Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress": March 23

Listen

No need and The Isaiah Song/ Ward: about (1st reading)

Read

Is 65:17-21 I'll create new heavens and earth. There shall be rejoicing and happiness; I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people a delight. No longer shall there be weeping; they'll live in their houses and eat the fruit of their vineyards...

Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-12a, 13b "I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me." Sing praise and give thanks: his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will.

Jn 4:43-54 When a royal official heard Jesus had arrived in Galilee, he went and asked him to come heal his son. Jesus / official: “Unless you see signs, you won't believe.” / “Sir, come down before my child dies.” / “Go; he'll live.” He believed and left. The boy began to recover at that time; he and his household came to believe.

Reflect

Creighton: God rejoices in his creation and finds his people a delight. Baseball great Bill Veeck said, “I believe life abounds in joy for those seek it. I’ve always reached out for my share....” As God rejoiced, so must we open ourselves to moments of delight in our worlds. Because of today’s news, we may need to work to combat negativity. Pope Francis suggested at this Lent we “fast from pessimism and be filled with hope” and “fast from worries and trust in God.” If you share your good news, you help make others aware of easy-to-overlook things like funny texts from our kids or a sunny February day. This Laetare week, rejoice in God’s people and creation....

One Bread, One Body: "Will you harvest Easter joy?" Yesterday was Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday. We rejoice because we're approaching the celebration of the risen Christ and deepening of our relationship with him. Today, the Church calls us to hear, "There shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem a joy and its people a delight; I'll rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people." The Lord promises we'll have everlasting joy, be a joy as his people, and be a joy for him. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, a product of growth that takes time to be produced. The Spirit is producing joy in our lives, calling us to be unselfish so we can rejoice. The Spirit lusts against and crucifies the flesh so we won't stifle the joy of the Spirit. The Spirit gives us the privilege of suffering for Jesus, and in such suffering we find joy. The Spirit is growing a harvest of Easter joy. Will you be the seed that falls to the earth and dies so as to bear abundant fruit?

Passionist: At the end of today's gospel of Jesus healing the son of a royal official, we read, “This was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee.” The first was the changing of the water into wine. These signs have trust in Jesus in common. At the wedding in Cana, after the discussion about whether Jesus should do anything about the wine running out, Mary says to the servants, “Do what he tells you,” and leaves, trusting Jesus will take care of it. In today's gospel, the official asks Jesus to accompany him home to heal his son, but Jesus just says, “Go; your son will live.” The official trusts Jesus and returns home to find his son healed. When we ask why or want to assign blame, it may be difficult to trust Jesus, but the Cross tells us we're not alone. Trusting Jesus isn't doing nothing; the Cross strengthens us to do what we can for others and enables us to comfort and be with those who have lost much. May we support and comfort each other with the faith of Mary and the royal official, and trust Jesus.

DailyScripture.net: "Jesus, Divine Physician": Isaiah prophesied God would restore his people and re-create heaven and earth. Jesus' miracles manifest God's presence and kingdom. When an official heard of Jesus’ preaching and miracles, he sought him out for an extraordinary favor; it took courage for him to travel twenty miles to find this carpenter; he had to swallow his pride and put up with ridicule. Then Jesus seemed to put him off, likely to test his faith, then sent him home with the assurance his prayer had been heard. It was probably hard for him to return with only that assurance. Couldn't Jesus have come to his house and laid his hands on the child? But the official believed and started home with faith and hope. Before he could even make it back, he heard his son had recovered. Jesus' healings show his kindness and love. How/where do I need healing, pardon, change, and restoration?

Dress legend

OneLife LA sign button: "Unless you see signs... you won't believe"; "This was the 2nd sign" (gospel)

Rose-colored shirt for Laetare Sunday (yesterday); Jesus made the water wine in Cana (gospel) [we know the wine was good but don't know what kind it was]

Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress"