The Good Word

Saturday of the Fourth Week of LentMarch 21, 2026 Hello and welcome to the Word, bringing you the Good News of Jesus Christ every day from the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province. I am Fr. Karl Esker from the Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, NY. Today is Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent.Our reading today is taken from the holy gospel according to John. Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Christ." But others said, "The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David's family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?" So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. 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.The gospel of the Lord.Homily In today’s gospel we do not hear Jesus speak, but he is the center of everyone’s attention. They all have an opinion about him, but they cannot figure out who he really is. Some think he is the Messiah, and for that the Chief Priests and Pharisees sent their guards to arrest Jesus. Other question Jesus’ Galilean origins: "The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?” The Pharisees are adamant: “Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." Others say that the Messiah must come from Bethlehem. They did not know what we know from Matthew and Luke that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and is of the house of David. Jesus, however, makes little of his human origins, whether he is from Galilee or Bethlehem. In the verses that come before today’s gospel reading, he declares that he comes from the one who sent him. He comes from above; it was God the Father who sent him. For saying that the Chief Priests and Pharisees were even more anxious to arrest Jesus, but the guards returned empty handed, saying: "Never before has anyone spoken like this man." So. They ridiculed the guards and the crowds who were beginning to believe in Jesus. Interestingly, a lone voice spoke up in Jesus’ defense. It was Nicodemus, the Pharisee who some time before had gone to see Jesus by night. He asked: "Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?" The other Pharisees ridiculed him for his efforts; and then each went off to his own house. Listening to Jesus can bring ridicule and following him may even be dangerous. That was true in Jesus’ day and is still true in our own. Even now, people are not in agreement over what Jesus represents. Jesus himself said that he had come not to judge the world, but to save it. His compassion for the outcast, the suffering and hungry drew an attentive following, but today compassion is considered weakness and attention to the needy a wasteful use of resources. Christians who adopt this attitude overlook Jesus’ humanity on this earth and concentrates on his reigning in power at the right hand of God. This is a Jesus who will come in judgment for the earth, and will come at the head of a victorious army of angels. Thus, they can bless wars, whether in the Ukraine or in Iran. Of course, Pope Francis and now Pope Leo have questioned and sharply criticized this self-styled form of Christianity. Scripture teaches us that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us. When he comes in glory, he will gather to himself all who have imitated his life of love and reconciliation. As he said in the famous parable of judgment: “what you have done to the least of my brothers and sisters you have done to me.” We need more Nicodemuses today who are willing to stand up for the justice that flows from recognizing the dignity of every human being as created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed in the blood of Christ. We may not be able to do much on the world stage, but we can begin by recognizing the dignity of each person in our home, our school and our work. May God bless you. Fr. Karl E. EskerBasilica of Our Lady of Perpetual HelpBrooklyn, NY

Publicado originalmente en 2025.

This reflection was originally published in 2025. While the Redemptorist’s title, location, and the specific days and dates mentioned may no longer align, the reading and reflection remain just as relevant today!

St. Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of our Redemptorist Congregation, rarely spoke about the extraordinary, mystical events of his life. He was much more focused on the ordinary, everyday experiences that mark God’s presence. When people, for example, would speak to him about going on pilgrimage, Alphonsus would gently remind them that we do not have to travel far to meet our Lord. He is patiently waiting for us in even the humblest of tabernacles. Naaman, the army commander under the King of Aram, was appalled that the Israeli prophet, Elisha, did not come out of his house to administer a cure for his leprosy. He was even less impressed with the Elisha’s directive to bath in the Jordon River seven times. I’m sure Naaman was right to say that the rivers in Syria were far more inspirational than the lowly Jordan River, but he was missing the point. Fortunately for him, his servants were more perceptive to the smaller, less noticeable ways that God works in our lives. Naaman had more faith in his servants than in Elisha, but after his cure, he was moved to say: “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.” We have all experienced moments of God’s extraordinary grace. Perhaps it was an answer to a prayer, a conversion of a loved one, or even the bending of the laws of nature. But we must remember that Jesus comes to us in humble, tasteless wafers. He does not make a show of his presence. He waits patiently for us to step into the waters of faith, to believe that God is present and wants us to experience God’s abundant life within us. When we listen with understanding; when we care to be engaged in the lives of the ordinary people around us; when we demonstrate love and gratitude for the gift of another day and all the promise it offers; then we will be well on our way to becoming the perceptive and malleable disciples of love that God envisions. St. Alphonsus would be proud. Lenten Blessings,Fr. Kevin MacDonald, C.Ss.R.

PODCAST, 9 de marzo, Lucas 4: 24–30 Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo Jesús,Les doy la bienvenida a "LA BUENA PALABRA", nuestro podcast diario en el que los Misioneros Redentoristas de la Provincia de Baltimore comparten la Buena Nueva de Jesús. Soy el Padre Manuel Rodríguez, redentorista, de la Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro en Brooklyn, Nueva York. Hoy es el 9 de marzo del año 2026. El Evangelio de hoy nos habla de la ocasión cuando Jesús fue expulsado de su propio pueblo de Nazaret. Lo empujan. Lo rechazan. Lo quieren matar.Y al final…Él se va. Se aleja. En silencio.Jesús vino a los suyos. Vino a los que amaba. Y lo rechazaron. Y se fue.Hoy, hermanos, Cristo sigue tocando puertas. Toca la puerta de tu corazón.No para pedir dinero. No para quitarte nada. Solo quiere entrar. Solo quiere estar contigo. Pero a veces nosotros le decimos:“No ahora.” “No quiero cambiar.” “No quiero dejar ese pecado.” “No quiero comprometerme.” Y cerramos la puerta.Y Jesús… no obliga. Se va. Pero hoy, en la cuaresma del año 2026… Jesús todavía está tocando, una vez más.Tal vez hoy sea tu oportunidad. Tal vez hoy es el día de abrir la puerta de tu corazón.Porque un día en el futuro…quizás sea demasiado tarde.Un día queramos volver…pero el tiempo habrá pasado.Hermanos, no dejemos ir a Jesús.No repitamos el error de Nazaret. No repitamos el error de ese hijo.Abramos hoy. Aquí. Ahora. Y dile en tu corazón:Señor, perdóname. Entra en mi vida. No te vayas. Quédate conmigo.Porque hermanos…La mayor tragedia no es que Dios muera…La mayor tragedia…es que lo rechacemos mientras esté vivo y tocando nuestra puerta.Amén.

Esperando al ManantialHoy en las comunidades donde hay personas preparándose para ser bautizadas y entrar la Iglesia…ser miembro del pueblo de Dios en la próxima Vigilia Pascual. Hoy se lee esta bella historia sobre cuando Jesús llega a Samaría y se encuentra con una mujer. Escuchemos.Entonces llegó una mujer de Samaria a sacar agua y Jesús le dijo: “Dame de beber”. (Sus discípulos habían ido al pueblo a comprar comida). La samaritana le contestó: “¿Cómo es que tú, siendo judío, me pides de beber a mí, que soy samaritana?” (Porque los judíos no tratan a los samaritanos). Jesús le dijo: “Si conocieras el don de Dios y quién es el que te pide de beber, tú le pedirías a él, y él te daría agua viva”. La mujer le respondió: “Señor, ni siquiera tienes con qué sacar agua y el pozo es profundo, ¿cómo vas a darme agua viva? ¿Acaso eres tú más que nuestro padre Jacob, que nos dio este pozo, del que bebieron él, sus hijos y sus ganados?” Jesús le contestó: “El que bebe de esta agua vuelve a tener sed. Pero el que beba del agua que yo le daré, nunca más tendrá sed; el agua que yo le daré se convertirá dentro de él en un manantial capaz de dar la vida eterna” …PALABRA DE DIOSHoy en llos llamados escrutinios miles de personas en varias iglesias católicas del mundo entero todos ellos, al igual que la mujer samaritana todos ellos están deseando beber de esa misma agua para que ese mismo manantial capaz de darles la vida eterna. Están esperando con gozo y esperanza la Vigilia Santa. El escrutinio va así. Primero todos oran para los elegidos para que ellos tengan fortaleza a vivir el don de la libertad como hijos de Dios. Después la comunidad ora para ellos queEllos saboreen la Palabra de Dios y su sentido profundo. Entonces, al igual que la mujer samaritana ellos revisen sus vidas. Reconozcan los pecados que hayan hecho. Como se les acerca el día feliz de su bautismo ellos oren para tener un gran deseo para el Cuerpo y Sangre de Jesús en sus vidas. Ellos se preparan compartir con nosotros el asombro de conocer y amar a Jesús. Después el sacerdote les anima a que rechacen a satanás y abracen el bello yugo de Jesús. El sacerdote le pone la mano sobre cada uno de ellos y pide que el Espíritu Santo tome posesión de ellos. Finalmente el sacerdote les recuerde que la persona de Jesus es aquel Manantial que ellos buscan para sanar sus heridas, satisfacer su sed y darles la paz.Si me quieren hacer un comentario:[email protected]

SIENDO LOS MAS GRANDES QUE SIRVENHoy los apóstoles pelean sobre quienes de ellos iba ser el más grande en el reino de Jesús. Jesús mismo acaba de hablarles sobre la Pasión y Muerte que él va a sufrir. Habla también sobre su resurrección. Pero los discípulos no entienden. Inclusive la mamá de Santiago y Juan acaba de pedirles que ellos, sus hijos fueran a sentarse al lado de Jesús en su reino. Ella tampoco entiende nada sobre la Cruz venidera de Jesús. Porque cuando Jesús les pregunta a Santiago y Juan: ¿Podrán beber el cáliz que yo he de beber?" ellos le dicen que sí. Pero no entienden que beber el cáliz de Jesús quiere decir que ellos, y todos nosotros que amamos y seguimos a Jesús TODOS NOSOTROS VAMOS A SUFRIR AL IGUAL QUE JESÚS. Porque seguir a Jesús y vivir como Jesús nos obliga a ser, al igual que Jesús, ser un siervo de Jesús y un siervo de la gente más pobre, más sufrida, más olvidada y maltratada de este mundo. Jesús no pone así hoy. Les dice a sus discípulos y eso incluye a mí a todos nosotros: El que quiera ser grande entre ustedes, que sea el que los sirva, y el que quiera ser primero, que sea su esclavo; así como el Hijo del hombre no ha venido a ser servido, sino a servir y a dar la vida por la redención de todos".Si me quieren enviar comentarios:[email protected]