Deacon Matt's Reflection

Reflection for Fourth Sunday of Lent: March 27, 2022

Joshua 5:9a, 10-12: This interesting passage celebrates the liberation of Israel with language that is symbolically and ritually very powerful and meaningful. We are told that God has “removed the reproach of Egypt” from Israel; referring to freeing the people of Israel from their status as slaves or captives in Egypt. The Passover feast described alludes to the even older Canaanite feast, the “feast of unleavened bread,” an 8-day feast in Springtime, when the leaven of the previous year is destroyed and new leaven is created during rituals of the celebration that week. Replacing the old leaven with new symbolizes “a break with the past”, and with the new leaven; becoming a new and more fruitful and vital creation. Doesn’t this hold meaning for us, who are called to become a new creation in Christ?

Psalm 34: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” The first stanza of this psalm might inspire us to reflect on the fact that it’s our responsibility and duty as disciples to publicly give God glory and praise, by witnessing enthusiastically and persuasively to our faith. Sharing our experiences of God’s love and care can make us a “light in a dark place” for someone else. Perhaps, suffering people in a crisis of faith “may hear us and be glad.” We don’t know how much our faithful and sincere witness might help others and give them hope they need in these trying times. Let’s be mindful of that! Like today’s first reading from Joshua, there’s celebration here, regarding God’s overwhelming answers to prayer and attentive provisions for us. The psalmist identifies God as the Source of our joy as well as the Source of salvation, redemption and deliverance from another “captivity”; our enslavement to sin.

2 Cor 5:17-21: Today, St. Paul reminds us that, like the leaven as it’s re-formed into bread, we become “a new creation” via our baptisms and our discipleship as Christian followers of Jesus. In becoming a “new creation,” we go through a transformation of letting go of earthly attachments to possessions, social status and things of this world; trading them for missionary pursuits. Often, as part of this process we learn to let go of our bitterness with others over past hurts and/or our desires to avenge those who wrong us or our loved ones. Rather than being called to identify and count our own and others’ offenses against God and ourselves, we’re being called to a “ministry of reconciliation.” We’re called as disciples to offer unconditional love, forgiveness and service, such as we’ve received so freely and generously from our Most Blessed Trinity.

Luke 15:1-3,11-32: Consider the call we’ve received to be transformed into a “new creation,” a person who lives for God and becomes loving, forgiving and generous. Jesus gives us a powerful example of this: the story of the prodigal son. Let’s reflect this week on this passage, by imagining ourselves in each role featured here. Is it difficult to picture yourself as the prodigal son? How about picturing yourself as the indignant and angry and unforgiving “dutiful son?” Are you able to picture yourself as the loving, generous, humble and merciful father, Who welcomes His wayward son back with boundless forgiveness, tenderness, love and joy? Many of us have stood in all of these “roles” during our lifetimes. We’ve had our turns at being “wayward,” being “dutiful but angry” and we’ve hopefully all found ourselves able to forgive and show mercy. Let’s reflect on how we might become more fully loving and merciful.

Contemplatively,

Deacon Matt