Jesus argues with the Jewish authorities that Abraham is still alive in God and looking upon this moment, and that he is one with God. This is the Communion of Saints, made possible by Jesus, and today is a day to feel our connection to those who have died but are alive in heaven.
Hanaiah, Azariah, and Mishael chose to be cast into the fire rather than worship a Babylonian god. People will expect us to do all sorts of things, be all sorts of people. Do we know ourselves and have the integrity to act with integrity?
This question was being actively discussed around the time of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215). Theologians were writing and setting limits to the number of sacraments that the church offered. The criteria was set around Christ instituting particular graces, and Sacraments, properly so-called, were signs of particular graces that actually confer those graces. There were others items such as a religious vows as a sacrament, these were moved towards the category of sacramentals, which are elements that point to Sacraments but are not themselves Sacraments.
Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, pointing out what is different in the "new covenant" that the prophet Jeremiah says God will place in our hearts. Through embracing suffering we will learn obedience to God, as Jesus did, and God will give us the grace to endure and overcome.
For 16 March 2024, Saturday of the 4th week of Lent, based on Jeremiah 11:18-20
Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the night, wondering if he can believe. Can we believe and become people of the light, or do we prefer the darkness?
For 27 February 2024, Tuesday of the 2nd week of Lent, based on Matthew 23:1-12
On this Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, we remember that Jesus built his church on the rock that is Peter. But we also remember that he next told Peter, "Get behind me Satan!" There is good and bad in all of us, so let's celebrate the good and forgive and challenge the bad.
Jesus told the crowds that they will get no sign from him except the "sign of Jonah." Jonah tried to run from God until he spent three days in the belly of the whale. When he came out, he had a new conviction. Likewise, the apostles, after the resurrection, preached with a new conviction. May our preaching be as powerful.
Jesus preached for three days to 4000 people in a deserted place in gentile territory. They ran out of food, but in the end, Jesus miraculously fed them. But they stayed listening for three days, knowing they had no food. May we be so open to God's working in the world that we stick around until the final blessing.