Quebec, 2003. Ghyslain Raza, 15, filmed himself pretending to be Darth Maul, a Star Wars villain. He innocently goofed around as he swung a stick and improvised his cool lightsaber choreography.

But someone found his recorded performance and uploaded it to the web. It got almost a billion views at a time when YouTube didn’t exist yet. People made fun of Raza by harassing him in school. Online, strangers wished him dead. Raza was able to overcome this traumatic experience. He became a lawyer and publicly spoke on the negative effects of social media as an early victim of cyberbullying.

When I checked for recent news on him, I saw posts ridiculing Raza’s receding hairline and weight, that he was a crybaby, etc. Sadly, haters never stop.

We thoughtlessly say or do hurtful things to others. But doing it with intentions to bully is something else. Let the Spirit of God guide our conscience to make the right actions. Let’s try to put others first before ourselves. For the Lord said, “What you do to one of the least of your brethren, you do unto Me.” 

Gina J. Verdolaga (mgjver@yahoo.com)

reflect

Have you lived honorably so far?

Lord, grant me a generous heart. May I always be a source of comfort to my brethren.

St. Maria Josefa Sancho de Guerra, pray for us.

When we share the Gospel proclamation to others, let us keep in mind that it may be the first time for some people to hear about salvation, mercy, and unconditional love. It is important for us to speak the truth with gentleness and love (cf. 1 Peter 3:15-16). It is easy to turn people away from the message of salvation if we do not use the right language and tone of voice.

¹ The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: ¹² “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. ¹³ He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the Lord. ¹⁴ To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, ¹⁵ because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways. ¹⁶ He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father. ¹⁷ Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. ¹⁸ For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. ¹⁹ With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. ²⁰ Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” ²¹ These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them,   ²² and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 34:17-18, 19-20, 21, 23

R: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

¹⁷ The Lord confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. ¹⁸ When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. (R) ¹⁹ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. ²⁰ Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the Lord delivers him. (R) ²¹ He watches over all his bones; not one of them shall be broken. ²³ The Lord redeems the lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him. (R)

Gospel | John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

By this time, Jesus is already aware that His mission will be fulfilled through His death. It is probably difficult for Him to accept this, but He entrusts His life into the Father’s hand and obeys His will. Let us also be ready to surrender to God’s will for us, whatever it may be. Where Jesus goes before us, we all need to follow.

Gospel Acclamation

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

¹ Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. ² But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. ¹⁰ But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. ²⁵ Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? ²⁶ And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? ²⁷ But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.” ²⁸ So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. ²⁹ I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” ³⁰ So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.

Reflect

What aspect of your life do you find difficult to surrender to the Lord? 

What graces do you need to be able to do so? 

Read the Bible in one year! Read GENESIS 28 - 30 today.

People sought to lay hands on Jesus, but no one could touch Him—because His hour had not yet come. Even Jesus, the Lord of time and history, submitted to life’s unfolding process.

We often find ourselves impatient, wanting things to happen immediately. We long for change, for transformation, for answers—yet life teaches us that nothing great happens overnight. The wisdom of Ecclesiastes reminds us: “For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven . . .”

For 30 years, Jesus lived in Nazareth, hidden from the world, before beginning His public ministry. When the time came, He healed, taught, and proclaimed the Kingdom of God. Yet even in His ministry, He moved in step with the Father’s will. 

The Cross, the ultimate moment of redemption, did not happen at the start—it came only when the hour had arrived. And even after His death, the Resurrection did not come instantly; He remained in the tomb for three days before rising to new life.

Jesus shows us that waiting is not wasted time. There is wisdom in waiting, virtue in patience, and grace in trusting God’s perfect plan.

Advent and Lent are sacred seasons of waiting, not only for Jesus but with Jesus. In Advent, we wait for His birth, just as He waited in Mary’s womb. In Lent, we walk with Him toward the Cross, just as He waited for the moment of His sacrifice. In both, we learn to trust that God’s time is always the right time.

Perhaps you are in a season of waiting—waiting for an answered prayer, a breakthrough, or a sign of hope. Take heart. To wait with Jesus is to be in the safest place —for when the time is right, He makes all things beautiful. 

Wait for Jesus. Wait with Jesus. 

Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB

reflection question

How can you grow in trust and patience during seasons of waiting, knowing that God’s timing is always perfect?

Lord, teach me to wait with faith. This Lenten season, grant me patience, trust, and surrender, knowing that Your time is always perfect. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _______________________________________________