I’m having a really hard time believing anything I hear these days. I stopped watching the news about 3 years ago, but decided that I should start back up during this pandemic, and of course, now I remember why I stopped in the first place. I cannot discern who is telling the facts properly, which sources to believe, and which guidelines are legit or not. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills because I tend to be gullible anyway so I default to believing everything they tell me and then at some point I throw the towel in and believe zero things they tell me. Who is “they” exactly? Good question! I have no freaking idea!! So today’s gospel is a now word for me and perhaps for you too. Jesus is above all. Should I repeat that? OK! Jesus is above all. One more time you say? Jesus is above all. “Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.” So, I ask myself what Jesus would do in a pandemic? His take on social distancing might be a bit different than what is being asked of us. So how do I do what Jesus would do AND still be compliant with what earthly authority is asking us to do? I think spiritually Jesus busted through walls regularly and so that seems like something I can wrap my heart around. How can I bust through walls to connect, to be with, to touch, to kiss, to get nose to nose with, and to certify that God is trustworthy?
I’m in a network of Activities Coordinators from retirement communities all over the country and it seems like all of us are spinning our wheels to plan “COVID-19 friendly” activities for our communities. We are being saturated with ideas upon ideas of “stuff to do” in quarantine and yesterday I felt a bit spent by it all. Everyday there is a tightening of what we can or cannot do, so our grand plans yesterday go out the window today and so on. I was feeling discouraged and then I realized I was missing the why we do activities. It’s not just to give us stuff to do or to pass the time for the residents. It is always and has always been to show them love. How can I show them love is all I need to focus on. Jesus is above all and Jesus busts through walls and Jesus hugs lepers and Jesus breathes peace and Jesus is not afraid to love the untouchable ones. So, without breaking the rules, I need to figure out how to love through the walls, hug through the barriers, breathe through the mask, and be fearless because God is trustworthy.
The best line in today’s gospel as far as I’m concerned is, “He does not ration His gift of the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the creativity of God and the Holy Spirit will show up and do the loving through me, so I just need to get my “doing” self out of the way and let Him DO. The local news covered our Balcony Serenades and they titled the piece, “You Are My Sunshine.” “Please don’t take my sunshine away.” Jesus is above and all and He does not ration His gift of the Spirit. That’s where I’ll leave us. It is well with my soul.
Reading 1 ACTS 5:27-33
When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.
Responsorial Psalm 34:2 AND 9, 17-18, 19-20
R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia JN 20:29
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 3:31-36
The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon him.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon him.
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