1st Reading: Jer 31:31-34
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 51:3-4,12-15
2nd Reading: Heb 5:7-9
Gospel: Jn 12:20-33
Oscar Romero was a normal man who had been called called out of the simplicity of his life to become a priest. On the day of his ordination I am sure that he would of thought that years down the road he would no longer be remembered. Never would he have known that he would indeed be enshrined in the minds of many people. We all know the story of Oscar Romero bravely offering the Sacrifice of the Mass on this same day only thirty-two years ago. It was on this day that he showed his great faith towards Jesus Christ by offering the Sacrifice of the Mass when his own life hung in the balance. It was at this Mass that he was at the consecration of the chalice and was shot dead for the faith that he professed. He spent his life being a voice for the poor and was willing to speak out against Church persecution, but through his death he was able to speak out louder then before. This great servant of God truly gives to each of us a glimpse into today's Gospel passage.
In the Gospel of John we are told 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." The story of the life and death of Oscar Romero is similar to the life of Christ. Due to the fact that sinfulness had entered the world; that there was a need for a Savior to come into the world. Christ came in order to die upon the cross and through death was able to rise again and produce fruit inside of this sinful world. Through the death of Oscar Romero good fruit was produced that would forever become enshrined inside the minds of the people of El Salvador. We join today in the desire to die in order to produce good fruit during the remainder of the season of Lent. We only have a few weeks left until we will rise with Christ on Easter morning and will hopefully have much fruit to show to the world.
The season of Lent is our own way to die to ourselves and thus produce much fruit. In this season we have the opportunity to die to self and then to rise again to share our new found strength with the world that surrounds us. Through each of our Lenten sacrifices we have made the resolution that we all need to grow closer to Christ. When we desire something that we have given up we should remind ourselves that we have done so to get something more out of the Lenten season. When we long for something that we have given up we should remind ourselves of our own sinfulness and should then desire to grow closer to God through holiness. Each time that we make these steps in our journey of faith we partake in the life of Oscar Romero who was willing to do so on behalf of the faith. Through living out our lives in this manner we begin to follow after Christ and present our fruit to the world. When we are finally able to do this we will be made clean and will inspire others to follow the path that we have walked.
Today's readings from Jeremiah and Hebrews both speak about the importance of the Lord's pact with each of us. Christ died upon the cross, so that we may be freed from the burden of original sin and finally be given a hope to join with Him one day in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is from the cross that Christ looks down upon us today and asks us to continue to journey closer to Him at all times. This is the same voice that was heard by all the saints of Heaven and by Oscar Romero as he did all things for the greater glory of God. If we are willing to offer all that we have to our Lord we will be able to bear fruit that will shine above all things. Next Sunday we will meet the reality of the cross face to face as the passion is read to us. When we hear the account of the Lord's suffering and death may we hear the voice of Christ that cries out to us and desires to enter into a deeper relationship with each of us.
As we depart from this Mass today may we continue to put to death all of our actions which separate us from Christ and His love for us. With these dispositions put to death we will finally be able to follow after Christ in a deeper way. When we are inside of this relationship we will begin to give life to many blessings. These blessings will bring joy to our lives and will allow the world to be inspired from that good that we do. Oscar Romero was able to join inside of this relationship through his life and death. Because of his life and death we remember him and the world was definitely changed for the better. May we allow Oscar Romero to inspire each of us to draw closer to Christ.
When we begin to enter into this relationship we cry out to God as the Psalmist: "Create in me a clean heart, O God."
No comments:
Post a Comment