, not only in our hearts, but in society. In our Eucharist we pray to be more closely united with God’s will.

God is calling all of us to live life, and to live it more abundantly. Let us pray today that we can be witnesses of abundant life, of overflowing charity, of love of justice, especially for those unborn, who are completely dependent upon us for protection. (Source: John Feister. Weekday Homily Help. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 22, 2010).

Reflection 3 – Sin against the Holy Spirit

January 22 is the anniversary of the Supreme Court Decision Roe v. Wade. The Family Life + Respect for Life Office had sent information concerning the March for life in Washington, DC to defend the rights of the unborn baby on January 24. Here’s a Medical Journal Report: Diary of an unburned baby.  Nov. 1: My mother and my father showed how much they love one another. They slept together and my life began. Nov. 15: My blood circulation system is beginning now. My body is beginning to grow. I am now big enough to be seen. Nov. 28: My two hands and two feet have begun to grow. I can now stretch and straighten my back. Dec. 15: Today my mother felt me moving around and she is sure that I am inside her. How happy I am! Jan 6: Now hair is starting to grow on top of my head and above my eyes. Now I am starting to make myself pretty. Jan 19: My heart is really beating strong now. I am growing in all directions. I am happy and contented. Jan 20: Today my mother killed me.

If it had happened to you, you would not be listening this story today of an unborn baby. The story of an unborn baby is a reality that the crooks are still with us. The oppressors are still doing their evil work. We are as miserable as ever. This situation needs our attention and concern for action. Thus the Church organizes this march for life to Washington, DC to defend the rights of the unborn baby.

The teaching of the Church says, “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (CCC:2270).

“Since, it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible like any other human being (CCC:2274).

“Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life (CCC:2272).

“There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss” (CCC:1864). God gives grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God. The love and mercy of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are freely given to those who acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus by driving out the demons and make God’s kingdom felt: wherever life is enhanced or broken life restored; wherever we defend the rights of the unborn baby; wherever we find joy and true happiness; wherever people build community with vital life-giving relationships, there the kingdom of God has taken its roots.

Day of Prayer

“Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenseless and innocent among us. Nowadays efforts are made to deny them their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, taking their lives and passing laws preventing anyone from standing in the way of this. Frequently, as a way of ridiculing the Church’s effort to defend their lives, attempts are made to present her position as ideological, obscurantist, and conservative.

“Yet this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development. Human beings are ends in themselves and never a means of resolving other problems. Once this conviction disappears, so do solid and lasting foundations for the defense of human rights, which would always be subject to the passing whims of the powers that be.

“Reason alone is sufficient to recognize the inviolable value of each single human life, but if we also look at the issue from the standpoint of faith, ‘every violation of the personal dignity of the human being cries out in vengeance to God and is an offense against the creator of the individual’” (Christifideles Laici 37) – Source: From the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel) published by Pope Francis in 2013; Magnificat, Vol. 18, No. 11, January 2017, pp. 328-329).

Reflection 4 –  A heart divided

Jesus has barely set out on his mission when people begin trying to figure out who he is. In today’s gospel some folks who know Jesus can drive out the demons that sometimes possess human beings decide that he must be calling on greater demons to perform this wonder. And Jesus wisely points out that if Satan’s minions are at war with each other, the kingdom of evil is surely doomed to crumble into ruins.

Jesus’ contemporaries didn’t have today’s scientific knowledge. If a man fell to the ground in a seizure, they assumed he was thrown down by a demon. We would whisk him off to a hospital for brain scans and other medical tests. Demons don’t have much power over us – or so we think.

Yet most of us harbor our share of them: the demons of addiction to alcohol or drugs or gambling; the demons of greed and envy and hatred. Our hearts are often divided kingdoms when our desire to acquire more of this world’s goods wrestles with our concern for people who constantly struggle with hunger and disease.

Those demons do not operate below our level of consciousness. We are quite painfully aware of their presence, but our efforts to cast them out often fail. We simply do not have the power.

But Jesus does. He comes to us here at this table and asks us to let him have our whole hearts. And if we fully surrender to his healing touch, our demons will have more than met their match. (Source: Carol Luelbering, Weekday Homily Helps. Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, January 26, 2009).

Reflection 5 – The logic of forgiveness

In the gospel today Jesus announces a solemn warning that is loud and clear. By accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil, the scribes are uttering a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This is “an everlasting sin” since it attributes to Satan what is the work of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who clings to such an attitude cannot be forgiven. Such a person is denying the very source of forgiveness. How can we explain this today?

To say that Abraham Lincoln was president at a time when the nation was sharply divided is a monumental understatement, but his problems extended beyond the quarrel with the South. There were many even in his own political party who disagreed with him vehemently. Lincoln was, however, able to prevail in many an argument simply through the sheer force of his logic.

Once, having failed to persuade a stubborn opponent from his own party of the error of his reasoning, Lincoln said, “Well, let’s see. How many legs have a cow?” “Four of course” came the opponent’s surly reply. “That’s right,” said Lincoln. “Now, suppose we call the cow’s tail a leg; how many legs would the cow have?” “Why, five, of course,” was the response. “Now that’s where you’re wrong,” said Lincoln. “Simply calling a cow’s tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”

In today’s Gospel, the opponents of Jesus seem to think that simply by asserting something they have established it as true. In fact, Jesus is able to use some rather devastating logic himself to dismantle their claim that he casts out demons by the power of Satan. In a bit of reasoning that Lincoln himself later borrowed, Jesus spoke of a house divided against itself being unable to survive. Would Satan be foolish enough to provide the means for his own destruction?

There is a deeper lack of understanding on the part of the scribes that, according to Jesus, makes them susceptible to “everlasting guilt.” They have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, for it is only through the action of the Spirit that God’s activity in the world can be attested. To fail to recognize this action of God (or, better yet, to attribute it to some other power) is blasphemous.

It seems contrary to the whole ministry of forgiveness that characterizes Jesus for him to say of a sin that “it will never be forgiven.” But if the scribes are going to cling to their attitude and not accept the work of the Spirit manifested in Jesus, there is no means by which God’s mercy can reach them. That’s why the last piece of logic that seems to have escaped them: only those can be absolved who confess that they have something that needs to be forgiven.

Reflection 6 – The unforgivable sin

Are you adequately protected from spiritual danger and evil? Jesus’ numerous exorcisms brought freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the works of evil spirits. Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and battle with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness just before his public ministry. He overcame the evil one through his obedience to the will of his Father. Some of the Jewish leaders reacted vehemently to Jesus’ healings and exorcisms and they opposed him with malicious slander. How could he get the power and authority to release individuals from Satan’s power? They assumed that he had to be in league with Satan. They attributed his power to Satan rather than to God.  Jesus answers their charge with two arguments.  There were many exorcists in Palestine in Jesus’ time.  So Jesus retorted by saying that they also incriminate their own kin who cast out demons. If they condemn Jesus they also condemn themselves.  In his second argument he asserts that no kingdom divided against itself cannot survive for long? We have witnessed enough civil wars in our own time to prove the destructive force at work here for the annihilation of whole peoples and their land. If Satan lends his power against his own forces, then he is finished.  How can a strong person be defeated except by someone who is stronger? Jesus asserted his authority to cast out demons as a clear demonstration of the reign of God.  God’s power is clearly at work in the exorcisms which Jesus performed and they give evidence that God’s kingdom has come.

What is the point of Jesus’ grim story about a strong man’s house being occupied by an evil force? Our foe and the arch-enemy of God, who is Satan, is stronger than us.  Unless we are clothed in God’s strength, we cannot withstand Satan with our own strength. What does Satan wish to take from us? Our faith and confidence in God and our submission to his kingly rule.  Satan can only have power or dominion over us if we listen to his lies and succumb to his will which is contrary to the will of God.  Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or against it.  There are two kingdoms in opposition to one another— the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God’s word, we open to door to the power of sin and Satan. If we want to live in freedom from sin and Satan, then our house must be occupied by Jesus where he is enthroned as Lord as Savior.  Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to God and his word?

What is the unforgivable sin which Jesus warns us to avoid?  Jesus knows that his disciples will be tested and he assures them that the Holy Spirit will give them what they need in their time of adversity. He warns them, however, that it’s possible to spurn the grace of God and to fall into apostasy (giving up the faith) out of cowardice or disbelief. Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit reprehensible? Blasphemy consists in uttering against God, inwardly or outwardly, words of hatred, reproach, or defiance. It’s contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. Jesus speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as the unforgivable sin. Jesus spoke about this sin immediately after the scribes and Pharisees had attributed his miracles to the work of the devil instead of to God. A sin can only be unforgivable if repentance is impossible. If someone repeatedly closes his eye to God and shuts his ears to his voice, he comes to a point where he can no longer recognize God when he can be seen, and when he sees evil as good and good as evil (Isaiah 5:20). To fear such a sin, however, signals that one is not dead to God and is conscious of the need for God’s grace and mercy. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but any who refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. God gives grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God. What is the basis of our hope and confidence in God? Jesus’ death on the cross won for us our salvation and adoption as the children of God. The love and mercy of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are freely given to those who acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Is your hope securely placed in Christ and his victory on the cross?

Reflection 7 – Jesus frees us from Satan’s power

When danger lurks what kind of protection do you seek? Jesus came to free us from the greatest danger of all – the corrupting force of evil which destroys us from within and makes us slaves to sin and Satan (John 8:34). Evil is not an impersonal force that just happens. It has a name and a face and it seeks to master every heart and soul on the face of the earth (1 Peter 5:8-9). Scripture identifies the Evil One by many names, ‘Satan’, ‘Beelzebul – the prince of demons’, the ‘Devil’, the ‘Deceiver’, the ‘Father of Lies’, and ‘Lucifier’, the fallen angel who broke rank with God and established his own army and kingdom in opposition to God.

The Lord Jesus frees us from Satan’s power
Jesus declared that he came to overthrow the power of Satan and his kingdom (John 12:31). Jesus’ numerous exorcisms brought freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the work of evil spirits. Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and battle with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness just before his public ministry (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). He overcame the Evil One through his obedience to the will of his Father.

Some of the Jewish leaders reacted vehemently to Jesus’ healings and exorcisms and they opposed him with malicious slander. How could Jesus get the power and authority to release individuals from Satan’s influence and control? They assumed that he had to be in league with Satan. They attributed his power to Satan rather than to God. Jesus asserts that no kingdom divided against itself can survive for long. We have witnessed enough civil wars in our own time to prove the destructive force at work here for the annihilation of whole peoples and their land. If Satan lends his power against his own forces then he is finished. Cyril of Alexandria, a 5th century church father explains the force of Jesus’ argument:

Kingdoms are established by the fidelity of subjects and the obedience of those under the royal scepter. Houses are established when those who belong to them in no way whatsoever thwart one another but, on the contrary, agree in will and deed. I suppose it would establish the kingdom too of Beelzebub, had he determined to abstain from everything contrary to himself. How then does Satan cast out Satan? It follows then that devils do not depart from people on their own accord but retire unwillingly. “Satan,” he says, “does not fight with himself.” He does not rebuke his own servants. He does not permit himself to injure his own armor bearers. On the contrary, he helps his kingdom. “It remains for you to understand that I crush Satan by divine power.” [Commentary on Luke, Homily 80]

Jesus asserted his authority to cast out demons as a clear demonstration of the reign of God. God’s power is clearly at work in the exorcisms which Jesus performed and they give evidence that God’s kingdom has come.

Being clothed in God’s strength
What kind of spiritual danger or harm should we avoid at all costs? Jesus used the illustration of a strong man whose house and possessions were kept secure. How could such a person be overtaken and robbed of his goods except by someone who is stronger than himself? Satan, who is our foe and the arch-enemy of God, is stronger than us. Unless we are clothed in God’s strength, we cannot withstand Satan with our own human strength. What does Satan wish to take from us – our faith and confidence in God and our readiness to follow God’s commandments. Satan is a rebel and a liar. Satan can only have power or dominion over us if we listen to his lies and succumb to his will which is contrary to the will of God. Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or opposed to it.

There are ultimately only two kingdoms in opposition to one another – the kingdom of God’s light and truth and the kingdom of darkness and deception under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God’s word, we open the door to the power of sin and Satan’s influence in our lives. If we want to live in true freedom from the power of sin and Satan, then our “house” – our mind and heart and whatever we allow to control our appetites and desires – must be occupied and ruled by Jesus Christ where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to God and to his Word?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
What is the unforgivable sin which Jesus warns us to avoid? Jesus knows that his disciples will be tested and he assures them that the Holy Spirit will give them whatever grace and help they need in their time of adversity. He warns them, however, that it’s possible to spurn the grace of God and to fall into apostasy (giving up the faith) out of cowardice or disbelief. Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit reprehensible? Blasphemy consists in uttering against God, inwardly or outwardly, words of hatred, reproach, or defiance. It’s contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. Jesus speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as the unforgivable sin.

Jesus spoke about this sin immediately after the scribes and Pharisees had attributed his miracles to the work of the devil instead of to God. A sin can only be unforgivable if repentance is impossible. If people repeatedly closes their eyes to God, shuts their ears to his voice, and reject his word, they bring themselves to a point where they can no longer recognize God when he can be seen and heard. They become spiritually blind-sighted and speak of “evil as good and good as evil” (Isaiah 5:20).

The Holy Spirit heals and transforms us
To fear such a state of sin and spiritual blindness, however, signals that one is not dead to God and is conscious of the need for God’s grace, mercy, and help. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who refuses to acknowledge and confess their sins and to ask God for forgiveness, spurns God’s generous offer of mercy, pardon, grace, and healing. Through their own stubborn pride and willfulness, they reject God, refuse his grace and help to turn away from sin, and reject the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore them to wholeness. God always gives sufficient grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God.

What is the basis of our hope and confidence in God? Through Jesus’ death on the cross and his victory over the grave when he rose again on the third day, Satan has been defeated and death has been overcome. We now share in Christ’s victory over sin and Satan and receive adoption as God’s sons and daughters. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord enables us to live a new life of love and freedom from slavery to sin. The Lord Jesus is our refuge and strength because he makes his home with us (John 15:4) and gives us the power and help of the Holy Spirit. Do you take refuge in the Lord and allow him to be the Ruler of your life?

“Lord Jesus, you are my hope and salvation. Be the ruler of my heart and the master of my home. May there be nothing in my life that is not under your lordship.” – Read the source: http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2020/jan27.htm

Reflection 8 – Unforgivable?

He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness. —Mark 3:29

An elderly man thought he had committed the unpardonable sin. Overwhelmed with guilt, he mistakenly thought he had done something that God would not forgive.

Then a question came to his mind: If I am headed for hell, what would I want to do there? He thought, I would want to meet with others for prayer. Immediately he saw the absurdity of his fears. He knew that years earlier he had trusted Christ as his Savior, and he had a desire to know and please God. This was evidence that God’s Spirit truly lived in his heart.

Many sensitive Christians fear they have done or said something that is beyond forgiveness. Maybe it was a blasphemous thought that crossed their mind. Even though they confessed it to God, they wonder if they have committed the one sin that God will not forgive.

What is the unpardonable sin? In Mark 3:22-30, we read that religious leaders accused Jesus of performing miracles by the power of Satan. We can’t sin that way today, because Jesus isn’t physically here on the earth.

The only unforgivable sin is to continually and willfully reject the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Savior. Nothing but complete rejection of Christ is unpardonable. He graciously forgives all who come to Him.  — Dennis J. De Haan

There are no sins that can’t be pardoned,
All were paid for on the cross;
It’s only when the heart is hardened
That we choose eternal loss. —D. De Haan

Christ’s cleansing power can remove the deepest stain of sin (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 9 – Have you been falsely accused?

Reflection 10 – Seeing the glory of Jesus the Savior

Praise the Lord, for he has done marvelous deeds — for YOU! Sing with the psalmist (Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6); sing to the Lord a new song. The Lord has made known his salvation to you!

That’s right, he’s made it plainly clear that he cares about you. How? By offering up his own life for you (as we hear in Heb 9:15, 24-28) to heal you from the destructiveness of your sins, and the next time he appears, he will bring eternal salvation — heaven — to you.

Although this scripture is first of all speaking about Christ’s Second Coming, it’s also referring to your life here and now, and mine, as all scripture does, because Jesus is always with us.

We don’t have to be visionaries to see Jesus. He comes to us in the humble form of bread and wine, with all his humanity and divinity mysteriously packaged in the gift of the Eucharist. The next time  you go to Mass, as the priest speaks the prayers of consecration, ask Jesus to “appear” to you. Prayerfully entrust your imagination to the Holy Spirit and see what happens.

Sometimes when I do this, if he’s calling me to a new task or a busy day, I imagine him beckoning me as if to say, “Come on! Let’s get going! We have work to do for the Kingdom!” Other times, he’s holding out his arms to welcome and embrace me. Sometimes I can sense him smiling at me or praying for me or reminding me that he is already victorious in the trials that are causing me anguish.

We can also see his True Presence in people. Because each baptized person is an earthly “tabernacle” where Christ dwells, we can encounter him in others, including those whom we do not like, if we remember to look beneath the surface. He also comes to us in beautiful sunsets, in our private meditations, in the Word that’s read at Mass, and ___ (fill in the blank; how does he reveal himself to you?).

Always, Jesus is interceding for you. He’s working behind the scenes and on the front lines to help you. He’s more concerned than you are about the evils you suffer.

Whenever we turn to him for help, he readily enters the “strong man’s house” and trashes the place, tossing out all the weapons that have been used against us, restraining every evil spirit that works for the “strong man” (as in today’s Gospel reading). And the more we purify our hearts and work on our spiritual growth, the more this will make a lasting difference.

Jesus has not yet come to bring us the fullness of salvation. He’ll do that when we die (unless his Second Coming happens first). But in the meantime, we can be sure that he is busy mediating for us in our current situations. Things might look disastrous, or it might seem that life is not going as it should, but if we take our eyes off of the evil and look instead at Jesus, we will see and feel the victorious love of our Savior.

Remember my motto: Keep your eyes on Jesus! – Read the source: http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2017-01-23

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Reflection 11 – St. Angela Merici (1470?-1540 A.D.)

Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a “secular institute” of religious women.

As a young woman she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis (now known as the Secular Franciscan Order), and lived a life of great austerity, wishing, like St. Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela’s charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood.

She was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where, she had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals.

She eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost.

At 57, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of St. Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a “secular institute” until some years after Angela’s death.

Comment:

As with so many saints, history is mostly concerned with their activities. But we must always presume deep Christian faith and love in one whose courage lasts a lifetime, and who can take bold new steps when human need demands.

Quote:

In a time when change is problematic to many, it may be helpful to recall a statement this great leader made to her sisters: “If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change certain things, do it with prudence and good advice.”

Read the source:   http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1273

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