We are in the final weeks of Lent and the readings for the Liturgy become more pointed as they describe the plotting and scheming against Jesus and those who stand with and against him – and those who just step back and become bystanders.
While the disciples seek to push the children away, Jesus literally “centers” a child in their midst. When we center the vulnerable in society, we help build a better world for all.
The letter of James reminds us of the damage that can be done by literally speaking without care or regard for others. In the Gospel, the disciples’ encounter with Jesus’ glory reminds us of how God is present well before we realize it.
In contrast to past kings of Israel who divided and disregarded the needs of the people, Jesus sees their deep hunger and responds to their deepest needs – food for their bodies and a reminder of the way God blesses the little we have and makes it more than enough.
Today’s readings give us a roadmap for navigating through times of great difficulty when it seems like its all just “too much.”
The Gospel from St. Luke reminds us that the historical time of Christ’s birth was filled with social unrest and dislocation. But it is in the midst of these challenges that God becomes present in the flesh to us.
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