April 10, 2025 - Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Artist Sister Mary of the Compassion, OP (1908-1977)

In the Gospel of St. Mark (Mk 4:39-40), we read that the disciples of Jesus, overcome with a mixture of fear and awe, cried out, “‘who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey Him?’” Jesus had just rebuked the turbulent wind and sea during a terrific storm: “‘Please! Be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”  

“Who is this...?!” 

In today’s Gospel of St. John, the angry crowd shout at Jesus, “‘who do you make yourself out to be?’” Jesus answers them with the truth, a truth they cannot bear to hear: “‘Amen, Amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM!’”  

Jesus, the carpenter; Jesus, the teacher; Jesus, the Rabbi; Jesus, the prophet; Jesus, the miracle worker. Jesus the Messiah is the Son of God; Jesus is truly “Immanuel;” Jesus is the Word Made Flesh; Jesus is “I AM!” 

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the question is presented; (456) why did the Word become Flesh? The answer is wonderful! (460) “...the Son of God became the Son of Man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become the Son of God.” Then quoting St. Thomas Aquinas, we read: “The only begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assuming our nature, so that He made man, might make men gods!” Jesus came from Heaven to share in our humanity so that we may share in His divinity! Jesus “drank the cup” of human suffering, sin, and death and carried all of human history to the Cross, and therefore to the victory of Easter morning. Jesus came to lead us home to Eternal life!  

As disciples of Jesus, as members of the Body of Christ, we are now asked the question, “can you drink of this cup?” In other words, Jesus is asking us to join Him in the work of reclaiming the world. We are called to “put on the mind of Christ;” we are called to have the “heart of Christ;” and we are called to willingly carry the “Cross of Christ!” May we not be afraid to “drink of this cup!”  

St. Paul in the Letter to the Colossians (1:24) writes: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings for the sake of his body, that is, the Church...” To “drink of this cup” is the joyful privilege to become one with our Lord, our loving God, in the redemption of the world! Amen.  

Be near, O Lord, to those who plead before you, and look kindly on those who place their hope in your mercy, that, cleansed from the stain of their sins, they may persevere in holy living and be made full heirs of your promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. (Roman Missal)

Rev. Mariusz Eugene Koch, Spiritual Director and Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology

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