For God so loved the world…
john 3:16
John 3: 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Holy Thursday - The Gift of Jesus at the Last Supper
Forever United : The Gift of Jesus at the Last Supper
When we choose a goodbye gift for those we love, it is sometimes a photo, or maybe a memento of some event we shared, and it is not only to remind our friends of our past, but to say that the present and future also always hold our love.
What is so moving is the gift Jesus chose for us, a gift that would unite us to him forever. “This is my body, This is my blood”. It is not only the gift of his body, but of his blood. In the Torah no Jewish person is permitted to consume blood ‘because the life is in the blood”. (Lev. 17:11-14) Everyone knew that loss of blood in any creature results in death, and since it is God who gives life to all things, blood is not to be consumed. Even today, that taboo is observed in the way the animal is dispatched and in the recipes for serving meat, which must not allow for any blood, for life is in the blood.
In that Last supper, Jesus’ gift meant a sacred breeching of that Law. And it would have been the very first time the apostles partook of what they were to understand was the Lord’s blood, his very life joined to their own ‘for the life is in the blood.” This is what Jesus thought to give us, his goodbye gift, that unites us to him and to each other in his love, and united to him in this way , we bring his life and love to our world, until we all meet him face to face in that joyous reunion.
--Sister Wendy Cotter CSJ
Images: Rey Proenza/Unsplash
Beyond the Pages
Children’s books have a unique way of embedding timeless wisdom within their pages. We often view these books as simple or purely entertaining, but they hold much more beneath the surface. Their stories impart life lessons that resonate long after we have closed the book or grown older. Whether we are learning about kindness from Winnie the Pooh, the unconditional love of being accepted as we are from Corduroy, courage from The Wizard of Oz, or the power of self-belief from The Velveteen Rabbit. These stories have the power to carry messages that transcend time.
““There is no substitute for books in the life of a child.” ”
Do you have a favourite storybook you reread? Roald Dahl captures this sentiment perfectly in Matilda, writing, “Some books are so good, you want to go on reading them for the rest of your life.” My awareness of the lasting impact of certain children’s books was brought home to me during a weekly reflection gathering on zoom.
““Children’s books are not just books. They are dreams, they are wishes, they are lives, they are belief , they are impossible things. And that is what makes them so powerful.” ”
These childhood tales teach us about empathy, resilience, friendship, and the core values that shape us into who we are as adults. Many of us can still recall the wisdom shared by the fox in The Little Prince: “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Have I sparked a memory of a children’s book or a shared memorable reading experience with someone from your childhood? Do you recall a book you enjoyed sharing with your child, a relative, or a student? What made the book or experience so memorable?
-Sister Nancy Wales, csj
Image: Robyn Budlender | Annie Spratt/Unsplash
Palm Sunday Memories
I have wonderful memories of Palm Sundays past. My friend and I for many years went to visit her Dad on Palm Sunday weekend in a rural village in eastern Ontario. The village was small; the parish smaller but the spirit was alive and well. I could see Jesus being very comfortable here riding through town on his wee donkey, a sign of peace rather than dominance in His day.
Sadly, short days later his celebration of welcome turned to one of scorn, the suffering servant was about to be revealed. (Isaiah 50:4-7) He accepted this treatment with faith in His loving Father. With humility, putting others before Himself, (Phil 2:6-11) Jesus submitted to the torture of the cross. Luke’s passion narrative (Luke 22: 14-23, 56) reminds us of Judas’s betrayal, Peter’s denial and repentance, the women’s faithfulness and centurion’s acknowledgement that Jesus was “this was a great & good Man”.
As we move into this most Holy of weeks, let us remind ourselves, daily, of our own faithfulness, our own weaknesses and our belief that Jesus was and is truly our God who loves us especially in our admitted weakness. May you have a blessed Holy Week my friends.
-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate
Images from Unsplash: Brooke Lark/Alessandro Bellone
Notice the Invisible
Today we are into the second week of April when crocuses have already pushed through the cold dark earth and tulips, and daffodils are inching above ground with the promise of spring.
I did not expect to see snow falling this morning but there it was. However, as the flakes fluttered and fell, they instantly melted on all the surfaces in sight.
Then I noticed two snowflakes that did not land, no longer fluttered and did not melt.
They were caught in an unfinished strand of a spider web and waved up and down on my balcony for at least two minutes.
I’m left with an inner experience of awe at how what is invisible can capture and take control of the movements of a delicate visible snowflake.
-Sister Elaine Cole, CSJ
Images courtesy of Unsplash: Julian/