#LentReflections

top of page

Search

Immersed in Christ: February 27, 2020

Father David M. Knight

Feb 27, 2020

Immersed in Christ: February 27, 2020

Thursday after Ash Wednesday Happy are they who hope in the Lord! (Psalm 1). Deuteronomy 30: 15-20 sets before us the basic “either-or” choice of human existence: life and wellbeing or death and misery. God’s gift; our choice. “Life or death, the blessing or the curse.” All we have to do is accept it. How do we know we have?. Three times the reading describes acceptance as listening. To choose life is to “obey” (from obaudire, to “listen to”). It is “heeding God’s voice.” Tho

Immersed in Christ: February 26, 2020

Father David M. Knight

Feb 26, 2020

Immersed in Christ: February 26, 2020

ASH WEDNESDAY* Lent is a time to change together Inventory Do you think things can be turned around in our society without a massive conversion? Do you believe it will really help the world situation significantly if you yourself begin living more authentically? Is this the point of Lent? Input The readings summon us as individuals to convert as a community. Joel 2: 12-18 is addressed to the whole People of Israel as a community; not just to individuals who see themselves act

Father David's Reflection for Holy Saturday

Father David M. Knight

Apr 20, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Holy Saturday

The themes of the Easter Vigil are light, word, water and commitment to the risen life. The Responsorial Psalm that sums up all the readings is simply: "Alleluia, Alleluia Alleluia" (with Psalm 118). The Light Service begins in darkness. We kindle and bless the new fire, symbol of the new light of Christ that dispels the darkness of all ages. We inscribe in the Easter candle the Alpha and Omega, first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, to say Christ is "the beginning and

Father David's Reflection for Good Friday

Father David M. Knight

Apr 19, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Good Friday

The Responsorial Psalm encourages us to entrust our lives totally to God: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (Psalm 31). Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 is a song of victory that reveals the strategy of God. Jesus saves, not by using divine force against his enemies, but by surrendering himself into their hands in apparent weakness - a weakness that is stronger than any force: the invincible weakness of "enduring love." We saw on the first Sunday of Lent that there is only

Father David's Reflection for Holy Thursday

Father David M. Knight

Apr 18, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Holy Thursday

The Responsorial (Psalm 116 and 1Corinthians 10:16) instructs us to respond to God through celebration: "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?" A key element in discipleship is to participate fully, actively and consciously in the liturgical celebrations that bring home to us the reality and meaning of the events they recall. To celebrate adds physical, communal and affective dimensions to truths that otherwise might remain abstract. E

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of Holy Week

Father David M. Knight

Apr 17, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of Holy Week

The Responsorial Psalm is the cry of a disciple who is also a teacher, but whose message is meeting with stubborn resistance and even arousing hostility. His response is: "Lord, in your great love, answer me" (read all of Psalm 69). We do not prevail with human arguments against those who reject God's teaching. It is God who must and does reply. Isaiah 50: 4-9 tells us first that to communicate God's message to others we need to be persevering disciples: "Morning after mornin

Father David's Reflection for Tuesday of Holy Week

Father David M. Knight

Apr 16, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Tuesday of Holy Week

The Responsorial Psalm invites us to proclaim and celebrate the triumph of God's saving truth, even when the world seems deaf to it: "I will sing of your salvation" (Psalm 71). Isaiah 49: 1-6 is an act of confidence in the face of apparent failure: "Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly spent my strength, yet... I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength." When it is sufficiently clear to us that our human strength i

Father David's Reflection for Monday of Holy Week

Father David M. Knight

Apr 15, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Monday of Holy Week

The Responsorial Psalm associates salvation with knowledge of the truth: "The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Psalm 27). To grow into the fullness of the divine life Jesus gives us, we need to be disciples. In Isaiah 42: 1-7 God proclaims the wisdom of the Messiah "upon whom I have my Spirit." With gentleness and patience he will "establish justice on earth; and the coastlands will wait for his teaching." He will give life through light: "I set you as a light for the nati

Father David's Reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 14, 2019

Father David's Reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Lent

Inventory What do you think it means to be a "disciple" of Jesus? What is your experience of it? What questions have you asked Jesus? What has he said that you have paid attention to? Has your experience ever proved him right? Input Today is called both "Passion Sunday" and "Palm Sunday," and in the two names we find the two complementary themes of the celebration. The Antiphon before the procession with palms proclaims Christ's victory: "Hosanna to the Son of David, the King

Father David's Reflection for Saturday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 13, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Saturday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The Responsorial verse is: "The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock" (see Jeremiah 31:10-13). Ezekiel 37:21-28 is God's solemn promise to restore unity among his People: "I will save them from all the apostasies into which they have fallen... They shall be my people." But unity in doctrine requires unity in government. Some person or body must have the authority to determine what teaching is true and what is false. "My servant David shall be king over them; and

Father David's Reflection for Friday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 12, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Friday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm brings to mind a fundamental principle of the spiritual life, a truth we need to know: sometimes we enter into our deepest, most certain knowledge of God when he seems farthest away. "In my distress I called upon the Lord and he heard my voice" (Psalm 18). Jeremiah 20: 10-13 shows us Jeremiah surrounded by enemies: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him." Even his friends have turned against him: "All those who were my friends are on the w

Father David's Reflection for Thursday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 11, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Thursday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm gives us a motive to persevere in discipleship: "The Lord remembers his covenant forever" (Psalm 105). Discipleship is a covenant between teacher and learner. We are certain God will keep his side of the bargain. In Genesis 17: 3-9 God made his first covenant (the "old testament") with Abraham and his descendants: "This is my covenant with you." God promised human benefits: "You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations.. And I will give to you,

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 10, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm teaches us to look beyond the present moment and believe in what God can and will do. Then we will sing: "Glory and praise forever!" (Daniel 3: 52-56). Daniel 3: 14-95 is an example of unconditional faith and loyalty to God. When threatened with death Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "If our God whom we serve can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us. But even if he will not, know, O king, that

Father David's Reflection for Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 9, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm accepts the reality that often we do not cry out to God until we are in "distress." Still, we know God will hear us: "O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you" (Psalm 102). In Numbers 21: 4-9 the people "complained against God" because they were suffering. They asked Moses, "Why." but they didn't really want or wait for an answer. All they wanted was relief from pain. But when they began to suffer worse, they were ready to listen. God healed t

Father David's Reflection for Monday of the Fifth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 8, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Monday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm assures us that God is always present to help and protect us, even when things seem most dark: "Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side" (Psalm 23). In Daniel 13:1-62 it seemed evident that no one could save Susanna. Two "elders of the people" who held the high rank of judges had testified against her and there were no witnesses for the defense. She was on the way to execution. Then God "stirred up the holy spirit of

Father David's Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 7, 2019

Father David's Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

Inventory What kind of people are the greatest danger to Christianity today? Who were the most vicious opponents of Jesus in his time? Am I like them in any way? Input The Entrance Antiphon asks help against the "wicked. the deceitful and the unjust" (Psalm 43). These are the people who would block us from accepting what we ask for in the Opening Prayer: "Father, help us to be like Christ your Son." Our worst enemies are not those who are against our leading virtuous lives.

Father David's Reflection for Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 6, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm tells us where to look for support and confirmation when we feel alone in our faith: "O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge" (Psalm 7). In Jeremiah 11: 18-20 the prophet has become aware that his enemies "were hatching plots" against him. He had not realized this, and it was a blow to him. It is always hard to realize that people not only disagree with us but actually dislike and condemn us because of what we believe. We are members of the human race and

Father David's Reflection for Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 5, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm tells us that when things are going badly all is well: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34). Opposition from others can be a consoling sign that we are authentic disciples of Jesus. Wisdom 2: 1-22 tells us the mind set of those who are angered by people who try to live by the words and example of the Lord. The disciples are "obnoxious" to them, because their life "is not like that of others" and their ways are "different." The disciples b

Father David's Reflection for Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 4, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent

To understand the Response to the Responsorial Psalm we need to read it as it appears in the whole Psalm: "Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you deliver them" (Psalm 106). The Psalmist takes for granted God is going to help his people; that is what God does. "For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love." He is asking God to act in the same way toward him. In the Mass Resp

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 3, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is the "identity card" of God: "The Lord is gracious and merciful" (Psalm 145). This is a touchstone that tells us whether teaching or conduct that claims to be done in God's name is truly from God or not. Isaiah 49: 8-15 describes God as one who frees people who are bound up in darkness. In contrast to this, how many people feel bound up and prohibited from freely approaching God or the sacraments because of rigid teaching that misled them? The God Isa

bottom of page