July 2024

The crowd had followed Jesus into a deserted place. And, as time passed, Jesus sensed their hunger. They hungered for him, the hope they felt in his presence, and for physical food - the day had been long and they had left in haste to follow him. He tested the disciples, wondering if their experience of being sent in mission had strengthened their faith. “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

This is a story of faith - the faith of the disciples who sought to respond to their Teacher, and of the young boy who gave his five loaves and two fish. Surely he did not expect the great miracle that produced enough food to feed them all. The boy could have succumbed to the fear that the disciples would eat his food and leave him hungry. He might have simply stated the obvious - the little he had could not possibly feed the crowd. Yet, he risked giving what he had and trusted that Jesus would use it well. Through his generosity, the crowds were fed and all experienced a remarkable outpouring of the mercy and care of God through Jesus.

What will your response to Jesus’ command be? How might you feed the hungry - those who need spiritual, physical, and emotional sustenance? When we consider what faith in Jesus leads us to do with our lives, especially when we pay close attention to the Gospel and Jesus’ message of care for the hungry and poor, compassion for those who are suffering, grieving, and in need, suddenly discipleship becomes real, and so does stewardship. This is where faith meets life.

We always have room to grow as disciples and stewards, whether we have never given these things conscious thought before or we have been on the path of stewardship for a long time. And we always have fears to face. It might be fear that if we give too much of our financial resources there won’t be enough for us; it might be worry that if we give too much of our time, we will be tired and stressed. The obstacles might be more subtle, however. Perhaps it is not fear that we will not have enough, but rather, simple selfishness. Sometimes we simply don’t want to share with others.

We find the path through the obstacles when we act on our commitment to Jesus. The leap of faith that feels so risky becomes easier when we are encouraged by and learn from those in our lives and community who freely give of themselves and their resources. There is great value to the example of people who embrace stewardship and tell us that “God will never be outdone in generosity,” or “God loves a cheerful giver.”

How might you follow the example of the young boy whose generosity and trust in the Lord brought about an outpouring of the love of God?

Be prepared. Grace is in your midst

I include in my email signature a brief quote from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who said, “Be prepared to meet your grace in the daily circumstances of your life.” Every time I send an email, I see the quote and am reminded to be attentive, to pay attention to the ways I experience God’s love and  how I am called to share it with others.

Like the air we breathe and the passing of days, nights, weeks and months, God’s grace is always with us. In order for this to change us, we must be attentive to God’s love and mercy in our daily lives.

Being attentive is not always easy. We have responsibilities we must fulfill, people who need us, many things that vie for our attention. Being attentive to God and God’s action in our lives may feel like another “thing” that has to be done, even while we know that doing so is good for our spiritual well-being. Let us consider small ways in which we may grow in attentiveness, becoming conscious of God’s love throughout our days.

Morning: Begin the day with a time of prayer. If only for five minutes, take time to be mindful of God’s love and mercy. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you an open mind and heart throughout the day, in order to perceive God’s grace in your life and to respond to it freely and generously.

Midday: Just before or during lunch, pause to thank God for the blessings of the morning. Make a note of any special moments, experiences, or gifts received — a kind interaction with a co-worker, a task completed, a complicated situation that was resolved. Just being alive is a gift! Look ahead to the afternoon, and ask God to give you the grace to live as a disciple in the hours that come.

Dinnertime: If you live with others, take a moment at dinnertime to hear about each person’s day. Pray a prayer of blessing over the meal you will share and the time you have together. Ask God to be with those who lack food, shelter, or companionship, and consider ways you may help to meet their needs in the future. If you dine alone, talk with God while you eat, as a friend would converse with a friend, sharing silence and your inmost thoughts.

Night: Before you go to bed, thank God for the day that is passing. Make note of the grace of the day, mercy received and given. Resolve to grow in attentiveness to God’s love and in willingness to be a bearer of God’s mercy in the days to come.

Taking St. Elizabeth Ann’s instruction to heart can be life-changing. The grace of God is not abstract, distant, only for a few special ones. God’s grace is for each of us. In our midst. Waiting for us to pay attention, to be prepared. We know and experience God’s grace uniquely, as each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, created in God’s image and likeness. Just as God’s grace is poured out on each of us personally, so we are called to share the love of God with others in the way in which only we can. Be prepared to meet your grace.  - Leisa Anslinger

June 2024

Who or what do you put your faith in? You may immediately think of your faith in Jesus Christ, even while recognizing that faith in the Lord can sometimes be weak and shaky. Think more deeply about the question and you may realize that you sometimes put your faith in things - money, possessions, or positions of authority, for example.

Placing our faith in someone or something says a lot about who we are and who we want to be.  Why we put our faith in people or things is even more telling. We may be looking for security or we may long for someone or something to take away our fear, concern, or worry; we may ache for certainty in an uncertain world, strength when we feel especially vulnerable.

People flocked to Jesus as news of him spread throughout the territory. Some came simply out of curiosity. Yet many came to believe in him, to place their faith in Jesus, compelled to risk trusting that a great and holy one was in their midst. The woman plagued by hemorrhages, for instance, and the synagogue official whose daughter was dying. Their faith was evident as they sought Jesus out in dire circumstances.

The disciples who traveled with Jesus grew in faith over time. They had been with him when he healed the sick; they heard the parables, and watched people’s reactions to Jesus’ stories, pondering their meaning. Yet even for the disciples, growing in faith in Jesus was a gradual process.

Put yourself in the boat with the disciples. Jesus had spent the day teaching people at the lakeshore. Late in the day, they went out in a boat, heading for the other side of the lake where more people would hear the good news of the kingdom of God which Jesus proclaimed.

A storm arose, tossing them about, waves breaking over the boat. Many of the disciples were fishermen. They knew the ways of life on the water. The storm was rough enough that it even rattled these seasoned seamen. It may not have occurred to them to go to Jesus in their fear. They probably thought was tired and needed to rest. Only when they came to him with their fear did they experience the fullness of Jesus’ power as he calmed the wind and stilled the sea.

Jesus seemed to wonder what took the disciples so long before they called to him. “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” While they had witnessed healing and new life at Jesus’ hands, their faith became “real” when they themselves turned to him in a time of great need. Awestruck, the disciples asked themselves, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Come to the Lord with all of your life, when facing minor setbacks or when you’re overwhelmed, and when life is good. Do not hesitate to bring your fear, worry, or doubt to Jesus, who desires to be at the center of your life. We may sometimes hesitate to turn to the Lord, perhaps thinking the situation is too small or that we only come to Jesus when we’re in trouble. The gospels convince us there is no storm too big, nor circumstance too small to bring to the Lord. Have faith. Trust the one who calms the storm.

When tiny becomes mighty

Throughout his ministry, in everything he did and taught, Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. He reached out to those who were sick, dying, in need of mercy and forgiveness. Jesus shows us that God’s desire is that all of humanity might know and share love. Unexpected, sometimes confounding, sacrificial love.

Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed - the smallest of all the seeds on the earth, which springs up and becomes a large plant. If God’s kingdom is the reign of love, then even our smallest actions on behalf of love can grow beyond our imagining. Think of all the opportunities we have to show and to share love every day. Times when we put impatience aside, linger with someone who is struggling, give our time in service. These small acts expand our hearts and make Christ’s presence known.

Tiny seeds of mercy, compassion, and caring grow into mighty expressions of the incredible love of God. Doing this is simple but it is not always easy. It requires us to make the perspective of the Lord our own, to have as our greatest desire that all will know and share love.

What tiny seed of love will you plant today? How does the Eucharist shape and nourish you to be a sower of the seeds of Christ’s presence? What might be the mighty impact of your sharing in the lives of others and for the life of the world?

“And what do Christians bring to the Eucharistic celebration and join there with Jesus’ offering?

Their lives as Christian disciples; their personal vocations and the stewardship they have exercised regarding them; their individual contributions to the great work of restoring all things in Christ.

Disciples give thanks to God for gifts received and strive to share them with others. ”

— Stewardship: A Disciple's Response, p. 34

May 2024

COME, HOLY SPIRIT!

Fill our hearts. Come to our aid.

Think about your life for a moment: all that you hope and dream for, the things that fill the minutes and hours of your days, the challenges, joys, and everything in between. Then, remember that in each of those times, in all of the yearning and wondering, ups and downs, ins and outs, the Holy Spirit is with you. Always and everywhere.

It may be easy to lose sight of the Holy Spirit. Unless we are attentive to God’s continual offer of grace, we may feel that we are left to face the circumstances of our lives alone. The celebration of Pentecost reminds us that we have been imbued with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, special ways in which the Spirit is present. The gifts are already given; we must be ready to recognize and allow the Spirit to activate them within us when we need them, and in doing so, we will powerfully know the Spirit’s presence.

Confused or facing a difficult decision? Ask the Spirit to provide wisdom. When uncertain or befuddled by the complexity of life around you, understanding awaits. When seeking God’s will in demanding situations, ask the Spirit to give you knowledge.  When you or a friend face a moral or ethical dilemma, rely on the Spirit’s counsel.  Feeling weak and wavering in your commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus? Ask the Holy Spirit for fortitude. Seeking meaning and purpose in life and faith? Ask for piety — reverence for God and God’s ways. Need to see beyond the mundane and understand yourself as a child of God? Invite the Holy Spirit to imbue you with fear of the Lord - holy awe.

The Holy Spirit knows our hearts and is already at work within us. The Holy Spirit is love. Love resides within us, awaiting our readiness to live in love boldly, compassionately, trusting that our good God will give us all we need.

“True to his nature as giver and gift alike, he is now working through you. Let unifying love be your measure; abiding love your challenge; self-giving love your mission!” Benedict XVI’s insight helps us to understand the mystery of the Holy Spirit. Not only does the Spirit give us great and wonderful gifts, the Holy Spirit is the gift!

As with all good gifts entrusted to us by our gracious God, we are called to steward well the gift and gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The gifts are not only for us, but for all. There is no doubt the world - the people and circumstances around you - needs wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and holy awe. As a good steward of these gifts, give them lavishly, sacrificially, as a reflection of the giver, the Spirit of God.

We live in mission through the Holy Spirit

Live boldly

Have you ever felt it just isn’t possible to live as a disciple in today’s world?

There is no doubt, living faith in our daily lives is not always easy. Not only is the world increasingly ambivalent about, sometimes overtly hostile to, faith, it is challenging to consciously live as a follower of Jesus. Doing so requires us to be intentional about our attitudes, decisions, and actions, every day, in every situation.

We are sometimes uncertain whether we are ready to take our relationship with Christ seriously.

It isn’t that life is always hard, although we all have difficult periods in our lives. It is simply that living as a Christian raises expectations about the way we should live.

Sometimes it feels as though we’re hitting a wall, and are tempted to take the easy way out.

Friends may want us to do things that feel counter to the Christian way of life. We may face ethical dilemmas at work. We may fight selfish and self-centered tendencies when demands are placed on our time. We may be afraid to truly live as a person of faith, for fear of rejection or ridicule.

After Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples were filled with fear.

They likely felt they had hit a wall. They remained together, waiting as Jesus had told them, uncertain of what was to come.

On the day of Pentecost, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Empowered with the strength and courage of the Spirit of God, they they boldly shared the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and they never looked back.

Like the disciples, we, too, have a mission. And like them, the Holy Spirit is with us.

In his pastoral exhortation on the call to holiness in today’s world, Pope Francis challenges us to live our mission with purpose through the power of the Holy Spirit: “You too need to see the entirety of your life as a mission. Try to do so by listening to God in prayer and recognizing the signs that he gives you. Always ask the Spirit what Jesus expects from you at every moment of your life and in every decision you must make, so as to discern its place in the mission you have received. Allow the Spirit to forge in you the personal mystery that can reflect Jesus Christ in today’s world.” (GE, 23).

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

We begin and end prayer with the Sign of the Cross, but have you ever thought of the sign itself as a prayer?

The Sign of the Cross invites us into an encounter with God’s love, protection, mercy, forgiveness and presence. Through this briefest of prayers, we recall the key mysteries of our faith: that we are created in love and for love by God the Father; we are redeemed through Jesus Christ, whose passion, death, and resurrection lead us to the fullness of life; and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, whose presence empowers us to live as God desires.

These three persons of the Holy Trinity are one God, whose love is overflowing, everlasting, abundant beyond our comprehension.

The Sign of the Cross is a sign of our faith, whether prayed privately in personal prayer or publicly, before meals, at Mass, with friends.

The next time you make the Sign of the Cross, make a renewed commitment to live as a child of God, disciple of Jesus Christ, as one who is anointed and sealed with the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

April 2024

Doubt. Is doubt a bad thing? Not necessarily. Our doubts show us the aspects of faith and discipleship we need to bring to prayer, explore, and grow beyond. We can learn from Thomas (whose story we hear this month and who is forever remembered as “doubting”). Thomas expressed his doubts to the people whom he trusted and listened to their expressions of faith; he took his doubts to Christ, who showed him the way to faith; he moved from doubt to belief, later spreading the Gospel as a missionary.

Confusion. The disciples had experienced Jesus’ arrest, witnessed his passion and crucifixion; knew he had died. Jesus had been brutally killed and he had been in the tomb for three days. Their faith was shaken; they were confused and perplexed. We are sometimes confused as well. Life is not always black and white; complex situations with no easy answers may leave us feeling unmoored, uncertain; we may question our faith or wonder about God and God’s ways.

Longing. Most of us have moments in which we go through the motions. We get up, go to work or school, work out, go out with friends, or enjoy quiet at home, and start the next day no different than the one before. Then, occasionally, something happens. We have a flash of insight, hear from a friend we haven’t seen in a long time, are struck by a moment of beauty, a difficult circumstance arises, or we simply find ourselves longing for more, aching for meaning, purpose, and impact.

Amazement. It is easy to understand the astonishment of the disciples when they encountered the risen Jesus. He appeared before them offering his hands and his side - flesh and blood - as proof that it was really him and he was really alive. This month at Sunday Mass, we hear the stories of the early communities of believers and what took place after Jesus’ resurrection. The lives of the apostles and those who gathered with them were turned upside down by all that took place in Jesus’ ministry, passion, death, and resurrection. They had to look at their lives differently as a result.

Peace. Jesus’ message to the disciples is more than a nice greeting. He understands their confusion and uneasiness. The peace of Christ does not mean our lives will be absent of fear, confusion, grief, or dismay. Rather, the gift of the Lord’s peace is the assurance that God holds us closely in love and mercy in the midst of the most perplexing of times. With Christ’s peace in their hearts, Jesus entrusted his mission of forgiveness and love to disciples then and now.

New life. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples opened their hearts and minds to the love of God in unexpected and powerful ways. In response, they shared with others: they told the stories of Jesus, gave their time and resources in care of those in need, and came together as people in community with one another. The same thing can happen to us: let us take this Easter season to open our minds and hearts to the love of God, and respond to this love by sharing: faith, time, prayer, talents, and resources, as Christ’s people together.

How will you open yourself to new life this Easter season?

“Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness…and that is where death is. That is not the place to look for the one who is alive!”

— Pope Francis

Stewards of God’s mercy

When we think of stewardship, we often use the phrase, “time, talent and treasure” to express the understanding that we are called to be good stewards of all we are, have, and will be. Stewardship is more than checking things off a list, however. It is a way of life in which we learn to be grateful for our many blessings, and as a result, to be generous in giving to the point of sacrifice, as a reflection of the sacrificial love of Christ.

In applying this understanding of stewardship to mercy, let us think about the people who may only know God’s love through us. We may show mercy to someone who is lonely or feels neglected by paying attention to him or her, “spending time” in order to express the love of God through our actions. This is good stewardship. We might be called to give of our talents in organizing or participating in a time of service, outreach, or care for others. This is good stewardship as well. Perhaps our material resources or money are needed to meet the needs of those who are in need. This, too, is good stewardship!

Go out of your way to be a good steward of God’s mercy through the ways in which you offer your time, talent and treasure. Keep a journal or make a list of the ways you and all in your household show and share God’s mercy. Become more attentive to the needs of others, and focus less on what you want. Be mindful instead of the many ways you are blessed. In doing so, your stewardship will impact your life and the life of all you touch, now and into the future.

Receive and give mercy this month

Think about the most powerful experience you have had of the love of God. Perhaps it was at Mass or the celebration of a sacrament, such as Confirmation or Baptism, your own of that of another. Maybe it was a particularly intimate moment with a spouse or good friend. Perhaps you were in a crisis, or you reached out to another in a time of need. Whatever the experience, at the heart of it all, was God’s mercy. Let us reflect on this for a few moments: during the Mass, we tell the story of and celebrate God’s mercy in many ways, from the readings we hear, to the prayers we pray, to the act of receiving Christ’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion. Our sacraments draw us nearer to God in specific ways, through God’s merciful action working through simple, earthly material such as water, oil, and human touch, not leaving us to our own devices, but declaring God’s love for us, often in spite of our human weakness and failing. When we know the love of others, or when we reach out to those in need, we know and share God’s mercy. The extent to which our human relationships mirror the love and mercy of God has direct bearing on the depth of love we experience with family, friends, in our parish communities, and in our service to others.

In this Easter season, we are reminded of a powerful aspect of our faith in Jesus Christ: God’s love and mercy never fail! Whatever kind of death we experience — physical death, spiritual or emotional turmoil, grief over the death of a loved one, the loss of job or meaningful work, the breakup of a relationship — death does not have the last word. This is cause for us to say and sing “Alleluia!” Mercy is a sign of God’s enduring love. Take time this month to notice and reflect upon the power of God’s mercy, received and given.

March 2024

At times, we choose  to hide

None of us likes to admit it, but sometimes, we hide from the light of God’s love. We may tell ourselves that we want to grow closer to God, yet our attitudes, actions, and inactions do not bear out this desire. We fail to live as we know we ought and take little or no time for prayer, Sunday Mass, or the sacrament of Reconciliation. We keep God at a distance, perhaps wondering if God’s love truly is real or if we are really lovable. We choose to remain in the shadows and hide from the light of God’s face.

See the light

As we continue through this season of Lent, we are invited to see in Christ the light of God’s love and mercy. Lent is about making an intentional decision to follow Jesus more closely, to turn away from the darkness - that which is thrust upon us and that which is of our own making - and trust in God’s incredible eternal light.

Jesus shows us the way

Throughout this month, especially during Holy Week, we come face-to-face with the full extent of God’s love, the love in which we are created, and to which we are called. Jesus shows us that this light pierces every darkness. Not only did Jesus sacrifice himself, enduring suffering and death for us, he helps us understand that by seeking and living in the light, we will know God’s love more powerfully than our human minds and hearts can fathom.

Share the light

In coming to see and know Christ’s light more deeply, we are called to share the light as good stewards of God’s varied grace. We do this by giving of ourselves and our resources as a reflection of the self-giving love of God, poured out and shared through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. This is the purpose and meaning of our lives as Christian disciples. It is time to see and share the light of Christ’s love.

“Jesus is the supreme teacher of Christian stewardship, as he is of every other aspect of Christian life; and in Jesus’ teaching and life self-emptying is fundamental…Refracted through the prisms of countless individual vocations, this way of life embodies and expresses the one mission of Christ: to do God’s will, to proclaim the Good News of salvation, to heal the afflicted, to care for one’s sisters and brothers, to give life - life to the full- as Jesus did. ”

— SDR, 19, 14

There the cross is found

“There the cross is found, because the cross is our desire to give ourselves away. It is our hunger to genuinely hand ourselves over, to give ourselves to others, because it is in doing so that we are most who we are. If you hold onto your life, you will not have life, but if you give it away, you cannot exhaust life. It becomes everlasting life. You become absolutely you.

And who, finally, are you? You are the image and likeness of God. If God is pure self-gift, then self-gift is the image in which we are made, the blueprint on which we are built. Therefore, to give ourselves away is what we most deeply desire.”   — Fr. Michael Himes, Doing the Truth in Love

Walk with Jesus in a special way this Lent as he teaches and heals, forgives and loves. Place yourself alongside Jesus as he washes the feet of the disciples and prays that the cup of suffering might pass from him. Hear him say to the Father, “not my will but yours be done,” and pause to wonder what great love would lead him to give so completely, to sacrifice his very self. See the look of love on his face as he entrusts Mary to the disciple he loved, and stay with him as he suffers and dies on the cross. And as you reflect and pray, peer into your heart and life and understand again, or perhaps for the first time, that Jesus died for each of us and for all.

Jesus wants us to come to him with our suffering, trials, confusion, doubts, and longing, to bring these things to the foot of the cross, where he looks at us with love and takes these difficult things to himself and transforms them. There is nothing so small or so great that it is beyond the love of God.

At the foot of the cross, we more fully understand that sacrifice is not as much about giving up as it is in giving for. On the cross, Jesus gave his life so that we might know God’s redeeming love. At the foot of the cross, we take to heart the call to respond to this great love by loving in return, by “giving without counting the cost,” just as Jesus did. Jesus did not hold back, and neither should we.

What do you bring to the foot of the cross? What are you called to sacrifice, and for whom? How might your giving transform your life and share God’s love with others?

February 2024

Life can be hard. Walk in faith.

Life can be hard. We all have moments when times are tough. Challenges with health, work or school may bring anxiety. The pace of life may seem unbearable. Our mental and emotional health may be fragile; life may be filled with loneliness and discomfort (the opposite of being settled and comfortable with one’s circumstances). We’re not only concerned about ourselves and our lives, the state of life for our family, friends, and those in the wider community are on our minds and in our hearts. We may feel helpless and doubt God or our ability to carry on.

Be honest. Sometimes we may feel that being a person of faith means never admitting our challenges or doubts. Surely, we think, if our faith was strong enough, the difficulties of life wouldn’t get to us. The witness of the saints who precede us tells us that people of faith do indeed have difficulties. We can learn from them and be honest with ourselves, others, and God when life is hard.

Walk in faith, even when we are tempted to give up. This month, we hear the stories of people who placed their trust in God in their most vulnerable and challenging moments. Job endured trials and voiced his discouragement and weariness, and eventually found the consolation for which he longed. Peter brought his worry for his mother-in-law to Jesus who healed her and the crowds who gathered at her door. The leper knelt at Jesus’ feet, declaring his faith that Jesus could heal him and was given more than he could have imagined, healing and forgiveness.

Jesus faced temptation too. He held fast, trusting that the Father and the Holy Spirit were with him. Our Lord understands when we struggle. Jesus knows our human condition in all its frailty and is with us as we seek consolation, light, and peace.

Jesus took his disciples up on a high mountain where he was transfigured before their eyes. They held on to the experience during the profound grief of Jesus’ passion and death and in the uncertain days that followed.

Lent is a season in which to draw near to our Lord. Gain new perspective as we re-order our lives in the light of Christ’s love. When we feel we are in the desert, alone with little around us in which to find hope, we remember that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus to the desert, where he found the grace to withstand temptation, hunger, and isolation. When we are sick, tired, and afraid, we remember those who have gone before us who experienced similar trials and were consoled by the Lord’s presence and peace. When we are just going through the motions in life, we can take a step toward Jesus who knows our every need. When life is hard, grow in trust that through the grace of God, you and all you face may be transformed. Walk in faith this Lent and always.

Bring faith to life

Sometimes it is difficult to think about God’s will. Our fierce human independence balks at the idea of someone else’s will being important, even if it is God whose will we are considering. Yet each of us has moments in which we sense what we are called to do: dreams of making a contribution in the life of another; a simple act of kindness that could make a real difference; a sense of purpose or fruitfulness in which we may find meaning in life; a desire to show compassion, share mercy, forgive another, or give of ourselves in a new and substantial way.  St. John XXIII understood these interior promptings that are glimmers of the will of God (see quote below).

This Lent, discern God’s will and resolve to live in the way God most desires. Dream boldly and grow as a good steward. Use your talents, resources, time, and presence to make a difference in the life of another. Bring faith to life.

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams.

Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do.” - St. John XXIII

More or less

We might think of Lent as a season of less and more. Less focus on stuff; more on giving of time or attention. Less time absorbed in self; more in prayer and serving the needs of others. Less of unnecessary things; more on the most important ones, which usually aren't things at all.

We often think of Lent as a time to "give up" something, which leads us to less of a favored food or activity, and which ideally gives us more of an experience of sacrifice, and more time or money for another. Will your Lenten practice this year lead you to be less distracted, more prayerful, less stressed, and more trusting in God's goodness?

May this Lent be a season of "less is more": as you free yourself from whatever keeps you from following Jesus, may you find more of all that you truly need: grace, forgiveness, mercy, compassion. And may you share these gifts with others. As you do so, you will surely also discover the grace of the Spirit of God within you, empowering you to act as a person of Christ in the world.

This Lent, let us make "less is more" our motto as we repent and change and grow in faith.

January 2024

January is a time for new beginnings

January is a time to begin anew. It is a time for reprioritizing and trying again. It is a time for surrender.

Wait, what??? You read correctly, it is a time for surrender.

God is constantly calling us back. God wants to be with us. He desires us, our whole selves. The question we must ask is: are we comfortable surrendering to God’s desire to draw close? Surrender is a word that for many of us brings up images of depleted resources and white flags. Surrender is a bad thing that only happens to those who lose an effort. It is something that is forced by a conquering body or a circumstance. It is certainly not something that any sane person would choose to do.

Or is it? Let’s back up for a moment. At Christmas, we celebrate just how much God loves us and wants to be with us. Truly human and divine, Jesus came to share in all of our joys, trials, temptations and successes. This is one of the great mysteries of our faith, and something that makes all the difference if we really take it to heart. If God loves us so much that He sends us His son to be with us and guide us in this human life, why wouldn’t we want to surrender to that kind of perfect love? It is hard for us to understand perfect love because human love is imperfect.     God is perfect. God is not a conqueror. Yet God does invite us to surrender.

Unlike the world’s definition of surrender, surrendering to God’s will frees us! Just like God asked our Blessed Mother Mary (whose feast we celebrate on New Year’s Day!), God invites us to offer Him our whole “yes” — a white flag of sorts — a pure statement of our trust in God’s presence and providence. Sometimes our yes is not as complete as it could be, but we have a lifetime of opportunities to continue trying to give God our full yes.

If we say yes and surrender our whole selves to God’s will, we must then be prepared to act on it.  We must be willing to surrender our fear, our anxiety, our schedules and our loved ones to God’s perfect plan. We must resolve to live lives of prayer, service and generosity. In this way, our lives can become a witness to God’s perfect plan and provision so that others can see and be inspired to surrender to God’s love and sustenance in their lives.

Resolutions can be daunting, but surrender is freeing. Surrendering our will to God is not easy, but neither is sticking to resolutions. There are many ways we see, hear, and know God’s will. Perhaps the best resolution we can make this year is to surrender to God’s loving will for us and for the world. God will show you. Let 2024 be the year we grow in trust of God and surrender.   — Amberly Boerschinger

Look. listen. Respond.

“We have seen his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (MT 2:2)

The magi were looking. It was not an accident that they journeyed to Bethlehem, having seen the star at its rising. They were attentive, searching, and ready to go when the time was right.

Others saw too. The shepherds were on the night watch. They were on the lookout for predators and thieves. They were stunned to see instead the glory of the Lord around them. At the angels’ announcement, they also journeyed to Bethlehem, eager to see for themselves the miracle of the newborn in the most unexpected of places, the manger.

Have you seen his star? Not a physical star, but the light of God’s love. Light pierces darkness, illumines shadows, and diminishes the fear of night. Do you see the glory of the Lord around you? If there is one thing that we should carry with us through the Christmas season and beyond, it is this: God is with us in all of our searching, hoping, and longing. God is here, in the midst of our everyday lives. The light of God’s love shines brightly, through all of the darkness, fear, frustration, and anxiety we may experience in life. God wants to break through and to bring us peace.

This month, we hear the stories of ones who heard, listened, and responded to God’s love. Samuel heard the voice of God before he was fully prepared to understand. Once aware that God was speaking to him, he earnestly responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10) The first disciples heard the voice of the Lord and they immediately followed him.

Do we see, listen, and respond to God’s love? Notice that once the magi and shepherds saw the light of God’s love, once Samuel and the disciples heard the Lord’s voice, they were open and ready to respond. They brought their gifts, their very selves, to the Lord, allowed the light of God’s love to change them, and became vessels of that love for others.

In this new year, be like the magi and the shepherds, ready to see the Lord in your midst, in the eyes of a loved one, the presence of Christ at Mass, an unexpected moment of tenderness. When you see God’s love, be ready to offer him homage, and grow in love and grace.

Be like Samuel, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Hear the voice of the Lord and respond. Bring your gifts, your very selves, to the Lord, saying, “Here I am, send me.”

Impact this year

Use these ideas to bring faith to your daily life and find life in faith in the coming year.

Pray every day. Tell God what is in your heart and on your mind, and allow God’s love to touch you.

Truly participate in the Mass, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Open your heart and mind to the Lord.

Read the Bible. Find words of encouragement, consolation, and challenge in Sacred Scripture.

Talk with others about faith. You are likely to be inspired by their sharing, and they from yours.

Learn more about our Catholic faith through study, small faith sharing, and adult faith formation.

Read the lives of the saints. They show us that God speaks to each of us as ordinary people with the ups and downs of daily life.

Pay attention to those who are poor, lonely, ill, or in prison. Not only do they need our care, they also witness to God’s compassion for the weak and broken.

Serve with a glad and generous heart. You will see God’s love in action.

December 2023

We wait

Perhaps you’re thinking about this, too. Some of us truly love Christmas and the anticipation of the season is part of the fun -- shopping, preparing, trees, cards, parties, and all. Others of us are not as fond of this time of the year. It seems to be blown out of proportion and for some, the hoopla takes away from what Christmas really means.

Advent is a season of waiting, not only for the celebration of Christmas, but also for Christ's return in glory. We linger in anticipation, preparing our minds and hearts for such great mysteries. By doing so, we appreciate more fully that for which we wait. We are called to be stewards of all of this, because in the seasons of Advent and Christmas, we focus on the message of God’s love for humanity.

In the incarnation, Jesus shows us the love of God. Christ witnesses this love in the meager dwelling of our humanity, and in the dwelling of a manger. Throughout Advent, especially from December 17 until Christmas, we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Emmanuel, which means “God is with us,” is a particularly powerful title for Christ. When we call Jesus “Emmanuel” we are making a statement of deep faith and enduring hope. If God is with us, there is nothing to fear in life or death. If God is with us, we can trust that all will be well, regardless of the difficulties of the present moment. If God is with us, we can mirror God’s lavish giving by giving of ourselves and our resources, and know that in doing so, we help others to see that God is with them.

In Advent and Christmas, we are assured that God is with us! Our annual immersion into this truth provides comfort and calls us to shape our living as good stewards of God’s varied grace, especially the knowledge that Jesus is our Emmanuel.

Look for Christ where there is love. In the care of family members for one another; among friends; when you are compelled to greet a stranger or care for someone in need; in word and sacrament in the Mass; in the healing of Reconciliation.

Look for Christ in quiet. When your heart is filled with peace, especially when nothing can explain the calm you feel. When you find resolution in conflict; healing of body, mind, and spirit.

Look for Christ during difficulty. When simple things are hard; when life seems insurmountable; when your heart aches.

Look for Christ in others. Those who need care and those who give it. In the eyes of a friend who is in pain. In the lonely neighbor; the homeless person on the street; the sick and dying.

Look for Christ in unexpected places. When you least expect to experience God, remember, God is there!

November 2023

Have you ever had the experience of being too close to something? Something at work, perhaps, or with a friend or family member? We sometimes lose perspective, focusing so intently on a situation that we no longer see it clearly. We have to step back in order to gain the clarity we need.

The same holds true in our spiritual life.

Sometimes we have to step back in order to see life and faith clearly.  We conclude the liturgical year this month. At this point each liturgical year, the Sunday readings encourage us to step back and take the long view:

• Recognize that every day is a gift from God; we do not know when our final day of life on earth will be. As sobering as it is to think about this, it is also good for us to do so. It is a reminder that every day is precious and that our daily actions matter.

• Put Christ at the center of our lives. When we do this, everything else falls into place.

• Draw on faith even in, especially in, the most challenging times.

This is the perfect time to look back and look ahead.

• Does God have a meaningful place in your life? Does your faith guide your daily decisions?

• Are you sometimes distracted, too busy, or too focused in one area of life to the exclusion of everything (or everyone) else?

• Are you mindful to see God’s grace and goodness in the daily moments of your life?

• Are you stressed and tired? Do you spend time with the people you love, and give of yourself in service?

• Do you use your material and financial resources wisely and share with those in need?

Soon, we will mark the end of 2023 and the beginning of a new calendar year. This is the perfect time to look back, reflect on our lives in light of faith, and to look ahead to the coming year with renewed commitment to live as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving Thanks

Our national celebration of Thanksgiving provides a reason to reflect on all for which we have to be grateful.

Gratitude is not only for Thanksgiving day.  In reality, beginning each day by stepping back to reflect on our many blessings will have lasting impact on each of us and all whom we touch at home, work or school, and in service.

When we begin with gratitude, we recognize God’s grace in our midst.

Many people have been taught to think about life through a perspective of scarcity: What is missing? What needs fixing? Starting with thanksgiving provides a perspective of abundance. We see that each day and all that surrounds us is a gift from God, and we grow in our desire to share with others out of gratitude for our many blessings.

Choosing abundance over scarcity takes practice. Consider the following to practice gratitude:

Begin each day with a brief moment of gratitude. Express thanksgiving at meals. End the day by noticing the many times you were blessed. At first, this may seem awkward or forced. Stay with it! You’ll soon recognize God’s abundant grace beyond what you are able to comprehend.

Ask God to guide your heart and life, so that your daily comings and goings may be reflections of gratitude for all you are and have. Such a grateful life does take practice. It is sure to have lasting impact, bringing faith to life in wonderful ways!

October 2023

The basics.

Sometimes it is good for us to get back to basics. At home, we might set aside time for dinner and conversation rather than family members rushing off to separate activities. In our lives of faith, Jesus says we are called to two foundational actions: love God, love neighbor.

Love God.

Love God, love our neighbor. It sounds so simple. And yet, we know that it is anything but simple. Loving God and neighbor requires commitment. Loving God requires us to place our trust in One who cannot be seen and yet knows us better than we know ourselves. Loving God calls us to order our lives in relationship to God and God’s ways, the way of self-giving love. When our heart is centered on God, we will see ourselves as uniquely created, God’s very own. When we love God with all our soul, we find peace in the midst of turmoil. When our mind is focused through faith, we seek what is good, right, and just before all things.

Love neighbor.

Loving our neighbor is the way in which we show our love for God. When we love God with our whole being, we understand that our neighbor is a child of God, one who is God’s prized possession, just as each of us is. The truth is that every person is created out of love, for love. As Christ himself taught us, whatever we do for the least among us, we do for him. Loving our neighbor is, after all, our greatest act of faith, of discipleship, and of stewardship.

Take the call to heart.

What would our lives look like if we really took to heart the two intertwined commandments that Jesus places before us? Would we re-order our days in order to spend time with God in prayer? Would we become more attentive to the needs of others? Might we recognize our talents as gifts from God, and more readily give the gifts back, with increase, at home, in our parish, and the world? Would we consider that the way we spend time, money and attention are signs of our priorities?

It’s time.

Most of us have thought about these things many times in the past, but may have done little to change our routines, behaviors or habits. One of the reasons the three-year Lectionary cycle of readings is so helpful is that we hear passages like this again and again. We hear and reflect on God’s word in light of the very real circumstances of our lives.  Think for just a moment about what was happening in your life three years ago. Surely you heard the Sunday readings differently then than you do now. The gospel passages we hear this month challenge us to not be passive recipients of God’s gracious love. Let this be the year we take Jesus’ two great commandments more fully to heart, and act accordingly: love God, love neighbor.

Finding strength

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”

Faith in Jesus does not prevent us from having difficulties in life. Truly, discipleship includes challenges - the ordinary adversities that are part of life, and particular trials that come from our commitment to living as Christian people in the world. As we listen to the gospels this month, Jesus challenges us to live as his people, stay focused on God and God’s ways, and produce the fruit of faith through our actions.

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Such faith is not theoretical or abstract. When we can make this statement with conviction in the midst of turmoil, we tell ourselves and others that we believe Christ is with us, that the Lord cares about us and remains with us each and every day, even when we are not conscious of God’s presence. As we face the trials of life and of discipleship, faith provides perspective. And strength. And hope. Because Jesus bore his cross and reigns victorious over it, we can face our trials with the assurance that Christ is with us and that nothing is greater than the love and power of God.

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” St. Paul wrote those words to the Christian community in Philippi from prison. “I know how to live in humble circumstances; I also know how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Can we say the same? Do we trust in the Lord in every circumstance, in all things? Earlier in the same letter, St. Paul shared the faith that gave him courage in the trails that he faced, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your request known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phl 4:6-9, 12-14)

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Notice that St. Paul’s prayer is one of thanksgiving. Even in the midst of trial, doubt, or fear, we always have something to be thankful for, because we are blessed children of God!

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Let these words sink into our hearts and minds. Let them become a mantra, a phrase that we repeat whenever we are challenged - by situations at home or work, when things seem to be falling apart, when we are discerning a new step on life’s path or need courage to take a stand or act as we know discipleship demands - in all things, let us trust that we are not alone. We can do these things in and with Christ.

September 2023

What has hold of you? Let it go

Does something have hold of you? Perhaps the desire for possessions drives you; maybe it is the need for security; perhaps you hold onto your relationships with people  too closely, or think far too much of yourself. It is easy to find ourselves holding on too tightly to something or someone. We may find comfort in it for a while, but realize in time that it is fleeting. Jesus has a different vision for our lives. When we cling to things, people, or self-reliance, we lose the beauty of God’s vision for us and for all of creation. In holding tight to what we think we want, we lose the possibility of  a greater, more profound, deeply meaningful way of life.

Separate your wants from your needs

Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we want. We dream of a new house, better car, career success, or a life of unbridled happiness. These wants may be worthy goals for a life that is centered in God and rooted in faith. But often, the wants stem from misplaced priorities, putting possessions or the desire for control before our relationship with Christ and all that we are called to be and to do as Christian disciples.  Jesus invites us to let go of this want-driven life, to instead embrace his way of self-giving love. When we separate our wants from our needs, what is most important comes into focus. Life is simpler, more purposeful and filled with joy.

What do you own, and what owns you?

The late Archbishop Thomas Murphy recalled a moment in which he was preparing for serious surgery. In his reflection, he asked himself, “What do I own, and what owns me?”

Archbishop Murphy had a dramatic insight at a pivotal point in this life. “I know that my whole understanding and appreciation of the gifts and resources I possess took on new meaning. It is amazing how a divine economy of life and heath provides a unique perspective of what really matters.” What really matters for you? Jesus asks us to find meaning in a life that is centered in love, forgiveness, mercy, trust, and compassion.

Take a step

Throughout his ministry and ultimately on the cross, Jesus showed us that true security and meaning lie in letting go, in living for God and others. As followers of Jesus Christ, we find that the things the world holds out in front of us as markers of success often lack meaning and ultimately distract us from what really matters. We will find true happiness by losing ourselves to the loving, merciful will of God. We will gain a new and enriching perspective when we see that all we are, have, and will be are gifts from God, to be nurtured and shared out of gratitude for all that we have been given.

August 2023

Sometimes we need to trust the Lord

Overwhelmed, surrounded by noise and stress, we need to trust the Lord.

 Everyone has moments when life is hard. We may feel stressed by responsibilities at home, work, or school. It may seem we are surrounded by noise - external sounds from electronic devices, television, traffic, or people, or the interior noise of worry, anxiety, confusion, or frustration. Many of us proceed through the days and weeks of our lives without giving these things much thought until something happens - a new situation arises, conflict with a co-worker or family member erupts, or there is an accident and suddenly, we reach saturation, the breaking or boiling point.

 Living as a disciple does not eliminate the noise or frustration, but commitment to Christ does make a difference. When we are stressed and overwhelmed, it is time to draw on our faith more deeply. Like the Caananite woman who trusted in God’s healing care, we place our needs in the hands of the Lord.

 Sometimes we need to step away

On a mountain, in a cave, or a quiet corner at home, it’s time to step away.

 Elijah stepped outside, listening, seeking God in a time of trial.  He may have expected God to appear in a show of might and strength. Rather, God was found in a small whispering voice. Awestruck, Elijah listened to the Lord.

 Jesus took Peter, James and John high on a mountain. They likely thought they were simply on a walk with Jesus, or perhaps they expected they would take time to pray as Jesus often did alone. Stepping away from the cares and the demands of daily life, they experienced Jesus transfigured. They were given a glimpse of the glory of God. Hearing God’s voice telling them to listen to the Lord, they were filled with awe. With new perspective and their fears calmed by the Lord, they rose and continued their journey with him.

 Sometimes we need to step away from the busyness of life in order to look and listen for signs of God’s abiding presence with and within us. Not only should we step away, we should bring our lives - the good and the difficult, all that we wonder about and that which concerns us - to our quiet place with the Lord.

Sometimes we need a flash of insight

 Glimpse divine grandeur and see anew. View the world in a fresh, new light.

When we take time away to be with God in quiet reflection, we open ourselves to gain the perspective we need, let go of fear and frustration, and meet the circumstances of our lives in the presence of God’s goodness and grace. 

“ “In the lives of disciples, however, something else must come before the practice of stewardship. They need a flash of insight - a certain way of seeing - by which they view the world and their relationship to it in a fresh, new light. “The world is charged with the grandeur of God,” Gerard Manley Hopkins exclaims; more than anything else, it may be this glimpse of the divine grandeur in all that is that sets people on the path of Christian stewardship. Not only in material creation do people discern God present and active, but also, and especially, in the human heart.””

— SDR 39

Where is your quiet place? What do you need to do to find the time to step away to bring your life to the Lord? How might you open yourself to a flash of insight, to the goodness and grace of God, to view the world and your relationship to it in a fresh, new light?

July 2023

Let your heart be moved.

Be changed by the Word of God.

Be changed by the word of God.

“Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” (Is 55:10-11)

There is the word of God, words recorded in Sacred Scripture, that reveal who God is and what it means to live in right relationship with God and others. And there is the Word of God, Jesus Christ, who shows and shares God’s love perfectly and who invites us, calls us, compels us to live as God desires. We are called to listen to God’s word and to see God’s love manifested in Jesus, the Word of God, so that we may be of one heart and mind with the Lord, bearing the fruit of God’s love, justice, and peace in our lives, cities, and world.

All ears

We all know there is a difference between hearing and listening. Sometimes, perhaps often, we physically hear the things people are saying to us. We may hear the word of God proclaimed at Mass or in prayerful reading. We might hear the sound of a bird calling or child singing. But we do not always listen. With the word of God, we should be all ears. As St. Benedict says in his Rule, we should listen with the ear of our heart. We listen for the meaning of the passage in light of the circumstances of our lives and all that has been revealed through Scripture and Tradition.

Eyes wide open

Jesus looked beyond the surface and saw the pain, suffering, confusion, and sorrow of the people in his midst. He did not let anything stand between him and those who needed him. In seeing, he responded with God’s mercy, forgiveness, and healing. As Christ’s people, we are called to open our eyes to the needs of those around us. We must honestly examine our lives, admit that we are sometimes weak, selfish, complacent, or trapped by fear. With eyes wide open we see the ways we might show God’s love through our attitudes and actions and resolve to respond as the Lord desires.

Hearts moved by love

Our Sunday readings this month challenge us to not only hear the word of God, but to take it deeply to our hearts, and to act on it. The word of God, we are told, is like a seed. Do we cultivate our hearts as good soil in which God’s word may take root and grow? Do we open our minds to the challenge of living as Christ’s people? Do we bear good fruit, as disciples and stewards who hear the call of Christ and respond with our lives? The Gospels may sound harsh at times, as Jesus describes the difference between those who are faithful and fruitful and those who are not. Yet when we allow God’s Word to take root in our hearts, responding will not be burdensome, but rather, our lives will bear an abundant harvest of love in the world.

Faithful and fruitful

With our ears, eyes, and hearts open to the Word and the word, our lives will be transformed. Our hearts will be moved. We will become more like the One whose word we hear. Our listening to the Word of God will change us! We will be Christ’s people in the world.

June 2023

Real presence

One of the greatest mysteries of our Catholic faith is that Christ is truly, really present in the Eucharist. During consecration, the ordinary elements of bread and wine are transformed into the extraordinary - the very Body and Blood of our Lord. And with this great mystery, we recognize another: as the gifts are brought forth, we bring our very lives to the altar, asking God to consecrate them, to make us holy. In receiving Holy Communion - Christ’s Body and Blood -  the ordinary stuff of our lives is to be transformed, as we become more fully members of Christ’s Body.

Through participation in the Eucharist, we are given all we need in Christ’s gift of presence with and for us. We are drawn into communion with the Lord, who knows our needs, desires, hopes, and dreams, and who feeds us, body and soul, nourishing us to live as Christ’s people in our daily lives.

As Eucharistic people, we are called to give in turn, as stewards of all we are and have and will be. “Here people enjoy a unique union with Christ and, in him, with one another. Here his love -- indeed his very self -- flows into his disciples and, through them and their practice of stewardship, to the entire human race.” (SDR, 34)

It doesn’t end with the final blessing. We are sent out in Christ’s mission of love. Through his passion and death, Jesus sacrificed all for us. In communion with Christ, we are called into communion with one another. We are to see the needs of others, especially the most vulnerable, and are called to act - to sacrifice, to go out of our selves in service, ministry, and care. Without cost we have received; without cost, we are to give.

May 2023

Each of us has only so many hours in a day, and we do not know when our last day on earth will be. We make many choices in the course of our days and weeks, months and years. How will we use our time? What needs our attention? Who needs our presence and care? We may build something that matters, or waste the opportunities we have in favor of passing things. Through our decisions and actions, we build a life, the total sum of all that we are and do.

Jesus shows us that there is more to life than the focus on ourselves and those closest to us that often consumes our time and attention. That life that you’re building? Make it about more than your narrow concerns. Let yourself build something that has much greater impact. In the second reading for May 7, St. Peter says, “like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet 2: 4-5) What we build and how we build it is an expression of what is most important to us.

When we turn to Christ, the living stone, our priorities change. In faith, we grow in a desire to give for the sake of others, to sacrifice beyond what we think we can, trusting that God will take our offering and build something wonderful. In the words of Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger, God’s cause becomes the only concern of our hearts. Christ calls us to build up the reign of God through our actions and interactions, in what we say and what we do. We may choose to give our time and resources to help others build a better life. We may contribute to parish ministries and Church initiatives to serve the poor, promote peace and advocate for justice. If we pour ourselves out, our hearts will be filled. If we resolve to build the reign of God, the reign of selfishness, material wealth, and need for security dissolve into the promise of a brighter tomorrow. We have but one life in which to make a difference. Build something for lasting impact.

April 2023

Mary Magdalene had experienced her worst day at Jesus’ crucifixion. The one whom she had come to love and in whom she put her faith had suffered and was brutally killed before her very eyes. Still reeling and weighed down by Jesus’ death, she went to the tomb with the other Mary to carry out the heavy responsibility of anointing Jesus’ body for burial.

The disciples who were walking to Emmaus had experienced their worst day, too. With Jesus’ death, their hope had died as well. “But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.” Perhaps that is why the worst days remain in our memory so profoundly. In the moment of extreme pain, grief, and disappointment, our hope is shaken. We simply do not know how to carry on.

Jesus met Mary Magdalene and the other Mary on the way. He reassured them in the midst of their fear and told them to share the good news with the disciples. He met the two who were walking to Emmaus on their way as well, even as they were walking away from Jerusalem and the company of the other disciples. He consoled them in their dejection, and helped them understand the fullness of God’s love, which is poured out  in and through Christ.

Everything changed for Mary and the disciples through an encounter with the risen Lord. They were “fearful yet overjoyed.” Their hearts burned. They did not forget their worst day, but it was redeemed through the resurrection of Jesus. They found light and hope in place of darkness.

Jesus meets us on our way, too, and wants us to encounter him in sacrament and word and the loving care of family and community. Our Lord wants us to hear his voice saying, “do not be afraid,” and be assured that we have great hope through his resurrection, the hope that our worst days - days of grief, fear, and disappointment - do not have the final word, the hope that in Christ, the best is yet to come.

March 2023

Open your ears.

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Listen. We began the season of Lent in the desert with Jesus. There, Jesus faced temptation and showed us how to avoid sin by staying focused on God and God’s ways. From the desert, we go to a high mountain, where we hear the voice of God urging us to listen to Jesus.

Pray. During Lent, we set aside time for prayer, time to listen to God and search our life in response to God’s loving presence. Christ speaks to us in word and sacrament, through loving relationships, in joyful and challenging times. We must be ready to listen.

Reflect. What is your desert? What tempts you? From what do you need to turn away in order to listen to the Lord more attentively and make a greater place for Jesus in your life?

Open your eyes.

“Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”

See. During Lent, we are invited to open our eyes, to pay attention to the grace of God in our midst and see the needs of others. In the gospel we hear on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, the man did not ask to be healed. Jesus saw his need and reached out to him. As a result, the man who was born blind could see, but those around him were blind to the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ. They couldn’t believe what was before their very eyes. We may see the face of God in the poor and vulnerable, the eyes of a child, the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Eucharist. We must be ready to open our eyes to perceive God’s presence and to see others through the eyes of God, as precious and wonderful in his sight.

Fast. In Lent, we fast from a favorite food, beverage, screen time, or activity in order to experience more fully our hunger for God and to become more willing to live as God’s holy people in the world.

Reflect. How often do you fail to see the goodness of God’s love? In what ways might you more fully accept and share the mercy and forgiveness Christ freely gives?

Open your heart.

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Feel. Lent is a time in which to open our hearts to Christ, to risk trusting in God and allow Jesus to change us. The Samaritan woman did not at first understand what was happening to her as she spoke with the Lord at the well. Yet, she did not run away, and opened her heart to Christ. Not only was her heart moved and her life changed, so were the people of her town whom she told of her encounter with Jesus.

Give. During Lent, we give our time, money, and support to those who are poor, lonely, sick, in prison, the most vulnerable among us. We share our faith in Jesus and the impact of our faith in word and in deed, with friends, family, and especially with those to whom we reach out in charity this season.

Reflect. How might you open your heart to encounter Jesus this Lent? Who needs to know Christ’s love and mercy through your giving and sharing? How might you go beyond yourself in care, compassion, and charity?

February 2023

BE HOLY. BE PERFECT.

Jesus’ words in this month’s gospels are challenging: Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. Forgive and be reconciled. Pray for those who persecute you.  Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Discipleship can be demanding, yet following Jesus is also freeing. In faith, we learn to let go of the constant pursuit of things that do not last. Our lives are less filled with conflict and more focused on things that matter. We have greater perspective, an eternal perspective, in meeting life’s circumstances. When we are tempted to turn away from God’s ways and instead turn toward the Lord, we find peace and fulfillment on the path of holiness.

BE SALT AND LIGHT.

We all have times when we are stressed and tired or make our way through life without enthusiasm. The first disciples who walked with Jesus probably had those days as well. They may have grown weary on the journey. They might have missed their former lifestyle and questioned their decision to follow Jesus. Jesus encouraged them, challenged them, and urged them to stay on the path of faith, knowing that doing so is the way of truth and life, life filled with grace and meaning.

“You are the salt of the earth,” “You are the light of the world,” Jesus said. Jesus wants his disciples to be alive in faith, transformed by the Holy Spirit. As people empowered with the Spirit, we may add rich flavor and light where life is dull, lackluster, exhausting, dark.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

Before you are life and death, good and evil.  Our Sunday readings this month, including this strong message from the book of Sirach, urge us to choose to be the people God desires, to strive toward selflessness, generosity, forgiveness, mercy, and love.

As disciples, when we bring faith to life, we are filled with purpose, sharing in Christ’s mission to transform the world through selfless love. We are called to live faith deeply, boldly, showing others the impact of our belief and trust in the Lord in our daily lives. Choosing to live as Christ’s own in the world is demanding and at the same time, it is the way of perfect love. The choice is yours. Whichever you choose will be given you.