Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 34

Reading 1 Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD:
O my people, I will open your graves
and have you rise from them,
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD,
when I open your graves and have you rise from them,
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.

R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Reading 2 Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Verse Before the GospelJn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany,
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil
and dried his feet with her hair;
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.

So the sisters sent word to him saying,
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death,
but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill,
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples,
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him,
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you,
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles,
because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death,
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe.
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples,
“Let us also go to die with him.”
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,

“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this,
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying,
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village,
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her,
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him,
she fell at his feet and said to him,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping,
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said,
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?”
So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,

“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 Usually the reflections and homilies I write each Sunday have a foundation built on those who I chiefly minister to: those behind the wall. For over nine years now this has been central to my ministry and whatever else my ministry has entailed has stemmed from those True Lost Sheep who I am so deeply attached to physically, mentally, and spirituality. They truly are my spiritual brothers and members of my family; every one of them. Today I find myself separated from them and from the volunteers who selflessly give their time and their hearts to the two forgotten communities at MCI Concord and the North Eastern Correctional Center. Even though this may appear to be a challenge to me, the volunteers, and to those in the communities we service it also presents a unique opportunity to take up our Lenten Crosses and go forward with the understanding that nothing can separate us except for ourselves and the temptation not to live out over faith-life in difficult circumstances.

A few weeks ago a volunteer mentioned to me that every time he would leave the prison after leading a program he would feel bad for the inmates because he knew that they could not go home but he could. Even though this was the case he could not fully understand the reality of their situation until his own movements became severely limited because of the Corona Virus. Suddenly he found himself in a circumstance very similar to the individuals the he ministered to: he no longer had complete freedom of movement and found himself being told where he could go and where he could not go. It became a spiritual moment for him as a new reality for the individuals he has a spiritual bond with was revealed to him. It was a thoughtful observation that has also impacted me in a way that I wasn’t expecting. There are times when I like to withdraw and be alone with God. There are also times when I like to do things by myself and for myself. These are times and things where I am accustomed to dictating the scheduling of based on my needs, wants, and desires. For the past week now that has not been the case. Much like those who I minister to, I now find my scheduling and movements being controlled by people other than myself and circumstances that I have no control over. I have become a prisoner of sorts. We are all prisoners in this situation and have found ourselves in a situation and circumstance beyond our control. It is here where we can encounter a type of suffering which can benefit ourselves spiritually while bringing us closer to Jesus Christ.

We as Christians are encouraged to take anything we experience and situation that and apply it to our faith; letting it influence our relationship with Jesus Christ. In this way nothing becomes a problem or obstacle but an opportunity to enrich our lives. Adversity makes us stronger and teaches us to rely on Jesus Christ. As human beings we tend to want to seek out solutions and to solve problems by ourselves. Jesus Christ teaches us that having faith in Him is more important and that surrendering to Him; trusting in Him is the first step in accepting His will above ours. It becomes what He wants and not what we want. With that outlook we can enter into any situation with the understanding that we will be better because of it. There is no failure. There is no travesty. There is only growth.

Here we all are children of God united together in this suffering during the Lenten Season. The entire world is a prisoner of some sorts to this faceless enemy that has the capability of destroying economies, wreaking sickness, and bringing death. By the time the Corona Virus is extricated it will have touched the life of every living thing in the world. Yes, that is all bad in a way but there actually some good hidden in there. We are all on one side having the same thoughts and feelings. No one is exempt. All routines and lifestyles have been disrupted in a way and all are suffering. As Christians we are meant to suffer because Christ suffered for us. It is through suffering that a very special grace is encountered. It becomes a unifying factor that brings about a new life through, by, and in Jesus Christ. Even though the world is suffering it is suffering together and has an opportunity to get closer to Jesus Christ. That is the entire purpose of a Lenten Cross and here we have one that we all can carry together.

Our time incarcerated can be used as time to pray for those that we are suffering with and ministering to. We are in a forced exile which strips away all of the things that aren’t really important and enables us to look directly at those things that are truly important to us. There are truly no more distractions to divert ourselves from truly important things because only the important things remain; one of those being Jesus Christ. Let us take this time to get to know ourselves and Jesus Christ deeper. Let us take this opportunity to build on a strong foundation of faith and love. Let us take this opportunity to come closer together unified as children of God.

Deacon Tom

V Domingo de Cuaresma
Leccionario: 34

Primera lectura

Ez 37, 12-14

Esto dice el Señor Dios: “Pueblo mío, yo mismo abriré sus sepulcros, los haré salir de ellos y los conduciré de nuevo a la tierra de Israel.
Cuando abra sus sepulcros y los saque de ellos, pueblo mío, ustedes dirán que yo soy el Señor.
Entonces les infundiré mi espíritu y vivirán, los estableceré en su tierra y ustedes sabrán que yo, el Señor, lo dije y lo cumplí”.

Salmo Responsorial

Salmo 129, 1-2. 3-4ab. 4c-6. 7-8

R. (7) Perdónanos, Señor, y viviremos.
Desde el abismo de mis pecados clamo a ti;
Señor, escucha mi clamor;
que estén atentos tus oídos
a mi voz suplicante.
R. Perdónanos, Señor, y viviremos.
Si conservaras el recuerdo de las culpas,
¿quién habría, Señor, que se salvara?
Pero de ti procede el perdón,
por eso con amor te veneramos.
R. Perdónanos, Señor, y viviremos.
Confío en el Señor,
mi alma espera y confía en su palabra;
mi alma aguarda al Señor,
mucho más que la aurora el centinela.
R. Perdónanos, Señor, y viviremos.
Como aguarda a la aurora el centinela,
aguarde Israel al Señor,
porque del Señor viene la misericordia
y la abundancia de la redención,
y él redimirá a su pueblo
de todos sus iniquidades.
R. Perdónanos, Señor, y viviremos.

Segunda lectura

Rm 8, 8-11

Hermanos: Los que viven en forma desordenada y egoísta no pueden agradar a Dios. Pero ustedes no llevan esa clase de vida, sino una vida conforme al Espíritu, puesto que el Espíritu de Dios habita verdaderamente en ustedes.
Quien no tiene el Espíritu de Cristo, no es de Cristo. En cambio, si Cristo vive en ustedes, aunque su cuerpo siga sujeto a la muerte a causa del pecado, su espíritu vive a causa de la actividad salvadora de Dios.
Si el Espíritu del Padre, que resucitó a Jesús de entre los muertos, habita en ustedes, entonces el Padre, que resucitó a Jesús de entre los muertos, también les dará vida a sus cuerpos mortales, por obra de su Espíritu, que habita en ustedes.

Aclamación antes del Evangelio

Jn 11, 25. 26

R. Honor y gloria a ti, Señor Jesús.
Yo soy la resurrección y la vida, dice el Señor;
el que cree en mí no morirá para siempre.
R. Honor y gloria a ti, Señor Jesús.

Evangelio

Jn 11, 1-45

En aquel tiempo, se encontraba enfermo Lázaro, en Betania, el pueblo de María y de su hermana Marta. María era la que una vez ungió al Señor con perfume y le enjugó los pies con su cabellera. El enfermo era su hermano Lázaro. Por eso las dos hermanas le mandaron decir a Jesús: “Señor, el amigo a quien tanto quieres está enfermo”.
Al oír esto, Jesús dijo: “Esta enfermedad no acabará en la muerte, sino que servirá para la gloria de Dios, para que el Hijo de Dios sea glorificado por ella”.
Jesús amaba a Marta, a su hermana y a Lázaro. Sin embargo, cuando se enteró de que Lázaro estaba enfermo, se detuvo dos días más en el lugar en que se hallaba. Después dijo a sus discípulos: “Vayamos otra vez a Judea”. Los discípulos le dijeron: “Maestro, hace poco que los judíos querían apedrearte, ¿y tú vas a volver allá?” Jesús les contestó: “¿Acaso no tiene doce horas el día? El que camina de día no tropieza, porque ve la luz de este mundo; en cambio, el que camina de noche tropieza, porque le falta la luz”.
Dijo esto y luego añadió: “Lázaro, nuestro amigo, se ha dormido; pero yo voy ahora a despertarlo”. Entonces le dijeron sus discípulos: “Señor, si duerme, es que va a sanar”. Jesús hablaba de la muerte, pero ellos creyeron que hablaba del sueño natural. Entonces Jesús les dijo abiertamente: “Lázaro ha muerto, y me alegro por ustedes de no haber estado allí, para que crean. Ahora, vamos allá”. Entonces Tomás, por sobrenombre el Gemelo, dijo a los demás discípulos: “Vayamos también nosotros, para morir con él”.
Cuando llegó Jesús, Lázaro llevaba ya cuatro días en el sepulcro. Betania quedaba cerca de Jerusalén, como a unos dos kilómetros y medio, y muchos judíos habían ido a ver a Marta y a María para consolarlas por la muerte de su hermano. Apenas oyó Marta que Jesús llegaba, salió a su encuentro; pero María se quedó en casa. Le dijo Marta a Jesús: “Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, no habría muerto mi hermano. Pero aun ahora estoy segura de que Dios te concederá cuanto le pidas”. Jesús le dijo: “Tu hermano resucitará”. Marta respondió: “Ya sé que resucitará en la resurrección del último día”. Jesús le dijo: “Yo soy la resurrección y la vida. El que cree en mí, aunque haya muerto, vivirá; y todo aquel que está vivo y cree en mí, no morirá para siempre. ¿Crees tú esto?” Ella le contestó: “Sí, Señor. Creo firmemente que tú eres el Mesías, el Hijo de Dios, el que tenía que venir al mundo”.
Después de decir estas palabras, fue a buscar a su hermana María y le dijo en voz baja: “Ya vino el Maestro y te llama”. Al oír esto, María se levantó en el acto y salió hacia donde estaba Jesús, porque él no había llegado aún al pueblo, sino que estaba en el lugar donde Marta lo había encontrado. Los judíos que estaban con María en la casa, consolándola, viendo que ella se levantaba y salía de prisa, pensaron que iba al sepulcro para llorar allí y la siguieron.
Cuando llegó María adonde estaba Jesús, al verlo, se echó a sus pies y le dijo: “Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, no habría muerto mi hermano”. Jesús, al verla llorar y al ver llorar a los judíos que la acompañaban, se conmovió hasta lo más hondo y preguntó: “¿Dónde lo han puesto?” Le contestaron: “Ven, Señor, y lo verás”. Jesús se puso a llorar y los judíos comentaban: “De veras ¡cuánto lo amaba!” Algunos decían: “¿No podía éste, que abrió los ojos al ciego de nacimiento, hacer que Lázaro no muriera?”
Jesús, profundamente conmovido todavía, se detuvo ante el sepulcro, que era una cueva, sellada con una losa. Entonces dijo Jesús: “Quiten la losa”. Pero Marta, la hermana del que había muerto, le replicó: “Señor, ya huele mal, porque lleva cuatro días”. Le dijo Jesús: “¿No te he dicho que si crees, verás la gloria de Dios?” Entonces quitaron la piedra.
Jesús levantó los ojos a lo alto y dijo: “Padre, te doy gracias porque me has escuchado. Yo ya sabía que tú siempre me escuchas; pero lo he dicho a causa de esta muchedumbre que me rodea, para que crean que tú me has enviado”. Luego gritó con voz potente: “¡Lázaro, sal de allí!” Y salió el muerto, atados con vendas las manos y los pies, y la cara envuelta en un sudario. Jesús les dijo: “Desátenlo, para que pueda andar”.
Muchos de los judíos que habían ido a casa de Marta y María, al ver lo que había hecho Jesús, creyeron en él.

MIS HERMANOS Y HERMANAS,

 Por lo general, las reflexiones y las homilías que escribo todos los domingos tienen una base construida sobre aquellos a los que ministra principalmente: aquellos detrás del muro. Durante más de nueve años, esto ha sido fundamental para mi ministerio y todo lo que ha implicado mi ministerio ha surgido de esas Verdaderas Ovejas Perdidas a las que estoy tan profundamente apegado física, mental y espiritualmente. Realmente son mis hermanos espirituales y miembros de mi familia; cada uno de ellos. Hoy me encuentro separado de ellos y de los voluntarios que desinteresadamente dan su tiempo y sus corazones a las dos comunidades olvidadas en MCI Concord y el Centro Correccional del Nordeste. A pesar de que esto puede parecer un desafío para mí, los voluntarios, y para las personas en las comunidades a las que servimos, también presenta una oportunidad única de tomar nuestras Cruces Cuaresmales y seguir adelante con el entendimiento de que nada puede separarnos excepto nosotros mismos y La tentación de no vivir sobre la vida de fe en circunstancias difíciles.

Hace unas semanas, un voluntario me mencionó que cada vez que salía de la prisión después de dirigir un programa, se sentiría mal por los reclusos porque sabía que no podían irse a casa, pero él sí. Aunque este fue el caso, no pudo comprender completamente la realidad de su situación hasta que sus propios movimientos se vieron severamente limitados debido al Virus Corona. De repente, se encontró en una situación muy similar a las personas a las que ministraba: ya no tenía total libertad de movimiento y se le dijo dónde podía ir y dónde no podía ir. Se convirtió en un momento espiritual para él, ya que se le reveló una nueva realidad para las personas con las que tiene un vínculo espiritual. Fue una observación reflexiva que también me ha impactado de una manera que no esperaba. Hay momentos en que me gusta retirarme y estar solo con Dios. También hay momentos en que me gusta hacer cosas solo y para mí mismo. Estos son tiempos y cosas en las que estoy acostumbrado a dictar la programación según mis necesidades, deseos y deseos. Durante la semana pasada, ese no ha sido el caso. Al igual que aquellos a quienes ministro, ahora encuentro que mis horarios y movimientos están controlados por personas distintas a mí y circunstancias sobre las que no tengo control. Me he convertido en una especie de prisionero. Todos somos prisioneros en esta situación y nos hemos encontrado en una situación y circunstancia fuera de nuestro control. Es aquí donde podemos encontrarnos con un tipo de sufrimiento que puede beneficiarnos espiritualmente mientras nos acerca a Jesucristo.

Nosotros, como cristianos, somos alentados a tomar cualquier cosa que experimentemos y situación y aplicarla a nuestra fe; dejando que influya en nuestra relación con Jesucristo. De esta manera, nada se convierte en un problema u obstáculo, sino en una oportunidad para enriquecer nuestras vidas. La adversidad nos hace más fuertes y nos enseña a confiar en Jesucristo. Como seres humanos, tendemos a querer buscar soluciones y resolver problemas por nosotros mismos. Jesucristo nos enseña que tener fe en Él es más importante y que rendirse a Él; confiar en Él es el primer paso para aceptar su voluntad por encima de la nuestra. Se convierte en lo que Él quiere y no en lo que nosotros queremos. Con esa perspectiva, podemos entrar en cualquier situación con el entendimiento de que seremos mejores por eso. No hay fracaso No hay parodia. Solo hay crecimiento.

Aquí todos somos hijos de Dios unidos en este sufrimiento durante la temporada de Cuaresma. El mundo entero es prisionero de algún tipo para este enemigo sin rostro que tiene la capacidad de destruir economías, causar enfermedades y causar la muerte. Para cuando se elimine el virus Corona, habrá tocado la vida de todos los seres vivos del mundo. Sí, eso es malo de alguna manera, pero en realidad hay algo bueno escondido allí. Todos estamos de un lado teniendo los mismos pensamientos y sentimientos. Nadie está exento. Todas las rutinas y estilos de vida han sido interrumpidos de alguna manera y todos están sufriendo. Como cristianos debemos sufrir porque Cristo sufrió por nosotros. Es a través del sufrimiento que se encuentra una gracia muy especial. Se convierte en un factor unificador que produce una nueva vida a través, por y en Jesucristo. Aunque el mundo está sufriendo, está sufriendo juntos y tiene la oportunidad de acercarse a Jesucristo. Ese es todo el propósito de una Cruz Cuaresmal y aquí tenemos una que todos podemos llevar juntos.

Nuestro tiempo encarcelado puede usarse como tiempo para orar por aquellos con quienes estamos sufriendo y a los que ministramos. Estamos en un exilio forzado que elimina todas las cosas que no son realmente importantes y nos permite mirar directamente aquellas cosas que son realmente importantes para nosotros. Realmente no hay más distracciones para desviarnos de las cosas verdaderamente importantes porque solo quedan las cosas importantes; uno de esos es Jesucristo. Aprovechemos este tiempo para conocernos a nosotros mismos y a Jesucristo más profundamente. Aprovechemos esta oportunidad para construir sobre una base sólida de fe y amor. Aprovechemos esta oportunidad para acercarnos unificados como hijos de Dios.

Diácono Tom

HYSTERIA, HYPOCRISY, AND HYPERACTIVITY IN THE FACE OF A PANDEMIC

by Thomas Anthony

We are told that we are facing a Global Pandemic of epic proportions. Early models predicted that The United States of America could face the death of over 120 million of its citizens. Other organizations claimed that the mortality rate of the Corona Virus was over 3.5%. As the virus came to the shores of this country the reaction to it, slow in the beginning, began to rise to a panic level. The reporting from the press became increasingly hysterical to the impact of the virus where each new case or new death was quickly reported in a way that provided maximum impact to a captivated audience. Instead of reporting facts there became a facet of sensationalism that was used to promote the worst-case scenario as the most plausible outcome. Several states ignored CDC suggestions and proceeded to a complete Lock-down status which included  the closing of schools, businesses, and all non-emergency activity. Those who pointed out statistics and evidence to the contrary of the most extreme outcomes were criticized for being outlandish and resistant to the truth. Those who protested to the violation of Constitutional Rights were criticized for being ignorant to the truth.  Now that we find ourselves one month into this pandemic it would be good for us to review some facts and some fiction regarding the Corona Virus and get a good idea "Where are we now" in this mess. It is an exercise that could clear away some clutter, hysteria, and bring back some much needed common sense to the issues at hand. Even though the situations that we as a people encounter change on a daily basis there is still a possibility of consensus in some areas.

IRRESPONSIBILITY IN THE MEDIA

One of the purposes in the media is to provide information, especially in times of crisis. 

The definition of journalism is as follows: " the activity or profession of writing for newspapers, magazines, or news websites or preparing news to be broadcast."

The definition of a reporter is as follows: " a person who reports, especially one employed to report news or conduct interviews for newspapers or broadcasts"

Journalism 101 teaches us the in preparing and reporting news one is to avoid personal bias and the temptation to formulate the story after one's own feelings or opinion. "Just the facts" was one of the sayings used in journalism. Another method often used was the old, "WHO,WHAT,WHERE, WHEN, and WHY." No longer is this the case. The news is commonly reported now with a political agenda in mind or with an intent to gain some sort collective support regarding a certain opinion. This often leads to a misrepresentation or distortion of the facts.

 In regards to the Coronna virus there is no exception.

There have been many models that show what impact  the virus could have on the population of the United States of America.  The one being reported very heavily is one from Great Britain that once claimed that 2.2 million lives would be lost in the United States of America. This has recently been "adjusted to 80 thousand." Scientists who have written this report have openly admitted that they do not have enough data available to support their assertions and that is why the amount of people dying has been downgraded. As of right now the amount of individuals dying from the Corona Virus and related causes in the United States of America is 1500. That is a far cry from 80,000. Yet, this report is still being dispersed throughout the mainstream media as having some sort of credibility. To have 80,000 Americans dead at the current 1.5% mortality rate you would have to have 8.7 million Americans infected. Where we are now with 100,000 infected and 1500 dead, you have a long long long long way to go. I would argue that the way it is going it would be ABSOLUTELY IRRESPONSIBLE for anyone to mention this flawed and statistically irreverent study anymore.

It was reported that the Corona Virus had a mortality rate of 3.5%, far greater than the common flu and that it poised a greater threat than the flu virus could ever have. This led to a reaction that more precautions needed to take place to insure the safety and stability of the population as a whole. As of right now the mortality rate of the Corona Virus stands at 1.4% and falling. The flu virus kills on average  26,000 people in the United States of America annually. After 30 days of the Corona Virus, we are not even at 5% of that. In New York State where 50% of all cases have been diagnosed, they are suffering from the worst flu season on historical record. More people in New York State have contracted the flu  this year than the Corona Virus and have been treated for it medically.. This is hardly reported nor is it reported that the strain on the medical system of New York can be directly attributed to the flu epidemic happening at the same time as the Corona Virus. 

In the majority of states the amount of cases of the Corona Virus compared to the population does not justify the reaction by the particular state in question. For example: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts,  which is currently ranked number SIX overall in number of cases of Corona Virus, has a little over  3200 confirmed cases as of March 28, 2010. Massachusetts also has a population of 7 million people. With those numbers the Governor of Massachusetts decided to lock-down the entire state: only emergency businesses are allowed open, restaurants serve only take-out, no school until April 30th, and no gatherings above 10 people. Taking into account that Massachusetts has 13 counties, the counties with the largest amount of cases are Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Essex Counties. There are 6 counties with less than 75 cases. The other counties have less than 100 cases. Yet, through the governor's orders, all are being treated the same. The Center for Disease Control specifically recommends that each community be addressed based upon their exposure to the virus. Instead the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has decided to go against CDC recommendations and resort to extreme measures. This includes shutting down Franklin and Hampshire Counties which have a total of 44 cases with a total of 230,000 people as a population! The state of New Hampshire just did the same thing with 158 cases, 10 counties, and a population of 1.3 million! The fiscal damage, violation of Constitutional Rights, and the illogical thought process which brings about such a move is baffling. It serves no purpose and does not follow the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control whatsoever. People in regions literally unaffected by the virus countless miles away from a single documented case are being  treated the same as individuals caught in an epicenter. This is happening throughout the United States of America.

There are some instances where drastic measures have to be taken. An example of this would be in the case of New York State. New York State is rapidly turning into the epicenter of the virus in the United States of America. It is here where the most extreme measures should be taken. Each state, county, and city should be judged by their exposure to the virus AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL. When all areas are treated the same then resources cannot be dispensed properly and shortages result. As in any type of emergency situation the dispensing and utilizing of resources is paramount to initiating a proper strategy. In a country as large as the United States of America for some states to treat all in their areas the same and affect large amounts of the population the same when, ACCORDING TO THE CDC, it is not necessary displays a risky and unnecessary strategy that ultimately causes more pain, frustration, and actually achieves negative results.

Conversely, the conduct of some individuals and groups of people in areas that have been affected greatly by the Corona Viruses causes great concern. Not exercising Universal Precautions and Social Distancing as recommended by the CDC put other people at risk and leads to the spreading of this virus. In much the same way as the flu, what is recommended should be followed. In a country such as this where the rights of the individual are paramount this can present a challenge. Admittedly, there is a possibility that, just as some people and institutions are overreacting concerning the corona Virus, there are those who are not treating it seriously enough. There has to be a certain medium that is achieved where the goals of containment and prevention are accomplished without overreaction and hysteria.

As mentioned before, the mortality rate of the Corona Virus in this country is 1.5%. In comparison the mortality rate of the flu is much lower but the end result is that last year alone 26,000 people in this country died from the flu with 2.5 million people becoming infected. Comparing the the Corona Virus to the flu is something that cannot be avoided because those who are most susceptible to the flu are also susceptible to the Corona Virus: the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. Where we are now, arguably really 30 days into this outbreak, we are far from the yearly impact that the Common Flu has on our population. In fact it can be argued that the impact of the Corona Virus is much less ableit straining our medical resources because we are still in the midst of the flu season. This can be seen in New York State where the state in in the middle of the worst flu season on historical record and over 156,000 citizens of New York State have already been infected. It can be argued that this and the Corona Virus double-punch is what is straining the medical system in New York State.

The Corona Virus is a threat to the health and the well-being of the American People and to the world. This threat can be addressed in many different ways. This can be addressed through a well-organized plan that is implemented under the direction of medical professionals and the Center for Disease Control which  has oversight in this area, assisted by proper reporting and disclosure by an unbiased press not driven by political ideology or it can be addressed through hysteria, overreaction, emotional decisions, propaganda, and political gain. Over the past month we have had the presence and a mixture of both in the solution. More of one and less of the other are strongly in order.

Deacon Tom Anthony

Fourth Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 31

Reading 1 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

The LORD said to Samuel:
“Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way.
I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”
As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
“Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.”
But the LORD said to Samuel:
“Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see,
because man sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart.”
In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
but Samuel said to Jesse,
“The LORD has not chosen any one of these.”
Then Samuel asked Jesse,
“Are these all the sons you have?”
Jesse replied,
“There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said to Jesse,
“Send for him;
we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.”
Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
and making a splendid appearance.
The LORD said,
“There—anoint him, for this is the one!”
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6.

R. (1)  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2 Eph 5:8-14

Brothers and sisters:
You were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light,
for light produces every kind of goodness
and righteousness and truth.
Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;
rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention
the things done by them in secret;
but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for everything that becomes visible is light.
Therefore, it says:

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

Verse Before the GospelJn 8:12

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Gospel Jn 9:1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered,
“Neither he nor his parents sinned;
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When he had said this, he spat on the ground
and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”
So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He replied,
“The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’
So I went there and washed and was able to see.”
And they said to him, “Where is he?”

He said, “I don’t know.”
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful man do such signs?”
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
Now the Jews did not believe
that he had been blind and gained his sight
until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
“Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now see?”
His parents answered and said,
“We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know how he sees now,
nor do we know who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself.”
His parents said this because they were afraid
of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
“He is of age; question him.”
So a second time they called the man who had been blind
and said to him, “Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner.”
He replied,
“If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to him,
“What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?”
He answered them,
“I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?

Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
They ridiculed him and said,
“You are that man’s disciple;
we are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses,
but we do not know where this one is from.”
The man answered and said to them,
“This is what is so amazing,
that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God does not listen to sinners,
but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were not from God,
he would not be able to do anything.”
They answered and said to him,
“You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?”
Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him,
“You have seen him,
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus said,
“I came into this world for judgment,
so that those who do not see might see,
and those who do see might become blind.”
Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this
and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”
Jesus said to them,
“If you were blind, you would have no sin;
but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 As Children of the Light we have indeed been called out of the darkness into the light to be bathed with its brilliance. Christ is the Light of the World and shines forth from and into all of God’s Creation. The darkness that we came from represents an ignorance of the truth which is Jesus Christ. It also represents a life without Jesus Christ and a lack of relationship with Him. Without Jesus in our lives we can find ourselves walking blindly, making wrong decisions, and ultimately going down the wrong road. Even though this can be exciting at times, it always leads to the same place: dead ends and desolate places.

When we explore a relationship with Jesus Christ and allow Him into our lives everything that came before, is now, and will be takes on a different meaning. Without Jesus Christ things are naturally interpreted and understood without the influence of Him. He is taken out of the equation because it is not known how He fits. When Jesus is taken into account things take on a different meaning because His influence on everything is then revealed. It is much like looking at a  painting. It can be looked at without taking into account the artists thoughts, feelings, or attitudes. When this is done there is no depth to the painting; no emotional or spiritual feeling that can be extracted from it. When that same painting is looked at with the perspective of the artist taken into account then an entirely different perception of the painting is revealed and experienced; it is deeper, more meaningful, and makes more sense then when it stood alone. In much the same way  God’s creation, including us in it, takes on a different meaning when the intent of the creator is taken into account and we enter into a relationship with Him. Things that might have baffled us before or caused confusion make complete sense and what might have caused us fear and anxiety are now accepted and put into the proper perspective. Most importantly, the Love of God can be felt and experienced the way God wanted us to be able to do in the first place.

This was what Jesus was referring to when speaking to the Pharisees. Well educated and well-versed in Jewish Law, they were blinded by the knowledge that they possessed and their interpretation thereof.  Jesus emphasized that for someone to see the truth and God’s creation for what it was everything that was known before and its interpretation must be forgotten and relearned through the perspective of Him: the Son of God. In other words, in order for one to see the truth he must become blind first in order that he may learn to see. There is a process of acceptance in this exercise. We must understand that a lot of what we have been told in our lives by other people is untrue and that the real truth lies within a relationship with Jesus Christ. Accepting Jesus as the Son of God and committing ourselves to a relationship with him clears away all of the clutter and conceptions that we have created over long periods of time and introduces us to a new world that is defined by the Light of Christ and puts Him in the center of everything where He belongs. It becomes a gigantic reset and one that is worthwhile. Just as the blind man was healed by his interaction with Jesus Christ we too are capable of being healed through our experiences with him.

As Christians we are encouraged to approach Jesus from where we are in our lives. There are no preconditions to a relationship with him only a child-like acceptance of who He is. From there, a relationship with him will foster and grow by leaps and bounds if only we allow it to. This does require a surrendering of what we thought we knew before and being open to what a life with Jesus if offering us. There is a process to this and it all begins with the first step out of the darkness into the light.

Deacon Tom