Church of St. Mary at Clinton Heights

Recall how Yahweh revealed himself to his people as “I AM”.  And when they sinned against God (our first reading of today’s Liturgy of the Word), he revealed his saving mercy and grace in one “mounted on a pole”.  And in our Gospel, Jesus reveals himself again, not once, but twice, as “I AM”.  Yet, those who hear his words, fail to recognize Jesus as God.  It appears so clearly to us, yet those who were with him, just failed–or refused–to see and believe, and so they remained in their sins.

Throughout this waning Lenten Season, I have heard hundreds of confessions, and I’ve celebrated nearly as many sacrifices of Mass.  We have heard time and time again, over and over, how God invites his people into his love, how he forgives the sins of those with repentant hearts, how he freely offers the gift of mercy in order for each of us to return to his love.  From this repetition, from this ongoing instruction, are we really convinced of this?  Do we truly believe that Jesus’ offering in sacrifice really saves and sets us free?  If we do not, we remain in our sins; if we do believe, then our only authentic, meaningful response can be to “follow him”.

The first reading of today’s Liturgy of the Word of the Mass–from the Book of the Prophet Daniel–introduces the characters of Susanna, and later of Daniel.  Even in his youth, he exercises a sincere protection for the virtue of honesty, of seeing and judging with wisdom the elements of reality when they are held up to Truth.  Blessed Susanna is saved by such wisdom, and those who shame it, walk in peril.

For so many of us, honesty is cherished only when it serves our desires and we can be often tempted to subvert it for our own interests (who of us can admit that we are not that  dissimilar to the two elder judges?).  Yet, if we consider how Our Lord served honesty and Truth, He proclaimed, “I am He, the One speaking with you”…to the detriment of his physical safety and the longevity of his human life.  The honesty of the Lord allowed Him to judge things aright, and ultimately, to offer his life as a ransom for ours, in order to uphold what is truly Right and Good.  In all honesty, then, we can see how every one of us really did need–and continues to need–the offering Christ gave of himself on Calvary.

One way we might honor the Lord’s Paschal Mystery, is to cherish honesty in our own day, to serve this supreme good, and walk the path that follows the Lord to eternal life.

Biblical imagery can be very stark, indeed powerful. Picture the lioness: her jaws can rip, tear and snap something hunted, yet they can also serve and protect, gently carry a weaning cub from danger to safety…the grip is clear yet much, much less intense.

The grip: its intensity can either smother or it can offer protective care. Transfer this image to the way you treat objects as ‘goods’. Consider how you might cling tightly to things and people that are not actually good for you. Learn to let go of a dysfunctional relationship, of a position in a toxic work environment, of a career that doesn’t bring satisfaction, of unhappiness, of being in control. In this, and in so many other ways, you can begin to allow your grip to cling healthily to the Lord Jesus, who constantly invites us to take Hid hand into our own and be led to freedom, wholeness, and the fullness of life in Him.