I am going to deviate from the scriptural readings and use a different text for our reflection today. The Opening Prayer at mass is called the "Collect" because it is intended to sum up or gather together the intentions of the day's sacrifice. Today's Collect reads, "Be near, O Lord, to those who plead before you, and look kindly on those who place their hope in your mercy, that, cleansed from the stain of their sins, they may persevere in holy living and be made full heirs of your promise." Wow, is not that exactly what we want to pray for today? That God is near to us, cleanse us, that we may persevere and ultimately receive eternal life. And to this prayer, may the people of God in one voice proclaim, "Amen."

I had a friend in college who said to me, "Your t-shirt is in Gross!" At the time I was wearing a shirt that said "No pain, No gain" but instead of a weightlifter, there was a drawing of Jesus, all bloody and sweaty, while carrying the cross. I honestly had not spent much time reflecting upon what others might see when they see a crucifix or an image of the suffering countenance of our Lord. I guess I have always been accustomed to seeing in this barbaric act the most precious gift of love possible. As the serpent was raised in the desert and all who gazed upon it were healed so to will the Son of Man be lifted upon the gibbet of the cross and all who gaze upon Him will be saved! The 11th Station is Jesus is nailed to the Cross. Of it St. Alphonsus Liguori writes, "Consider that Jesus, after being thrown on the cross, extended His hands, and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. These barbarians fastened Him with nails; and then, raising the cross, left Him to die with anguish on this infamous gibbet." Jesus tells us in the Gospel today, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM.."

Today's reading from the book of Daniel chap 13 is long but worth the read. It is the story of an innocent God fearing woman who was a victim of the sins of others and how ultimately God delivered her from those who falsely accused her of adultery. Our Gospel passage also speaks of a woman being accused of adultery, but this time she is guilty; yet never the less, we see Christ's compassion and mercy. Both women, one a sinner and the other righteous, experience God's saving intervention. He really is a God who pays our debts and rights our wrongs. Our God is indiscriminately generous with His Mercy. I fear no evil, for He is at my side.

In today's Gospel we read the raising of Lazarus from the dead. I was struck by one line in particular, namely, Martha's protest to Jesus wanting to open the tomb. She said, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for 4 days." It makes me wonder when we going to learn this lesson. When Jesus is with us things are not as bad as they seem. He is the "ressurection and the life." If He is asking us to do something, it is not going to stink! ............................................................BY THE WAY...If you are viewing this on the Christ the Redeemer Website (ctrcc.org) I would like to draw your attention to the scrolling pictures across the top of your screen. Every few seconds you will see a different one go by. Each of these pictures is a link that if you click on it you can see that content. I recommend you test this because one of them is a link to Fr. Moretti's Homily for the 5th Sunday in Lent. I highly recommend reading his take on today's readings!

Jeremiah gives us some of the most hope-filled and tender passages than all the other prophets, despite the fact that he had one of the harshest messages. Today he speaks of the evil that has been plotted against them, using the image of the "a trusting lamb led to slaughter" that does not realize the plot against it. But in the same breath, he speaks with a great confidence in God conveying a message of hope. "O LORD of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause." God knows what is in the depth of the heart, from Him nothing is hidden. He cannot be caught unaware. It is not upon ourselves that we should trust nor upon our own judgement that rely. Instead we know that God is all we need and in Him we find our refuge.

One of the central themes throughout John's Gospel is the concept that Jesus has been sent by the Father, or sometimes stated He is here to do the Will of the one who sent Him. We read this in yesterday's and today's Gospel passages and will continue to encounter it leading up to Easter. Jesus even makes it one the main topics of conversation during the Last Supper. John preserves the dinner conversation in what has affectionately now referred to as the Farwell Discourse (Jn 14-17). In it Jesus wants His Apostles to believe that Jesus was sent by the father, to do the will of the Father, and ultimately bring us back to the Father. This is one of the main teachings of our Faith and John makes sure we hear it throughout his Gospel. The most famous of these passages being John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He sent his only Son so that all who believe in Him might not perish but have eternal life."

The passage from Exodus depicts Moses interceding with God on behalf of the Israelites. God is rightfully upset that the people have begun to put their trust in a false god, the image of a molten calf, instead of the God who led them out of Egypt. Moses implored the Lord to have mercy and to remember His promises. Our psalm today even describes this by saying when God wanted to exterminate them for their lack of trust that Moses "withstood him in the breach to turn back his destructive wrath." (Ps 106:23) Wow! What an incredible image! One man standing and praying on behalf of the many, imploring God to show mercy. In this time of chaos and unsettledness may we not grow tired as did the Israelites of giving God the glory due His Holy Name and trusting in His power to overcome all calamities. But may you also be assured that we your priests are at the altar everyday, standing in the breach, imploring God on your behalf. We like Moses implore His mercy and beg Him to fulfill all His promises!

Today is the second of two solemnities during Lent, the Annunciation. We celebrate the day when in the midst of prayer, the angel Gabriel appears before the Blessed Virgin Mary and announces to her the plan of God. The most amazing thing then takes place... God awaits the response of this humble 14 year old. All of creation holds its breath while Mary contemplates this request that God has made of her. God chooses to become dependent upon His creation and invites us, through Mary to collaborate with Him in the salvation of the world. Ever since this day 2021 years ago, God has continued to extend the hand of cooperation and collaboration to us His creation. He chooses again and again to invite us to choose, like Mary, to say "Yes" to His plan in our lives. Mary could not have known all that His plan would entail, yet she radically trusted. In this time of uncertainty and fear, God is inviting us to trust in Him as well. My Lord and my God, I believe... may it be also it done unto me according to your will!

Ezekiel is my favorite of all the prophets in the Bible. He uses such vivid imagery to describe the glory of the presence of God and today's first reading is one of my favorite of his images. (Ez 47:1-12) Ezekiel sees water flowing from the eastern wall of the temple. As he follows this trickle of water eastward it grows to be ankle deep, and then knee deep, waist deep and eventually becomes a large raging river. What an amazing image for God's life and His grace. What begins as the smallest of all forays out into the world becomes a generous outpouring unto the whole world. Water we know is an image of life, all life depends upon it. May this small trickle of grace (God's life at work in us) give us hope that if we but follow tiniest outpouring of His love and grace, than we will find it in super abundance.

in today's Gospel, Jesus just arrived in Cana and a man asked Jesus to heal his son who was near death in Capernaum. Jesus right there on the spot heals the man's son who is over 18 miles away. I find this incredibly comforting. Jesus is not bound by space or time. He is able to act in ways that is beyond what we can conceive. Jesus before doing this healing chastised the people... "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." This man believed and when he returned home found his son had been healed. I am reminded of Jesus chastisement of St. Thomas.. "Thomas, do you believe because you have seen? Blessed are those who believe but have not seen." Lord Jesus, help us not to be unbelieving but rather like this man today, help us to have confidence in you without seeing the results.

Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied... This is the beginning of the Liturgy for Laetare Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Lent. Laetare is the Latin word for Rejoice, the first word of this entrance antiphon. With no public masses and the interruption to our daily life it may seem hard to Rejoice. But this entrance antiphon invites us, dares us to hope! We use this line from Isaiah to foreshadow Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem a moment we celebrate in just two Sundays on Palm Sunday. The Church reminds us on this Lenten Sunday to lift our heads up, unburden our hearts and permit ourselves to have strong sense of hope, because the Triumph of Christ is near.

Never lose sight of our radical need for God. In our Gospel passage today we encounter two people praying in the temple. On the surface it appears as if the Pharisee is praying a prayer of Thanksgiving and the tax collector, one of contrition. Upon closer examination though it becomes readily apparent that one is a prayer of self justification and the other is a prayer of self subjugation. The Pharisee thanks God that he is not like the rest of humanity and then "informs God of his righteousness. The tax collector begs God for His Mercy and acknowledges his need for God's redemptive act of forgiveness. One asserts his reliance upon himself and the latter his reliance upon God. Today, may we echo the tax collector's prayer, "O God, be merciful to me a sinner." Never lose sight of our radical need for God.

Our first reading today is from the end book of the prophet Hosea. The book of Hosea leads us through the history of salvation in the form of a metaphor. In it we come to understand that salvation consists of three simple steps. 1) We sin and are unfaithful to God. 2) Our sin leads to our suffering, the consequence of our sin. 3) God steps in and with his saving redemption. This word redemption comes from the Latin, redemptio, meaning to pay back, or pay the ransom. Our salvation is based in God's desire to pay the debt that we owe, so that we can be set free. The book of Hosea is one tender and challenging metaphor for God's willingness to redeem us. I guess we should not then be surprised to know that Hosea's name means "salvation". In this holy season of lent, may we take to heart what the Lord says to Israel, "I will heal their defection... I will love them freely." In the end, it is really all about Love. God's love for us and our response, to Love God and to love our neighbor.

Today is the Feast of St. Joseph. He has many titles including , Defender of the Church. Though we may not be able to attend a Mass today on this his Solemnity, may we each never the less, implore his intercession for the whole Church and for our community. May St. Joseph defend us now and always. Amen.