During Lent the Church encourages us to do spiritual reading, primarily the Bible, but there are many other resources. As we begin March, the month when we give particular honor to Saint Joseph, I would recommend to you Patris Corde proclaimed by Pope Francis on December 8, 2020, the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of Saint Joseph as patron of the universal Church. Every paragraph gives hope, creative ways to imitate this “just man,” and bring us closer to Joseph and his Holy Family. I assure you that you will be amazed at how much can be said about Joseph, who is called “the Silent,” for Scripture records none of his words. But Joseph’s actions tell volumes about his tenderness, courage, and fidelity to God’s will.
Saint Joseph, foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
In Jewish thought the presence of God is connected with a cloud. Moses met God in a cloud. During the exodus the people followed a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. A cloud filled Solomon’s temple. The cloud in today’s story of the Transfiguration indicated the Messiah had come. From the cloud came the voice of the Father: “Listen to him.” Moses and Elijah, lawgiver and prophet, saw in Jesus the consummation of the promised Messiah. Their presence assured Jesus that the cross was the right choice. His mission would be from cross to resurrection.
Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Gulp! I just read “love your enemies.” Gulp again! Pray for those who persecute you.” But who are my enemies? Very likely, it’s not a person outside myself. It’s me. (To the English teachers: It’s I.) I’ve got a true self that God created and sees in its perfection. And I’ve got a false self that is rather evident to the people who live with me but maybe deeply hidden from my own eyes. Lent is a time to discover my false self–the self that doesn’t reflect God’s image in me. If I can be truer to my true self, then God knows I can make a difference just by being who I am called to be.
Friday of the First Week of Lent
Today’s gospel tells us to settle our differences quickly. If we’re on our way to church, stop first to be reconciled. We’re to leave our gifts—our Lenten sacrifices, fasting, almsgiving—and be reconciled. Such advice follows a basic law of psychological and spiritual life; namely, energy follows attention. Wherever we focus our attention is where the energy of our body, mind, and spirit goes. Disagreements, dislike, tensions do not let us focus. But once we are reconciled and able to see another’s view—and perhaps even come to like them—our enthusiasm and energy are restored. Focus good thoughts on those whom you dislike, then your heart will grow more loving. The heart and mind are interacting in concert.
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
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 made.
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
The Ninevites reformed surprisingly quickly at the preaching of Jonah. How quick are we to respond to the preaching of Jesus Christ? Are there any passages in the Bible we tend to overlook? Are there passages that set us out on an inward journey as Jonah set out of his journey? What is the Scripture passage that you like most, that acts as a catalyst for your spirituality? What is the Scripture passage that causes some hesitancy? What do these two passages say to you?
O Word of God, Son of the Father, help me to be open to every word you speak.
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
A week ago, amid Mardi Gras you may have put the finishing touches on your Lenten plan. Were you looking at Lent as a time to forego sweets and lose weight, a time for spiritual and physical spring cleaning, a time to impress God with fasting and almsgiving? Such things are good and very human. And that’s what Lent is all about—our sarx, our humanness, our selves that Gerard Manley Hopkins calls “potsherd” and “immortal diamond.” Ash Wednesday leads to Holy Week when we consider the body of Jesus—the body that took on all our sarx to redeem it, the glorified body risen from the dead, the Body received in Holy Communion, the body that became cosmic and co-extensive with his church. Maybe you’ve been thinking of your body this past week—craving sweets or being reluctant to give up a free evening to attend a parish event. That’s OK. Just keep on trekking on your Lent journey. Use the cross as your compass.
Monday of the First week of Lent
Compassion is the fullness of divine and human perfection. Meister Eckhart says, “Whatever God does, the first outburst is always compassion. Compassion is the highest work that God works.” Compassion is more than a feeling. It’s literally “suffering with,” the deepest empathy. Compassion thrusts us into action. We work toward justice, we serve those in need, we love and care. Compassion is anything that “verbs” our spiritual life. The gospel today tells us to “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” Julian of Norwich writes, “And then saw I that when compassion for his fellow Christians flows naturally from a man who is in charity, this is Christ in him.”
What verbs of compassion will you do today? Phone a lonely person? Extend sympathy? Help a child with homework? Whatever it is, let your compassion explode in an outburst.
First Sunday of Lent
The First Reading on the First Sunday of Lent this year relates God’s establishment of his covenant with Noah and with us. God assures us of his fidelity through the rainbow. The story of the flood and the covenant sets the tone of Lent as a baptismal season when we pray for those soon to be baptized. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy reminds us that “more use is to be made of the baptismal features which are part of the Lenten liturgy” (art. 109). The Second Reading reemphasizes this when Peter writes that the flood “prefigured baptism, which saves you now.” On the day of our baptism God made a covenant with us personally—that we would be his dear one and that God would be ever faithful, never being left to fend for ourselves in time of disaster.
Today’s gospel passage is the call of Matthew. Did you know tax collectors had to auction for the position? Chosen for the job by Roman authorities, Matthew may have been quite self-satisfied when landing the job. Then he heard a call to another career. Jesus wanted Matthew to be a disciple. What did Matthew think? “Is Jesus calling me because I can read and write and keep ledgers? Which job will be more satisfying: collecting taxes or following Jesus with my skills his band of followers will need?” The gospel says, “He got up and followed him.” That’s the same response we can make today.