Fifth Sunday of Lent – Clean Heart

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | March 17, 2024 |

It’s too early to get serious about spring cleaning, unless the cleaning is for your heart. We all have spots in our personalities that could use some scouring. We might also attend to the good we do to make sure it’s from the best motives. A little dusting, a little polishing of our character is always in order. If you haven’t been to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you might look for a Day of Grace or a Penance Service. Take heart that God understands our weakness. Set your heart on God’s infinite forgiveness.

Fourth Sunday of Lent – Enlightened Heart

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | March 10, 2024 |

The prophet Isaiah claims that our light will break forth like the dawn when we perform the fasting God requires: “setting free the oppressed…sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked.” The dawn will break forth in new possibilities when the “just man justices” (Gerard Manley Hopkins). Lent may be a time to renew our involvement in issues of peace and justice. We need to “justice” our nation, our family, our workplaces. What we do will “peace” together any divisions our injustices have caused. Don’t be half-hearted.  Ask God to enlighten your heart so that you, too, like the Father may “so love the world that he gave his only Son.”

Third Sunday of Lent – Obedient Heart

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | March 3, 2024 |

You’ve been obeying Church laws since Ash Wednesday; that is, no meat on Fridays, no eating between meals on Ash Wednesday, attending Mass every weekend. But there’s a lot more to obedience than following the rules. The word “obedience” comes from a Latin word meaning “to listen.” Halfway through Lent, it’s a good time to listen. Set your heart on spending ten minutes a day listening to God. Just sit quietly, and let God tell you “I love you.” Perhaps you’ll feel your heart skip a beat.

Second Sunday of Lent – Transfigured Heart

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 25, 2024 |

Peter, James, and John fell on their faces in terror before the dazzling sight of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. After hearing a voice, the three cautiously looked up. “They no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone.” “Jesus alone.” What a beautiful phrase to keep in our hearts this week! May our journey through Lent bring us to Jesus alone. Get close to Jesus in a heart-to-heart talk, and let his virtues rub off on you. For which virtue will you ask the Lord? Put on the virtue you need most, and let your heart be transfigured.

February 20:  Social Justice Day

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 20, 2024 |

I had never heard of World Day of Social Justice. Of course, there’s probably a day for everything from pizza and ice cream to wildlife and employee appreciation. In our world where discrimination, war, poverty, hunger, homelessness, and other ills caused by injustice crowd out human decency and good will, there certainly should be attention to Social Justice Day. How will you observe the day? Gerard Manley Hopkins writes that the “just man justices.” The Jesuit poet turned the noun “justice” into a verb. Justice acts, contacts lawmakers, digs community gardens, stocks food pantry shelves, votes, keeps up with current events, supports non-profit organizations. The list is long and the needs are longer. Could you “justice” something on the list?

First Sunday of Lent – Repentant Heart

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 18, 2024 |

The message is clear on this first Sunday in Lent: Repent! It’s a message that echoes that of Ash Wednesday and gets to the heart of the matter. Mark’s gospel adds “This is the time of fulfillment.” How do you need to be “fulfilled” as a human being, a spouse or family member, a coworker, a retired person? As needed, repent your past and look to the rest of Lent with hope that God will fill your heart with His own love.

The Last Ones to Land on Planet Earth

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 17, 2024 |

I have started reading Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It has been chosen for a book study for the Sisters of Notre Dame and their associates. Its genre eludes me. Are its chapters stories or essays? Is it a book of poetry, the typeset only looking like prose? Though I am only on page 33, I have found nuggets of wisdom, delightful metaphors, embarrassing historical events, knowledge of botany, and appreciation for Native Americans. Today I considered the fact that people are “the younger brothers of creation.” How true! The last creatures to appear were humans. We are the baby brothers and sisters of moon, stars, mountains, oceans, birds, fish, insects, and all other living and non-living creatures. We generally think we’re at the top, most important, most conscious, the ones in charge. How much better our planet would be if we remembered we’re the latecomers, the youngest siblings.

Ash Wednesday – Whole Heart

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 14, 2024 |

As you made your Lenten resolutions, remember that Lent is not a self-improvement challenge. Our almsgiving and penance should reach out to the world. Giving up dessert is good, but do we pay a bit extra to buy food produced ecologically? Forgoing media is a great penance, but do we give the time we save to service? We read in the prophet Joel “Return to me with your whole heart.” Will you give your whole heart in best practices for the whole human family this Lent?

Hearts and Mardi Gras!

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 13, 2024 |

This is not your year to give up candy and sweets for Lent, because Lent began on Valentine’s Day.  I hope your box of candy had already arrived. But a Valentine heart provides a good theme for Lent. Every week we will look at one type of heart, such as repentant heart, clean heart, humble heart. The first blog in the week will focus on such a heart and what it might mean for Lenten practices. In between there will be other blogs but check out your heart early in the week. From the bottom of my heart, I pray that you will set your heart on a close following of Jesus Christ.

Lent Helps the Environment

By Sr. Mary Valerie Schneider | February 13, 2024 |

During Lent we abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. Whether you find this a penance or a pleasure, the practice of abstinence from meat has an impact beyond yourself. Literature on the environment advocates refraining from meat consumption once or twice a week. Sticking with fruits, vegetables, cheese, and nuts minimizes water usage, fuel dependence, and greenhouse gases. This is a great way to help the environment and something to consider as a practice throughout the whole year.