He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
“John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true.”
And many there began to believe in him.

John 10: 40-42

Here are the complete readings for Friday, April 11, 2025.

(“John the Baptist Preaching” by Kehinde Wiley)

What do you typically find offensive? What triggers your visceral sense of outrage? Is it something you find crude or vulgar, or is it caused by what you perceive as an attack on your values? Jesus’ enemies felt the latter. They agreed that he was insulting their beliefs and culture through his words and actions. They called it blasphemy, or deliberately holding in contempt that which is sacred. Upon contemporary examination, these adversaries seem short sighted, insecure, and petty. However, can we put ourselves in the place of these men (they were all men in this case) to better understand their anger and perhaps shine some clarity on our own tendency to judge after feeling offended? Are we aware of any uncomfortable truths about us that may be raised by this offensive person or persons? Do we need to listen and discern before we reply? It is important to note that when Jesus was verbally attacked in public, he always replied with an invitation to the attacker to reflect on what they had just said, and to consider the source of what made them gnash their teeth. None of us are perfect, and there will be times when we are rightly angered by another person’s actions, especially if it mocks or marginalizes innocent people. Can we, through prayer and contemplation, differentiate between righteous anger and that which is caused by our own insecurity or fear of something simply because they are different than what we are used to? Perhaps we can appreciate what we once could not, as did the people in the Gospel about the words of John the Baptist.

 As you prayerfully reflect on the past,
assess the present,
and ponder the future with one another,
be considerate of this history
and of this ministry.
Yet, like Ryken,
foster an attitude of openness
to the needs of the Church and your world,
and a willingness to follow Christ
wherever He leads. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, we are grateful for the little transformations in us that you make possible. The wisdom to know when we were wrong, and the courage to speak up for the outcasts we had once ignored. Thank you for giving us hearts that deep down are drawn towards you. May we listen and follow what our hearts call us to be.

Amen

I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

Genesis 17: 7-9

Here are the complete readings for Thursday, April 10, 2025.

(Ottoman miniature of Abraham, 1583)

When I got married, the priest who celebrated the mass preached about the word “covenant.” He spoke of this term in contrast to that of a contract. Unlike a contract, it is highly unlikely that both parties in the relationship are giving of themselves to the marriage equally all the time. Someone is usually giving more of themselves than the other on a given day or in a specific period of time. That is a sign of faith and trust in the relationship, and most importantly, love as action or decision driving the relationship forward. In a spiritual relationship, have we ever felt that our prayer life mainly consists of us asking for positive outcomes to personal requests? Or, have we ever sensed that, despite a disciplined commitment to prayer and reflection, God seems distant and our prayers left unheard? In the Gospel reading for today, Jesus challenged his contemporaries to have hope that their relationship with God was eternal, before their ancestors and surpassing their descendants. Let us consider how we can commit to our part of this eternal flame by making space in our hearts for a God who is always there reaching out to us, even if we cannot see or feel the warmth.

For your part,
God asks you in return
to make the word of God your home.

You have promised
to follow Christ, the poor man,
totally given in love to God
and for all people everywhere,
and whose loving obedience led Him
to death on the cross. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, when you call us, the tasks seems overwhelming. Why do you ask us to be this way, Lord? Thank you for reminding us that in calling us to be disciples, you are just asking us to be exactly who we are, no more and no less. With this knowledge and encouragement, may we share your Gospel and your mission to those close to us and for those we meet in our joyful journey of life.

Amen

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.” But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

John 8: 31-34, 36-42

Here are the complete readings for Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

(“Fiery Furnace” by Toros Roslin)

Compare the reading above from the Gospel of John with the passage from the Fundamental Principles below. Themes of reverence for a founder and that founder’s traditions dominate these passages. This was a source of tension between Jesus and the people from his own faith tradition. Jesus never intended for his people to abandon the memory of Abraham or his teachings. Instead, he challenged them to consider that what Abraham did was radically new in its era, but that the power of God cannot be frozen in time. The Spirit goes where the Spirit will go. Jesus, then and today, asks us to be open to what we are called to do based on who we are called to be. This is kind of commitment is not easy to begin with, but when we are asked to say goodbye to cherished traditions, then the vocation gets even harder, and we must rely on trust in the Cloud of Unknowing even further. Sometimes the only way to preserve a sacred Tradition is to say goodbye to a tradition that no longer serves its purpose. This may cause grief, and that is okay, but can we allow ourselves to be open to the celebration of new traditions that continue our mission begun long ago?

Your Founder’s vision was unique.
He originally intended to form a community of laymen
who as religious brothers
would be sent as missionaries to the world.
As vowed members of the people of God,
sealed in baptism and confirmed by the Holy Spirit,
they would participate
in the Church’s mission of evangelization
through a life of gospel service
lived in solidarity and availability
among the people. Now this understanding of mission
has been expanded to include
the many women and men
who collaborate with the Brothers in
Xaverian education.
It is through your life of gospel witness
lived in community with others
that God desires to manifest
care and compassionate love
to those who are separated and estranged,
not only from their neighbors,
but also from their own uniqueness. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, thank you for the role models and traditions that have shaped our lives for the better. Thank you for the gift of memory, so we can treasure the past and learn in the present. Thank you for the inspiration of people in our own time who are able to envision our sacred mission in a different light. May this light then shine for others who wish to connect and follow you, wherever your Spirit takes us.

Amen

From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,
to bypass the land of Edom.
But with their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents away from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.”
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Numbers 21: 4-9

Here are the complete readings for Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

(“Moses Erecting the Brazen Snake” by William Blake)

The French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre once wrote, “this is what hell is. Hell is other people.” Reading the passage from Numbers, it seems as though the people in desert succeeded in creating their own hell for one another. Bad behavior spilled over and caused suffering for others, who then spread misery still further. The venomous snakes in the story seems to represent peoples’ destructive decisions that have come to fruition. Notice, then, that the cure for the snakebite was for an afflicted person to look directly at the snake made out of bronze. The person had to come face to face with their shortcomings, confront and own what they had done in order to find healing. This is an act of humility and bravery that is fitting for all manner of repentance, in any age.

At times you will discover
that God’s ways are not your ways,
and God’s thoughts are not your thoughts.
When this happens,
try to surrender yourself trustingly
into the arms of your Parent God,
who knows you,
understands you,
and loves you. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, You never cease surprising me. When I am awake and aware of your presence, I experience miracles that I might have before taken for granted. Thank you for the whispers in the quiet moments that guide me and the majesty of each dawn that reminds me of the blessing to be alive. Give me a heart that is open enough to be shaped by new connections, and large enough to be forgiving of others and myself. Thank you for understanding me so I can better understand who I am this day.

Amen

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have
the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify
on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I do testify
on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified,
because I know where I came from and where I am going.
But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.
And even if I should judge, my judgement is valid,
because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father
who sent me. Even in your law it is written
that the testimony of two men can be verified.
I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.”

John 8: 12-18

Here are the complete readings for Monday, April 7, 2025.

(“The Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt)

One of the great gifts in my life are the long lasting friendships with people I’ve known since I was young. What I have found about friendships that have stood the test of time is that over the years both parties recognize the core goodness of the person that made us friends in the first place. Yet just as important is the awareness and acceptance that our friends have changed over the years. They are not as predictable and may disappoint us because their interests and priorities have changed. Can we lean into the mystery within these people whom we love and whose company they enjoy rather than lament how things aren’t the same as in the good old days? In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the image of light to show the inherent connection between God and humans, which God never severs despite human rebellion. Jesus reminds his adversaries that God loves relationships because the very nature of God is relational. Jesus has a relationship with God, and Jesus is God. This is a great mystery, but mystery begets intimacy to those who surrender to it. The men Jesus confronts are trying to confine or limit the reach of God’s power to reclaim those of us who are lost, which is not possible. Like new encounters with old friends, we can find that God can still surprise and delight us.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ,
you are called to follow in His footsteps
and minister God’s healing touch of love,
through word and deed,
to all whom you meet
in your journey of life. You have responded to the invitation:
Come follow me.

– The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, you illuminate and clarify my thoughts. Thank you for sharing what joy and happiness can be like, even in difficult and painful moments on our life journey. Help us be light for our sisters and brothers who feel abandoned. Give us the courage to shine light on injustice in our world that is often hidden beneath the surface. May we have enough discomfort to share your light and your mercy with those whom we do not know or with whom we disagree. Help us all recognize the inner light which is our shared humanity.

Amen

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees,
who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.”
So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
“Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him
and finds out what he is doing?”
They answered and said to him,
“You are not from Galilee also, are you?
Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Then each went to his own house.

(John 7: 45-53)

Here are the complete readings for Saturday, April 5, 2025.

(“Jesus and Nicodemus” JESUS MAFA. Nicodemus, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. )

Jesus’ adversaries look pretty petty in this Gospel. How shall we reflect on this passage and their treatment, not just of Jesus, but of one of their own, Nicodemus? It could be an example of the effects of jealousy, or a herd mentality spiraling out of control. The more I read these exchanges, the more familiar it seems to me. It speaks to me about how often I rationalize my actions to make me feel better. We all are guilty of this. We rationalize our bad decisions and judgments so that we seem courageous rather than cowardly, and to isolate those we deem unfit to be in our midst. Note the use of the “you are not from Galilee, too?” takedown of Nicodemus. This passage makes me cringe, but how often have we employed similar tactics in small or significant ways as a matter of convenience? We avoid self-reflection because it is hard to come to terms with our own brokenness for fear of looking weak or for the pain this kind of honesty can reveal. And rather than admit to our friends that maybe we are not being completely honest, we do like the Pharisees and retreat to our own corners. During this season, how can we look at daily contemplation, even a small amount, as a way to discover who we really are and to free that self from the distortion caused by our myopic view of the world? How can we take these prayerful steps to correct and reconnect?

You have freely chosen
to respond to the call of God
to live a life of love
in faith and trust,
as a disciple of God’s Son, Jesus Christ,
through the Xaverian Way.
In calling you
God too was completely free.
Your Founder,
Theodore James Ryken,
was most conscious of this,
since he wrote about his own vocation:
God is not obliged
to give an account to anybody,
even if God wants to use a sinner. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, you know us better than we know ourselves. Help us to ask ourselves the difficult and sometimes painful questions about who we think we want to be and who we are actually meant to be. Thank you for the courageous people in this world who show us that humility and kindness are signs of great strength. We are grateful for the quiet moments in our busy days where we can emerge from our disguises and be ourselves in this life.

Amen