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This gospel reminds me of all the times I failed to speak up on behalf of someone or was willing to defame someone to keep what I had acquired. In this gospel the Pharisees were told of the many miracles Jesus had performed and they were fearful that many more people would leave and follow him. If more people followed Jesus they thought they would lose their temple and nation. I began to think how many times have I been put in that situation where I see someone with a quality I envy and instead of praising them I put them down. I know I myself am guilty of this sin especially in the work place.

Being a teacher is a stressful profession especially with the budget crisis and many teachers being laid off. Fear is creeping in and along with that comes jealousy. Many staff members are wondering if anyone will be let go and who should be let go. The comraderie from the beginning of the school year has been replaced with gossip and rumor. Many are using different tactics to discredit the work of their colleagues. Some are so focused on what they may lose that they don’t see what they could possibly gain.

The task I am posed with after reading this gospel is to not fall victim to rumors that may cause a great teacher to lose their job. The ultimate decision is up to God and the only thing I can control is how I respond to the situation. I don’t know what the future holds but I know I cannot continue to think about what I have to lose instead I should focus on what I may gain.

Bio: Lanette Sims is a 7th grade Math and Science teacher in the city of Chicago. She attends St. Anne’s parish in Hazel Crest, IL.

In reading this Scripture, I wondered at the parallels in today’s understanding of the ‘world.’ From the Pharisees & their ‘worldly’ concerns of Romans taking away ‘both our land and our nation’ and justifying the actions in planning to kill Jesus to protect these beliefs. It’s easy for a listener to say what they did was wrong, but think about the justifications made in today’s ‘world’ in the name of our current beliefs and rights: “divorce is ok, killing children via abortion is ok, living with someone outside the sacrament of marriage is ok, having more than one God is ok” … do you see a pattern? Look at the different ‘laws’ & ‘acts’ being proposed that make these justifications ‘ok’ in today’s ‘world.’

Have you read Francis Cardinal George’s letter this month?
http://www.archchicago.org/calendars/pdf/cardinal_letters/HB6205.pdf

It unnerves me that I know people who would vote for this Act & that people would publicly announce their approval just for publicity, getting a vote, or even more scary, really believing they are in the ‘right’ to protect their ‘beliefs and rights.’ Isn’t it ironic that the Pharisees ‘prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God?’ They got it partially right, but the greater calling of Jesus is something they could not even fathom.

The end of this Scripture was a little puzzling to me at first. Why would Jesus no longer walk in public among the Jews and leave for a region near the desert? But think about it … he left the ‘world of the Pharisees’ and ‘remained with his disciples.’ He never truly left ‘us.’ He just left behind all the idiotic beliefs and rights that we as a culture find more important than Him. He doesn’t need to be around that. He has already performed His ‘many signs’ & must pray and prepare for his coming mission.

I don’t know about you, but if I know I have a major event coming up in my life, the last thing I need is more ‘worldly’ concerns & stresses pulling me away from that goal. Jesus never kept his eye away from His goal. As I look back at these past 39 days, have I done all I can to keep an eye on His goal? … I hope so. I pray so for myself and others.

Bio: Aileen is a parishioner & Bible study student at St. Lambert Church in Skokie, Illinois. Aileen has lived a life of service during her travels as Captain in the US Army and now as a Revenue Tax Specialist providing help to tax payers at the Illinois Deparment of Revenue.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Seeing is believing”? Many times throughout life we need to “see” something before we can believe that something is true. In a day in age when everyone enjoys thinking and discussing on various topics, we are programmed to ask questions right away. However when is “seeing” not what it appears to be?

I have a twin brother. We look nothing alike. If you have seen the movie “Twins” you know exactly what I am talking about (I would take the role of Danny DeVito). When they see us most people think we are joking because we look so different. Usually we need another witness around to confirm. What does that say as we meet one another? Would people lie from the beginning? If so, that would probably not make for a great friendship. Think about your friends for a moment. When you think of trust, who comes to mind? Hopefully everyone does! If not, it may be time to examine the influences in your life.

In today’s gospel many of the Jews had to see to believe. In a time when the people were skeptical of leadership you can probably understand why. If someone came walking into my subdivision today a part of me would be very skeptical, but a part of me would be filled with curiosity—wonder and awe.

“Stay here and keep watch with me”, the time is near. We will hear these words in a few days. The anticipation is growing and so is the love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bio: Vince Zaprzal ministers as Director of Pastoral Ministry at St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Addison, IL since June of 2006. Under that office, Vince is responsible for the development of parish technology, Young Adult Ministry, and the Family Catechesis Program. Vince also works as part-time Music Coordinator at St. Catherine Laboure in Glenview, IL since December of 2004. A graduate of Dominican University in River Forest, IL, Vince received a double bachelors degree in Theology and Pastoral Ministry. Vince will complete a Master’s Degree of Leadership in Family Ministry and Faith Development in May 2009 from Dominican University. Vince is also engaged to be married this August.

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As the season of Lent now draws to a close, the dramatic conflict between Jesus and the religious leadership of his time only escalates. This Gospel passage describes a near violent episode in this crescendo. People confronted him — stones in hand — ready to execute him on the spot. Stoning, unfortunately is still used as a means of capital punishment for a few nations in our world. Usually these communities tend to be found among nations that would not be considered mainstream by their developed and industrialized neighbors. We in the Western world do not use stoning as a means of capital punishment as we inflict this penalty in a more humane and private fashion – or so we may have convinced ourselves to believe — as though it could be sanitized.

Stoning was a punishment that a community of people executed. By all modern standards it was a blood-sport that we today would not condone for even the animal world. As Jesus confronts the anger of the people, he asks a disarming question: “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The question is addressed not just to the religious leaders of his day, but to all of us who listen to this passage. The Lord’s Passion and Death are not mere historical events that involving only the people of his era — they include all of us. We stand in the midst of that crowd — stones in hand — guilty of the same rage that will eventually bring Christ to Calvary.

Catholics throughout the world — some only at this time of year — are drawn to the Church’s ritual celebration of the Paschal Mystery of the Lord Jesus. We gather in greater numbers than usual to participate in the sacramental memory of Christ’s self-offering for the Salvation of the World. It is for each one of us to discover what we now find so objectionable in Christ’s message and in His person that we allow ourselves to reject Him so vehemently. What does Christ teach and require from us that would render us willing to join the crowd in needing to silence Him? People repeatedly tend to silence those who threaten them, who make them feel uncomfortable — Ghandi, Dr. King, Archbishop Romero. We need to consider what there may be about Jesus and His message that would prompt us to stand with the crowd and assent to his death — perhaps not by stoning, but with such an intense rejection or fear that we need to pause to reflect on what so troubles us.

Bio: Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory is a native Chicagoan who served as a priest and auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He was Bishop of the Diocese of Belleville from 1993-2004, and President of the USCCB from 2001-2004. He has been Archbishop of Atlanta from 2004 until the present.

This gospel, at first glance can be difficult to wrap my head around in terms of the language used by Jesus to communicate with the Jews who were ready to throw stones at him for being blasphemous. However, when Jesus says “If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” the message became much clearer to me. Jesus was not asking people to believe in Him simply because he “said so”, but rather to believe his works, or in other words, his actions. It reminds me of something my mother tried to convey to me all her life, “actions speak louder than words”.

I have always enjoyed the meaning of language and the beauty of a well-crafted note, paper, or speech so throughout my life, the words people have used often have significant meaning to me. From a very personal and devastating experience, I learned that words are not sacred unless they are supported by actions. During the most difficult time of my life, these words from Jesus reached me in a way that was unlike any previous faith experience. I had often prayed that I would know what to do in a given situation: what job to take, what direction should my career move in, how to handle the sudden death of my mother when I was 24? During the initial shock of my divorce, I actually felt the power of Jesus’ message found in this gospel reading. The clear message that Jesus wants us to follow him by not only saying his words or praying to Him, but by creating works in our everyday lives that show we are His followers. If someone’s actions are opposite of what he or she says they will do; then they are not living truthfully.

The other part that I have found to be incredibly true for me, is that God’s Grace can live within us and provide us the strength to not only survive those who might want to stone us, but those who succeed in hitting us with life’s many stressors and disappointments. When Jesus asks us to believe in Him and understand that “the Father is in me and I am in the Father”, I believe He is calling us to welcome the Holy Spirit in the form of Grace so that we too, can be strengthened to continue to grow as His followers. In closing, I believe the Serenity Prayer allows us to tap into the idea that through our faith and Holy Communion, we are given the blessed sacrament so that Jesus can be within us too. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can, and th Wisdom to know the difference. ” During this Lenten season, I hope that my faith is not something I only write about, but is something that I act on every day and continue to nurture in my heart each day hereafter.

Bio: Jennifer Flynn Anzalotti is a 36 year old woman who is the mother of two children, ages 5 & 3, and a graduate student in school counseling who has been relying on faith—along with God’s grace to move forward as a divorced Catholic. She is a native Chicagoan who has lived in several other states, as well as spent time living in London, England. Jennifer is the product of Catholic schools and has gained so much insight from group discussions and shared faith experiences. She is honored to share her thoughts and reflections in this forum.

I can understand how the Jewish people felt about Jesus. Here was this ordinary man that did not fit their image of God. They could not comprehend that the Almighty God would come as one of them. Many people and prophets, such as John the Baptist, did good works because of their faith and love in God, but they were not God. However, John the Baptist preached that this ordinary man, Jesus, who performed numerous miracles and good works, was truly God’s son, and John’s followers came to believe in Him.

In our world, some people believe they are “God” or “doing God’s will” to perform evil works. For example, some religious leaders, world leaders, and ordinary citizens, convince others to donate their money to false charities/government agencies and to deny others the right to life because they are too old (or too young and have no voice), too handicapped, too different in race and religion, and so on. These false gods with their evil works have the potential to suffocate, to erase, and to eradicate the true image of God.

Our challenge in today’s world is to be the image of God through our love, our faith, and especially our good works. It is not an easy task as our world continues to become more secular, more competitive, more materialistic, and more apathetic. The world needs more images of God. Without God, false gods will continue to perform their evil works. Strive to be the image of God by loving, praying, and doing good works this Lenten season. You just might convince someone to believe in the true God rather than the false one.

Bio: Sarah Decker is a school speech and language pathologist. She is married to a wonderful man , Zach, and has a beautiful 10 month old daughter, Samantha. Her family is parishioners at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Gurnee.

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I remember taking a family trip to Arizona when I was young. Leaving foggy San Francisco behind, my siblings and I feared we were journeying down into the barren landscape of Wile E. Coyote, but the desert we found was a revelation of striking plants, bugs, reptiles, and birds, and we took to examining these with an eagerness beyond our normal explorations. Reflecting now, I know what we saw on that trip was unique, but it also occurs to me that the majesty of a familiar tortoise or butterfly was made irrefutable against the ascetic desert landscape. We were transfixed by the life we saw so clearly there.

This Lent, we attempt to once again follow Jesus into the desert. We feasted on the eve of our seeming deprivation and steeled ourselves to cross the expanse of these forty days. What are we so afraid of seeing and hearing in the desert: the pristine outline of life against the piled sands and the clarity of a voice when other noises cease? When distraction and adornment fall away, we are left standing before the angels and God: just as we are. Are we afraid that we are not enough? Are we afraid of our own awesome calling?

In today’s Gospel, Mary is called. We are told she was afraid. It must have been terrifying to see the angel and hear her name and her fate spoken into the silence. But her “May it be done to me according to your word” has resounded with blessings down the generations: it echoes from the ambo today. Mary was faithful in the most extreme sense of the word. She silenced her own ideas about what she should be or could be, and she crossed over the limits of what seemed possible. Mary put distractions aside, stepped into the guileless desert, and faced God’s call in all its blazing detail. Her “YES!” has transformed our world and set our lives alight.

We are all meant to take part in this miracle of transformation. Our God of infinite love calls us to things beyond our imagination but never beyond our ability. This Lent, my prayer is that we might have Mary’s bravery and not fear the sound of our name and our call spoken aloud. My prayer is that we might all journey into the desert with joy and give the angels a place to land.

Bio: Amanda Collins is the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at St Luke Parish in River Forest. She graduated from Gonzaga University in 2006 and earned a Master of Religious Education from Boston College.

This weekend I was with my mother-in-law, a Parkinson’s patient in the hospital overnight. One manifestation of Parkinson’s disease in some patients is the night terrors. I watched my mother-in law, stricken with the terrors, move from agitation to peace through our shared recitation in the dark of her room of a decade of Hail Mary’s. Ah transformation! A visible sign of God’s presence. The roots of the prayer are present in Luke’s Gospel in the rich story, poetry and symbolism of the Feast of the Annunciation, for the angel Gabriel proclaims, “Hail, full of grace!” This experience with my mother-in-law, Angela, pointed to the assignment from Father John Cusick—to write a Lenten Reflection on the Feast of the Annunciation. Ah Divine Providence!!

This scripture passage is a powerful story of call and response, God’s call and Mary’s response. Since we impatient romantics like to quickly reach the end of a happy story, we might miss the emotional dynamics present in the scriptures. For this is also the story of a persuasive God who encounters a human person who resists and who might be frightened at the unexpected presence of an angel—hear “Do not be afraid, Mary,” This is a story about communication of a mission albeit an unexpected one. But fear as a human affect can stops learning, yet the angel Gabriel’s announcement is an invitation to listen, to be aware and to recognize that you (Mary) are “favored.” Who among us does not like to be seen as special and unique, favored? Does this not evoke in us a feeling of being radically loved and does it not support our self confidence. From whence emerges the courageous questioning of the mission, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

Ah, good listening skills!! Mary seeks clarification with a confronting question. Please explain this mission impossible? And then the angel explains the process, what will happen and the why. Do we not appreciate it when our leaders explain not only “the what” but “the how” and “the why” in any change effort? And if we do not understand do we not resist and in skilled moments do we not ask for clarification. We ask so we can see and understand and so that we can do and proclaim the success of a mission or change effort. In Mary’s case this is an invitation to making sense of the call throughout her life and consequently our lives. For this passage scripture scholars tell us is not intended by Luke to be a diary of a day in the life of Mary but a “great moment in salvation history.”

My daughter, Margaret Elizabeth on January 30th announced that she and her husband Joe (read Joseph) are with child. There was an abundance of surprise and awe as the mother and mother-in-law literally jumped from the couches for joy at seeing the ultrasound pictures of the child waiting to be born. Today this old father can imagine how readily Mary accepted the mission to bear forth the child, for “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord” and I could see the joy in my daughter’s eyes.

Bio: John Fontana is President of Fontana Leadership Development, Inc. and the founder and former Executive Director of The Crossroads Center for Faith and Work at Old St. Patrick’s Church.

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Honesty is the best policy. We’ve all heard this saying before and hopefully abide by this motto when it comes to our encounters with others, but how often are we really honest with ourselves? In instances both small and large, we’ve all bent, avoided, denied or ignored the truth. We’ve sinned. (“Thou shall not lie.”) Sometimes we justify it; other times it plagues us with guilt. Each of us can grasp simple truths about certain topics, but what about the Truth?

In the reading John 8:31-42, Jesus tells us about the concept of transcendental Truth. In verse 32, He says “you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

In a world that is so consumed with making everything appear better than it is, how can one know the truth? The reality is that the truth means something different to everyone. For Catholics, the Truth is Jesus Christ our savior.

Working in the entertainment industry, sometimes it is hard to stay true to myself when competition and expectations are so high. At times, I hide my flaws behind a veil of the latest fashions and makeup. (This is a dangerous path for someone who wants to maintain her roots while she spreads her wings.) Every day I am moving so fast that it can be a challenge to focus on what is really important to me. This is why this reading shakes me to the core – it is a reminder to be honest not only with others, but with myself too. Living in truth helps me resist selfish temptations and to acknowledge my sins.

Many of us have the tendency to avoid issues that bother us, particularly our own faults. In verse 34, Jesus says, “truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” The longer we ignore this truth, the more we remain trapped inside of ourselves. This is why the Truth is Jesus himself. He takes away the sins of the world and each of our own – as long as we let him in. In this fast-paced, vanity driven world, if we stop and are honest with ourselves and God – we will find the Truth and it will free our spirits of our sins (plus keep us on the right path – no matter how crazy life gets).

Bio: Marcia is an event producer in the entertainment industry. She has coordinated everything from sporting events to film festivals. Her latest project was Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion Miami. She is also co-founder of the Chicago Fashion Authority on PoorLittleRichGirls.com.

For all the esoteric lines in John’s Gospel, sometimes you get a truth so blunt it’s impossible to ignore: “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin,” Jesus tells his audience.

The explanation comes courtesy of a misunderstanding. Typical of the Gospel stories, the significance of “the truth will make you free” is confused; hence the need for Jesus to spell-out the meaning. Reading passages like these, sometimes it’s easy for us Christians today to wonder of Jesus’ audience, “Gee, how did they miss that?” Furthermore, we have the luxury of seeing Jesus portrayed (typical of John’s style) in the clearest of lights, with full recognition of his divinity: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

Well that sums it up quite clearly. Check, please!

But then why isn’t the truth enough to make us free, even with the benefit of 2,000 years worth of perspective? Why do we still sin? And why do we always seem to be repeat offenders of the same kind of sin?

Perhaps it is that sin is sticky. It is subtle and chameleon-like. When we commit our “favorite” sin we are fully there–in the moment, pursuing whatever fruitless path we’ve chosen because it’s easy. It’s what we have always done. It’s connected to a search for relief, or for power, or for internal righteousness. In our convoluted thinking we may even believe that sin is the right thing to do; or we simply operate in violation of our own conscience.

Whatever the reason, sin becomes the ultimate set of blinders. There’s no room for truth when the sin seems to set us free. “After all,” we may think, “what choice do I have in the matter?” It’s precisely why sin can be so insidious. As the Jesuit preacher Richard Rohr writes, “Sins are attempts to cope with or enhance life with unsuitable means.” Sin and truth do not coexist.

No wonder, then, Adam and Eve symbolically recognized their nakedness when they sinned. Or that an alcoholic’s first step to recovery is an admission of his problem. It’s a simple thing to pray for this Lent: for that spark of recognition in the face of our sins.

For that “impartial observer” in us that’s honest about our biases, prejudices and rationalizations.

With the help of God’s grace in this season, maybe–just maybe–we can avoid asking ourselves, “Gee, how did I miss that?”

Bio: Vincent Lacey is the Director of Young Adult Ministry at St. Andrew Parish in Lakeview.

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Today’s Gospel reading is a classical example of miscommunication. Jesus and the Pharisees obviously speak two different languages: Jesus is trying to tell them that he is about to return to his Father and they think that he is going to kill himself. When he urges them to believe in him, the Pharisees ask: “Who are you?” And Jesus replies: “I told you! I told you from the beginning – I have nothing to add.”

When Cardinal Bernardin was wrongfully accused with sexual abuse, he suffered immensely through this false accusation. But he rememberd Jesus’ words” The truth will set you free.” (Jn 8:32) In his book, The Gift of Peace, Cardinal Bernardin writes about this experience: “The truth will set you free. I believed that, and I trusted the Lord who, for reasons I could not yet fathom, had permitted this trial to enter my life. … My faith assured me that the truth was all that I had, and all that I really needed.” (pg.23) And he decided to tell the truth to whoever asked him—and the truth was that he was innocent of the charges against him. He believed that the truth would eventually “win” and set him free. And he was right.

In our Gospel story, Jesus repeats the same truth over and over again. He doesn’t care about peoples’ objections and accusations. And the truth is that Jesus is the Son of God and the only one who can free the human race from sin.

I think, sometimes we have some miscommunication with Jesus, too. Jesus wants to be present in our lives and teach us to do the will of God. But then we are stubborn and have our own plans and ideas. Let’s make sure that we listen closely to what Jesus is telling each of us and what he is calling us to do.

Jesus speaks to us today, through the Scriptures, through other people, through the Church and in our hearts. Let’s ask Jesus for the courage to stand up for the truth and follow it, no matter what, as he did. Let us be courageous witnesses to the truth of the Gospel and proclaim the Good News to the world.

Bio: Birgit Oberhofer is originally from Germany and has a M.A. in Education. She came to the U.S. in 2007 as a consecrated member of the Focolare Movement, a lay ecclesial movement in the Catholic Church. She is the Associate Director of Catholics on Call, a national vocation discovery program sponsored by the Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Hype Park, Chicago. (www.catholicsoncall.org)

In the gospel passage for today, Jesus is teaching in the temple. His audience includes the Pharisees, who have not quite figured out who this Jesus is. To them, his statements about being the Son of God sound cryptic and unintelligible. “He says he speaks for his Father, and that his Father is always with him. What is he talking about?”, they say. The frustration mounts, and the Pharisees ask Jesus: “Who are you?” They haven’t gotten it yet. Despite his many miracles and attempts to communicate himself, it’s clear, at this point, that Jesus’ true identity is beyond their stubborn understanding.

I wonder if we ever find ourselves in the shoes of the Pharisees. Surely, there are times when we struggle to know Jesus for who he truly is. It may be that we are stubborn, or forgetful, or simply up against the hardships of life. When we feel alone or abandoned, for example, do we forget that Jesus is always with us, as his Father is always with him? When we feel like we can only turn to the things of this world for satisfaction, do we forget Jesus’ promise of the fullness of life? When we question our worth, when we wonder if we could ever be forgiven or if someone will ever love us, it’s easy to forget about the love of Jesus, a love that is beyond measure, and a love that is our salvation. In the face of life’s challenges, it is not easy to remember who this Jesus is.

Yet, despite the ease with which we can forget Jesus, he does not forget us. When we get that unexpected phone call from a friend, when we feel the gentle embrace of Jesus’ unconditional love in the sacrament of reconciliation, when our hearts are moved with compassion for the suffering of another: these experiences are what we might call, moments of remembering. It’s during times like these that Jesus reminds us that he is the teacher, healer, savior, and friend we long to know.

Bio: Matt hails from his beloved state of Minnesota where he began working in college campus ministry at Saint Mary’s University. He currently works with the areas of faith formation and service and justice at Dominican University in River Forest, IL

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Imagine yourself in the wilderness. John the Baptist was the final prophet preparing the world for the coming of Jesus Christ. He was the one foretold by the prophet Isaiah who would be the “voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” If you were out in the wilderness and it was dark, you would yearn for a light to show you the way.

Before the coming of Christ, the people walked in spiritual darkness, but now we who walked in darkness have seen a great light. That light is a person, Christ, the Lamb of God. In the Revelation of John, we are told that it is the light of the Lamb which lights the heavenly city. There is no need for sun or moon.

The world in which we live is still in spiritual darkness, for many do not yet know Christ. Lent reminds us of the time before Christ, when all men walked in this darkness, and of our own spiritual darkness caused by sin which prevents us from seeing the full light of Christ. But this season ends with Easter, with Christ’s resurrection and the promise to us all, that those of us who remain in His grace will forever enjoy the bliss of the light of the Lamb.

Bio: Maureen Sain is happily married to her husband, William. She currently lives in Irving, Texas with her husband and her son, Gregory.

This passage contains one of Jesus’ “precious and very great promises” (2 Peter 1:4). We so often feel darkness in our lives. We feel it in confusion about our life’s purpose, loneliness for lack of friendships and community, and in the brokenness of those we care most about. We long for guidance, acceptance, and healing. We long for light in dark places.

Jesus makes a bold promise. He does not walk in darkness. He is not lost. He is not overwhelmed. He will lead us out of darkness.

He knows the way because he experienced darkness when he was on earth. In the Garden, in his trial, and in the tortures of his Passion, the weight of the world’s darkness came down on his shoulders. He victoriously, convincingly overcame all of it on the third day. Darkness tempted him to give-up, to despair, to stay on the ground when he fell. But darkness did not overcome him (John 1:5). This passage exhorts us to follow him. We will, no doubt, experience darkness. But we will not get stuck there when we follow him. We will not continue to walk in it. There is hope. There is light in Christ. He is the light of life and we will have him if we follow him!

Jesus, we know what darkness feels like. We don’t want to remain in it. Thank you for defeating our confusion, loneliness, and despair. Please lead us out of darkness into the marvelous light of your resurrection.

Bio: Jason is the Executive Director of the Evangelical Catholic as well as the Director of Evangelization for the Catholic campus ministry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his Masters of Divinity from the University of Notre Dame in 2007. Because of his ties to both the UW-Madison and the University of Notre Dame, he is twice as likely to be disagreeable with Michigan football fans. The Evangelical Catholic is a ministry organization that trains Catholic leaders for evangelization. Since joining the Evangelical Catholic he has trained over 800 leaders for evangelization from campus ministries, dioceses, and parishes. He and his wife, Grace, live in Madison, Wisconsin and have four children.


You are invited to find out about our upcoming Wide Awake Conference in April…

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“So what do you say?” The Pharisees asked Jesus this question so that they could either accuse him of not following the Jewish law or force him to support the public execution of this woman. Jesus refuses to conform to their either/or mentality and instead has a third solution—“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Brilliant! Not only does he not allow himself to be tricked into one of the two bad options, he tells the Pharisees, and each of us, to look at our own actions before the actions of others. It is very easy for us to identify and point out the sins and failings of those around us. How often, though, are we forced to take a long look at our own behavior and ask how Jesus would see it?

Throughout this whole dialogue, the unnamed woman is standing by, waiting to see what will happen to her and, undoubtedly, terrified. She may or may not have heard of Jesus, but my guess is that she thought that he, like the Pharisees, would condemn her to a painful death. What a relief she must have felt when, one by one, the Pharisees dropped their stones and walked away! Then Jesus speaks to her for the first time—“Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” We often focus on the first part of this statement and the fact that Jesus does not condemn her. The second part, though, shows that she isn’t getting off easily. She has been forgiven of her past sin, but Jesus admonishes her not to sin anymore. He doesn’t say, “Go, and try to be good” or “Go, and don’t sin very often.” He tells her, and he tells us, not to sin any more. Period. How well are we following that command?

Bio: Lauren Gaffey is the Programming Coordinator for Charis Ministries, a Jesuit ministry for young adults. She has a B.A. in Theology and Political Science from Notre Dame and a M.A. in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University Chicago. With her husband and 8 month old son, she lives in Roscoe Village and is part of St. Andrew parish.

In today’s gospel we see Jesus taking time to be renewed as well as to be nourished by being in solitude with his Father (recharging his batteries). Also, the story tells us that Jesus arrived in the temple area early in the morning and all people started coming to him—so Jesus taught them. I spent a little time reflecting on what Jesus’ Day may have looked like as he was at the temple. Did Jesus plan on spending the whole day at the temple? What other plans and or activities may Jesus have had planned? I also asked myself these questions, Have I welcomed my clients, co-workers, friends, family with compassion and love? If my clients, co-workers, family friends come to talk with me, do I make and take time to listen, to teach them or do I rush onto my own agenda for the day? Am I open daily to the movement of God in my own life?

Also in today’s gospel we see the Pharisee’s and scribes bring a women that was caught in the very act of committing adultery. I reflected on who am I in this story. Am I like the Pharisee’s/scribes that I discriminate or prejudge my co-workers, friends, family clients for their actions? Do I stone people by passing judgment on those who look different, who act different, who think different, who believe differently, who behave differently? Do I cast stones with my co-workers, friends, family, and clients by subscribing to the negative behavior of gossip—and/or laugh at people who are different, who behave differently, who process things differently, who talk different… Or, am I like Jesus who is very welcoming to those with mercy and compassion.

Jesus welcomed the lady with mercy and compassion. This is a challenge that I try to do every day—to greet people in love, mercy, compassion, and warmth.

Bio: Julie Knapp is a 31-year-old female who lives in Quincy, IL (diocese of Springfield). She has a masters degree in social work. Julie has 6 years of experience with victims and their children of domestic violence as well as sexaul assualt. She has almost 3 years of experience working in community mental health with the adult chronic mentally ill and developmentally delayed. Julie has currently chosen to attend a Christian non-denominational church.