Day 41: The Fragrance of Love

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 12:1–11
Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom he had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there; Martha waited on them and Lazarus was among those at table.

Mary brought in a pound of very costly ointment, pure nard, and with it anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair; the house was filled with the scent of the ointment.

Then Judas Iscariot—one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him—said, “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor?”

He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contents.

So Jesus said, “Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always, you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile, a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.

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Reflection:
Holy Week begins not with fanfare, but with silence and intimacy. We are brought into the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus—not for a miracle, but for a quiet act of love.

Mary of Bethany says nothing. But in her silence, she listens—and in her listening, she responds. She kneels beside Jesus and pours out what is most precious to her: the costly ointment, her dignity, her very self.

What moved her to do this?

There is no record of Jesus asking her. No instruction from the disciples. But she had been at His feet before. She knew the sound of His voice. And she had learned to listen not just to words, but to the movement of the Spirit.

This act is the fruit of deep prayer—of the Father working through the Spirit in the stillness of her heart. It is the Father preparing the Son for what is to come. And Mary—hidden, faithful, receptive—says yes.

And still, she is ridiculed. Her devotion is questioned, her motives assumed. But she does not defend herself. Jesus defends her. “Leave her alone… she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial.”

Pope Benedict XVI wrote,

“Mary’s gesture is the response of one who, in encountering Jesus, has come to understand that no gift is too costly to give to Him, because He is the infinite Love of God made flesh.”
(Holy Monday Homily, April 2, 2007)

Sometimes love will look foolish. Sometimes prayer will lead us where others cannot follow. But if we remain in communion with the Father—if we listen with the heart—we will know what to do. And the Lord will receive it.

The Desert Father Abba Moses once said,

“If a man wishes to be always in the presence of God, he must pray often and love with a whole heart.”

That is what Mary of Bethany does.

This is what we are invited to now.

If you are holding back because you’re afraid to be misunderstood…
If you wonder whether your offering is too small…
If your prayer has led you to something others don’t see…

Stay close to the Lord.
Trust the Spirit’s prompting.
Pour it out anyway.

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Reflection Questions:

1. What do I fear pouring out before Jesus?
2. Where is love asking me to move, without calculation or fear?
3. What would it mean today to be present at His feet, as Mary was?

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Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
You received the love Mary poured out,
and You made it part of the path to the Cross.
Help me to offer You what I cling to—
my time, my comfort, even my wounds.
Let my love be real,
fragrant in its surrender,
and faithful even in silence.
Amen.

This reflection is written by Kris McGregor of Discerning Hearts®. The Scripture passage is taken from the Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition), used with permission. No unauthorized use or reproduction is permitted without prior written consent.

Day 40:  “The Road of the Cross, The Way of Love”

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

Mark 11:1–10 

When they were approaching Jerusalem, in sight of Bethphage and Bethany, close by the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go off to the village facing you, and as soon as you enter it you will find a tethered colt that no one has yet ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘The Master needs it and will send it back here directly.'”

They went off and found a colt tethered near a door in the open street. As they untied it, some men standing there said, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They gave the answer Jesus had told them, and the men let them go. Then they took the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on its back, and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, others greenery they had cut in the fields. And those who went in front and those who followed were all shouting, “Hosanna! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heavens!”

Reflection:

We have arrived. This is the threshold of Holy Week—the most sacred time of the Church year. It is a culmination not just of the liturgical journey but of the inner pilgrimage we’ve taken through Lent. Prayer, fasting, repentance, surrender—none of it was for its own sake. It has all pointed toward this week, where Love reveals its fullness on the Cross.

Palm Sunday is a paradox. The people cry out with joy, welcoming Jesus with palm branches and hosannas. Yet we know the story turns quickly. The same voices that bless Him will call for His crucifixion. This tension is not just historical—it is personal. It reminds us that in our own hearts, we too swing between praise and resistance. Between surrender and fear. Between trust and control.

And yet, Christ enters anyway. He rides not on a war horse but on a donkey, a symbol of humility. He does not come to conquer by force, but to save through self-giving love.

This week we walk with Him—through the Upper Room, into Gethsemane, before the Sanhedrin, up the hill of Golgotha, and finally to the silence of the tomb. But we do not walk alone. We walk as a Church. We walk as people who have prayed, repented, struggled, and hoped. We walk with hearts that have been softened through the desert, ready now to enter the Passion.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote:

“The Cross is the school of love. It is there we learn to love, not in word or feeling only, but in the laying down of self.”

This is what Lent has prepared us for. To gaze upon the Cross not as a symbol of defeat, but of the deepest victory. To allow it to speak to our wounds, our questions, and our hopes. To find ourselves there—not as spectators, but as those Christ carried with Him.

The Desert Father Abba Theodore said:

“If you are not yet able to carry your cross, weep before the Lord. He will lift it with you.”

This is not a week to rush through. It is a week to dwell in. To let the Scriptures penetrate. To let silence stretch. To revisit the Sacraments. To stay close to the Blessed Mother, who walked every step with her Son. To let Jesus show us how far Love will go.

We do not end at the Cross—but we must go through it. Resurrection is coming, but it is only understood in the light of the Passion. If you’ve struggled this Lent, if you feel like you haven’t done enough—take heart. This is the hour of grace. Begin again now. Be with Him now.

As the Church sings: Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him.(cf. Philippians 2:8–9)

Reflection Questions:

1. How has your heart changed through this Lenten journey?
2. What part of Jesus’ Passion are you being invited to enter more deeply this week?
3. How can you live this Holy Week with greater intentionality—prayer, silence, reconciliation, service?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as You entered Jerusalem, You knew what awaited You—and still You came. You embraced the Cross to bring me life. Open my heart to walk with You this Holy Week. Let every step draw me closer to Your heart. Give me the grace to stay near to You in suffering, in silence, and in love. May the Cross become my home, and the Resurrection my hope. Amen.

Day 39: Hope in the Midst of Opposition

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 11:45–56 

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him, but some of them went to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. “Here is this man working all these signs,” they said, “and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the Holy Place and our nation.”

One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, “You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation—and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him.
So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples.

The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, “What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?”

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel sits in the shadow of the raising of Lazarus. That incredible sign of life was not welcomed by all. For some, it was a moment of conversion; for others, it was a threat. The decision is made: Jesus must be stopped. We now move closer to the Passion.

This passage confronts us with a truth we often feel: Jesus did not run from this reality. Instead, He stayed rooted in His mission, moving forward with trust in the Father.

It is here that we must remember: our call is not to success or approval, but to faithfulness. And faithfulness will at times mean walking through suffering, uncertainty, or even loneliness. But we are never alone. The Father is at work, even in hiddenness.

St. John Cassian, drawing from the wisdom of the desert, wrote:

“The endurance of trials for the sake of virtue produces the strongest hope.”
(Conferences, X.6)

Hope is born not in ease, but in the fire of perseverance. It grows in those moments when we choose to stay with Christ, even when the way is unclear or difficult. Hope is remembering that God indeed keeps His promises—and that He is bigger than our circumstances. Lent brings us to this place of decision: Will we stay close to Jesus even when the way becomes narrow? Will we trust the slow, quiet work of God even when the cost feels high?

Sometimes the opposition we face is not from others, but within ourselves: doubt, fear, or spiritual fatigue. These too are places where grace can meet us, where prayer becomes our anchor. If you feel weary, spend time today in quiet before the Lord. Ask for the grace of endurance, and the gift of hope.

The “Jesus, You Take Over” prayer—also known as the Surrender Prayer—by Servant of God Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo, found on Discerning Hearts, is a powerful reminder to release our anxieties and concerns in trust to Jesus. We are not asked to carry the weight of the world, but to entrust it to the One who already bears it for us.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church, offers us a word of clarity and perspective:

“The world’s thy ship and not thy home.”
(Letter 102 to Céline)

Her simple but profound reminder re-centers us when the seas grow rough. Lent is not a time to prove our strength, but to rest more deeply in the strength of Christ, who leads us to the safe harbor of the Father.

Reflection Questions:

1. What challenges or opposition do you face as you follow Christ?
2. Are there places of hidden fear or resistance that you can bring to the Lord today?
3. How can you ask for the grace to be faithful, even when it is costly?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as You faced rejection, You remained faithful. Help us to walk in that same trust. When we are afraid, strengthen our hearts. When we are tired, renew our hope. Teach us to remain close to You, even in the face of opposition, and to always remember that Your love has already conquered all.

Amen.

Day 38: In the Father’s Hands

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 10:31–42

The Jews fetched stones to stone Him, so Jesus said to them, “I have done many good works for you to see, works from My Father; for which of these are you stoning Me?” The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for doing a good work, but for blasphemy: You are only a man and You claim to be God.”

Jesus answered: “Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So the Law uses the word ‘gods’ of those to whom the word of God was addressed, and scripture cannot be rejected. Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because He says, ‘I am the Son of God.’ If I am not doing My Father’s work, there is no need to believe Me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in Me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for sure that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”

They tried to arrest Him then, but He eluded them. He went back again to the far side of the Jordan, to the district where John had once been baptizing, and He stayed there. Many people who came to Him said, “John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true,” and many of them believed in Him.

Reflection:

As we near the end of Lent, the tension in the Gospel rises. Jesus is no longer met with curiosity but with hostility. His words are not misunderstood—they are rejected. Still, He does not retreat in fear. He rests in the truth of who He is and remains faithful to the will of the Father.

This moment invites us to consider the cost of fidelity. When we strive to follow Christ in a world that may not understand or accept us, we too may experience opposition, confusion, or silence. But these are not signs of failure. Often, they are moments of deep purification—invitations to trust more completely in the Father, just as Jesus does.

What sustained Jesus was not popularity or ease. It was union. “The Father is in Me and I am in the Father.” This is the heart of our journey, too. Lent is not about performance. It is about deeper intimacy with the God who has consecrated and sent us into the world with a mission of love. And sometimes, faithfulness means walking forward even when we do not see the fruit.

But that doesn’t make the road easy. Many of us wrestle with fears or pressure—from relationships, from work, or from the weight of our own expectations. In those moments, we need companions. The Church encourages us to seek wise counsel: a spiritual friend, a confessor, a priest or religious who can help us remember who we are and who we belong to. We are not alone.

The Desert Father Evagrius Ponticus wrote:

“When the mind is stripped, and empty of thoughts, then it can enter into the depths where Christ dwells.”
(Chapters on Prayer, 67)

It is in stillness that we begin to recognize the voice of the Father and rest in His care. Let us not fear the places of quiet where we feel unseen or unrecognized. It may be there that Christ draws us into His own hidden life of love.

St. Teresa of Calcutta, who knew well the silence of God, reminds us:

“God has not called me to be successful. He has called me to be faithful.”

Today, let us walk with Jesus in trust. Even when misunderstood or rejected, we are in the Father’s hands. That is where our peace lies.

Reflection Questions:

1. Are there places in your life where you are experiencing resistance or misunderstanding in your faith journey?
2. How can you deepen your trust in the Father, even when His presence feels hidden?
3. Who might you turn to for support and wise counsel in your spiritual walk?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You were not afraid to speak truth, even when it brought rejection. You stayed faithful because You knew the love of the Father. Teach me to trust in that same love. Help me not to be discouraged by the misunderstandings or struggles I face. Let me rest in Your presence and draw strength from the knowledge that I am never alone.

Amen.

Day 37: Before Abraham Was, I Am

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 8:51–59 

Jesus said to the Jews: “I tell you solemnly, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” The Jews said, “Now we know that You are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he will never know the taste of death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are You claiming to be?”

Jesus answered: “If I were to seek My own glory that would be no glory at all; My glory is conferred by the Father, by the One of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ although you do not know Him. But I know Him, and if I were to say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I should be a liar, as you are. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see My Day; he saw it and was glad.”

The Jews then said, “You are not fifty yet, and You have seen Abraham!” Jesus replied: “I tell you solemnly, before Abraham ever was, I Am.” At this they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and left the Temple.

Reflection:

This Gospel reaches a dramatic and profound turning point: Jesus reveals not only His mission, but His identity. “Before Abraham ever was, I Am.” It is a name that echoes the voice of God from the burning bush—a claim that leaves no room for ambiguity. Jesus is not merely a prophet or a teacher. He is the Eternal One. The Word made flesh.

But what does this mean for us, especially in these final days of Lent?

It means that in Christ, we are not following a distant ideal—we are being invited into communion with the Living God. Lent is not just about moral effort. It is about relationship. To keep His word, as Jesus says, is to remain in that relationship—faithful, trusting, open.

And yet, we know how hard that can be. There are days we feel distant. Times when questions cloud our faith. Moments when silence feels louder than the presence of God. Like those in today’s Gospel, we can be tempted to react with skepticism or resistance—especially when Jesus asks for deeper surrender.

But Lent teaches us to stay in the conversation. To ask—not with cynicism, but with longing—“Who are You claiming to be?” And to listen for His answer. Jesus does not force belief; He reveals, patiently and truthfully, again and again.

St. Teresa of Calcutta once said:

“When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you. When you look at the Sacred Host, you understand how much Jesus loves you now.”
(Jesus, the Word to Be Spoken: Prayers and Meditations by Mother Teresa, edited by Brother Angelo Devananda, 1996)

And from Evagrius Ponticus, one of the great voices of early Christian wisdom:

“If you are a theologian, you will pray truly; and if you pray truly, you are a theologian.”
(Chapters on Prayer, 61)

To stay close to Jesus, we need prayer—not just as obligation, but as encounter. We need silence to listen. Scripture to anchor us. And people who can walk with us when the path feels unclear. God has not left us alone. And Jesus, the Great I Am, does not abandon His own.

Reflection Questions:

1. What does Jesus’ identity as “I Am” mean for your life today?
2. Are there places of resistance or fear in your heart where Christ is inviting deeper trust?
3. How can prayer help you remain in relationship with the Living God today?

Closing Prayer:

Jesus, You are the Eternal Word, the Living God who calls me to communion. Help me to keep Your word not only with my lips but with my life. Teach me to stay with You in prayer, even when I do not understand. Open my heart to the mystery of who You are, and let that truth lead me into deeper love, deeper freedom, and deeper faith.

Amen.

Day 36: The Truth Will Set You Free

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 8:31–42 

To the Jews who believed in Him, Jesus said: “If you make My word your home you will indeed be My disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free.”

They answered, “We are descended from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone; what do you mean, ‘You will be made free’?”

Jesus replied: “I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave. Now the slave’s place in the house is not assured, but the son’s place is assured. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are descended from Abraham; but in spite of that you want to kill Me because nothing I say has penetrated into you. What I, for My part, speak of is what I have seen with My Father; but you, you put into action the lessons learnt from your father.”

They repeated, “Our father is Abraham.”

Jesus said to them: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. As it is, you want to kill Me when I tell you the truth as I have learnt it from God; that is not what Abraham did. What you are doing is what your father does.”

“We were not born of prostitution,” they went on, “we have one father: God.”

Jesus answered: “If God were your father, you would love Me, since I have come here from God; yes, I have come from Him; not that I came because I chose, no, I was sent, and by Him.”

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Reflection:

At the heart of this Gospel is a promise and a challenge: “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” We live in a world that talks often about freedom—but Jesus speaks of a different kind. This is not merely the freedom to choose—it is the freedom to choose what is good, what is true, what leads to life in God. This is the freedom that comes from being fully His.

Jesus speaks directly to those who believed in Him—and yet still resisted the full implications of His word. “If you make My word your home… you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free.” Truth is not just abstract. It is relational. It is Christ Himself. This kind of freedom is not the absence of struggle but the presence of Christ. It is found in surrendering to the Father’s will, as Jesus did—in letting go of control and abiding in love.

The people in the Gospel claim, “We’ve never been slaves.” But Jesus reveals a deeper slavery: sin. Sin limits our sight. It distorts our desires. It binds our hearts to what cannot save us. To be free in Christ is to be unbound from all that keeps us from love—and to live in the transforming truth of His word.

But often, we hold back. Maybe it’s fear—of what we’ll lose. Maybe it’s anxiety—of surrendering what we’ve clung to. Maybe it’s old wounds that whisper, “You’re not worthy.” These don’t disqualify us. They invite honesty.

This is where the spiritual practice of ARRR prayer can be helpful:

• Acknowledge what you’re experiencing.
• Relate it to Jesus in heartfelt honesty.
• Receive what He offers you in that place.
• Respond with trust and love.

St. Catherine of Siena reminds us that this freedom is not about willpower, but about intimacy with God:

“You have been made by God and re-made in the blood of His Son, and you are being continually made new by the fire of His love.”
(Letter T82)

The Desert Father Abba Poemen once said:

“Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy. Let love be your measure in all things.”
(Apophthegmata Patrum, Poemen 18)

Freedom in Christ is not license to do as we please—it is grace to become who we truly are. It’s not about escaping suffering, but allowing God to transform it. So today, let us ask: Are we willing to let the truth dwell in us—to trust Jesus with the parts of our lives still bound by fear or falsehood?

Reflection Questions:

1. What still binds your heart and holds you back from full freedom in Christ?
2. Are there fears, anxieties, or false securities that Jesus is asking you to surrender?
3. How might ARRR prayer guide your steps today toward healing and trust?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are the Truth that sets us free. We bring You our fears, our pride, and our false securities. Help us to surrender them to You. Let Your word dwell in us, reshape us, and lead us into the freedom of love. Root us in Your truth, and help us to trust the Father as You do.

Amen.

 

Day 35: Look Upon the One They Have Pierced

Scripture Reading: (Jerusalem Bible)

John 8:21–30

Again Jesus said to them: “I am going away; you will look for Me and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”

The Jews said to one another, “Will He kill Himself? Is that what He means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

Jesus went on: “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I have told you already: You will die in your sins. Yes, if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

So they said to Him, “Who are you?”

Jesus answered: “What I have told you from the outset. About you I have much to say and much to condemn. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have learned from Him I declare to the world.”

They failed to understand that He was talking to them about the Father.

So Jesus said: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of Myself: what the Father has taught Me is what I preach; He who sent Me is with Me, and has not left Me to Myself, for I always do what pleases Him.”

As He was saying this, many came to believe in Him.

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Reflection:

In these final days of Lent, we are invited to draw close to the mystery of Christ’s suffering and self-offering. Jesus speaks of being “lifted up”—pointing not only to the physical crucifixion, but to the deeper mystery of His love poured out. When the Son of Man is lifted up, then we shall know who He truly is.

This Gospel speaks to all of us who struggle with understanding, with surrender, with trust. How often do we, like the crowd, wrestle with Jesus’ words—questioning, misunderstanding, resisting? And yet, even in the midst of our confusion, Jesus reveals the way to truth: the cross.

To gaze upon the cross in prayer is not merely to look—it is to listen. It is to enter the silence where Christ speaks most profoundly. It is to say, “Jesus, help me to receive the mystery of Your love. Teach me to trust You, to live in Your love, and to be conformed to You.” This is not just a moment of reflection—it is an invitation to communion. As we contemplate the crucifix, especially in these final days of Lent, we see not only the depth of Christ’s suffering, but the measure of His love. And with Jesus, we are invited to surrender ourselves to the loving will of the Father—trusting, as He did, that even suffering is not the end, but the beginning of glory.

St. John of the Cross once wrote:

“The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired.”
(Sayings of Light and Love, 97)

Abba Theodore of Pherme offers us this simple but piercing word:

“If you love God, you will be ready for trials.”
(Apophthegmata Patrum, Alphabetical Collection, Theodore of Pherme 6)

Love and trust are not measured by sentiment, but by perseverance. Christ’s love did not waver on the cross—and He offers that same grace to us. Perhaps today, you can take a moment to physically hold a crucifix in your hands. If one is on your wall, take it down and sit with it. If it’s around your neck, lift it close to your heart. And if you do not yet have one, consider seeking one out—a crucifix to hold in prayer, to gaze upon in silence.

Let that be today’s practice: to hold the cross not only with our hands, but with our hearts. To contemplate its mystery and beauty. To let Christ speak, not just to our minds, but to our souls. If you want to know how much the Father loves you—gaze upon the cross.

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Reflection Questions:

1.What does the cross reveal to you about the love of Christ?
2.Are there areas of your life where trust in the Father’s will is difficult?
3.How can you make space today to gaze on the cross and listen more deeply to what Christ is saying to your heart?

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Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You were lifted up in love for the life of the world. Teach us to stay with You beneath the cross—not in fear, but in faith. Help us to trust in Your love, to receive it anew, and to surrender more deeply to the Father’s will. May the cross be not just a sign of suffering, but a fountain of grace. Let us never turn away from so great a love.

Amen.

Day 34: Mercy Meets Us in Our Sin

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

John 8:1–11 (Jerusalem Bible)

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak, He appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to Him, He sat down and began to teach them.

The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everybody, they said to Jesus, “Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?”

They asked Him this as a test, looking for something to use against Him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with His finger. As they persisted with their question, He looked up and said, “If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Then He bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this, they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there.

He looked up and said, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she replied.

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go away, and don’t sin any more.”

Reflection:

These final days of Lent ask something deeper of us. By now, we’ve tried to fast, to forgive, to pray more faithfully. But in that very effort, we’ve likely stumbled. We may feel weary, distracted, or discouraged. These are the very moments where God desires to meet us.

Today’s Gospel offers a scene of total exposure. The woman is brought before Jesus not in private, but in public shame. Yet what she finds is not condemnation—but mercy. Jesus does not excuse her sin, but He meets it with a gaze of compassion and a call to new life: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

This Gospel is meant for you and for me. We may not be dragged into the public square, but we all carry wounds, regrets, and patterns of sin that feel exposed before the Lord. He sees it all—and still does not turn away. The One who knows us best loves us most.

As St. Leo the Great wrote:

“The ineffable mercy of Christ wiped away the sins of the woman with a word, and in the place of guilt, sowed seeds of virtue.”
(Sermon 62 on Lent)

The scribes and Pharisees want justice—but Jesus offers restoration. He shifts the gaze from the woman’s guilt to the self-examination of the crowd. “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” And slowly, silently, they walk away. This is not a story about someone else—it is a mirror for our own hearts. Lent is not about stone-throwing; it’s about heart-returning.

The Desert Father Abba Moses the Black said:

“The one who knows his sins is greater than the one who raises the dead.”
(Apophthegmata Patrum, Moses 11)

Honest self-knowledge born in prayer is the path to healing. This is why Lent calls us into practices that soften our hearts and open us to mercy. Silent prayer, especially before the Blessed Sacrament, begins this process. So too does the sacrament of Reconciliation, where we meet Christ not with punishment, but with peace.

St. Elizabeth of the Trinity beautifully captured the mystery of grace in her retreat Heaven in Faith:

“‘Abyss calls to abyss.’ It is there in the very depths that the divine impact takes place, where the abyss of our nothingness encounters the Abyss of mercy, the immensity of the all of God.”

Her words remind us that God meets us in the very depths—not where we are strong, but where we are most broken. There, in the silence and the sorrow, in the place of our failure and regret, God’s mercy does not merely meet us—it overwhelms us. We are not left in our misery. The abyss of divine mercy fills every emptiness with grace.

The invitation today is deeply personal: Jesus looks at you and asks, “Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” And when we answer, He replies—not with wrath, but with mercy. The response He desires is trust.

Reflection Questions:

1. Where do you feel most exposed or ashamed before God?
2. Do you believe Jesus meets you there not to condemn, but to heal?
3. What concrete step—perhaps silence, confession, or heartfelt prayer—can you take today to receive His mercy?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You know my sin and still You love me. You look upon me with compassion and speak a word of mercy that makes me new. Help me to step out of shame and into grace. Cleanse my heart and restore my hope. Give me the courage to return to You fully, and to live in the freedom of Your forgiveness.

Amen.

Day 33: Trusting the One Who Calls Us to Life

Scripture Reading (Jerusalem Bible):

John 11: 11:3-7,​17,​20-27,​33-45

Mary and Martha sent this message to Jesus, ‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’ On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.’

  Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judaea.’

  On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.
If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,
and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’

Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:

‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.
I knew indeed that you always hear me,
but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me,
so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’

When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.

Reflection:

At the center of today’s Gospel stands a Christological truth: Jesus is not only the miracle-worker—He is the Resurrection and the Life. His very presence is life-giving. The raising of Lazarus is not simply a miracle of compassion—it is a signpost pointing to the Cross and Resurrection, a foreshadowing of what Jesus will accomplish for all who believe.

Both faithful and close to Jesus, Martha and Mary cry out in pain: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” This lament does not reflect a lack of faith—it is the grief of love. Jesus does not rebuke them. He meets them in that grief. He weeps with them.

We grieve because we love—grief is love realized.

As St. Augustine said:
“Love is a kind of weight or burden: it pulls us toward what we love.”
(Confessions, XIII.9.10)

In heaven, our love is made whole in God. What Mary and Martha desire is wholeness. Jesus meets that longing not only with consolation, but with action. He steps into their sorrow and reveals the power of God’s mercy. He does not promise that suffering will disappear—but that it will not have the last word.

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches:
“God allows evil to happen only to bring a greater good therefrom.” (Summa Theologiae, I, q.2, a.3)

Jesus’ delay in arriving is not neglect—it is mystery. He allows space for faith, for trust, for the revelation of the Father’s glory. This is a reflection of how God often works in our lives: not on our timeline, but always for our ultimate good.

In calling Lazarus forth, Jesus also calls each of us. He invites us to step out of the tombs of fear, sin, and despair. But He does not do this alone. He calls the community to participate: “Unbind him and let him go.”

As St. Augustine beautifully wrote:
“He who created you without you will not save you without you.” (Sermon 169)

Lent is a time for us to reflect on what binds us and where we need new life. It is a time to allow Jesus to speak His word of life into our dead places. It is a time to help one another step out of darkness and into the light of communion.

St. Teresa of Calcutta once said:
“When you know how much God is in love with you, you can only live your life radiating that love.”

And the Desert Father Abba Poemen reminds us:
“Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy. Let love be your measure in all things.” (Apophthegmata Patrum, Poemen 18)

Christ calls us to a life more abundant than we dare imagine. He meets us in our grief, walks with us in our confusion, and calls us into healing and wholeness. The invitation is not just to witness a miracle—but to live it, to step forward in faith, and to help unbind others along the way. The path through suffering is not meaningless—it is a path to resurrection.

Reflection Questions:

1. What parts of your heart feel like a tomb—places where you’ve lost hope or stopped believing things can change?
2. How do you respond when Jesus seems to delay or remain silent?
3. Are you willing to let Jesus unbind what keeps you from living fully in His love?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are the Resurrection and the Life. In the places where we are dead or bound, speak Your word of life. Help us to trust even when we do not understand. Teach us to pray, to listen, and to discern what the Father is doing. Call us out of the tomb and give us the grace to respond. May we be unbound by fear and live in the freedom of Your love.
Amen.