Jesus said to his disciples:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’.  But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.”  Mathew 5:  43-46

 Really, Jesus?  Pray for my enemies?  Well, OK, I can do that.  Personally, I don’t believe I have any enemies, no one in my family of sisters or my biological family, none of my relatives, none of my friends and neighbors and people around me;  I do not consider any of them enemies.  Some may be difficult or not always agreeable or think the same as I do ;  I still don’t think of them as enemies.  If any of the people I know view me as an enemy I hope they tell me and are praying for me.

The thing is, Jesus, you have told us to LOVE our enemies.  Now that is a different story than praying for someone.  How can I love those who hate me or wish me harm or see no good in me and my existence?  You tell us that God treats us all the same by having the sun rise on the bad and the good, and the rain to fall on the just and unjust.  God loves us all and has given the beauty of our universe to each person created. 

If I really think this thought through, it is obvious that I cannot eliminate someone or some group from my love.  I can understand loving the God that is in them and honoring them for that dignity and respect for the Divine.  I can hate the evil that they may do and abhor the deeds that are contrary to Jesus’ words.  I can despise the behavior and not the person.

Lent is a great time to reflect on these hard demands from Jesus.  And practice them.  And pray for our friends and our enemies.  And love our friends and our enemies.

Jesus, we hear and read your instructions to us and ask you to help us follow them. 
Do not let us fall into the actions and behaviors and hate of our enemies. 
We strive to be like you who asked us to pray for and LOVE all. 
Amen

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The first reading reminds me of one of the saddest funerals I attended.  We buried a woman who had died estranged from her son.  They were both really nice people.  The estrangement was the result of an overprotective mother who didn’t want to let go of her son. 

She was a virtuous woman who lived a good life.  Only when it came to her son, she was extremely overprotected.  In spite of that, he turned out quite well.  When it came time for him to leave home and get married, she couldn’t let go.  She became very bitter and it poisoned their relationship.

This is a prime example of how one wicked act results in turning away from God.  As she allowed her bitterness to consume her, she became a different person.  We often think of “wicked” acts as involving murder or adultery or some deliberate cruel act.  We forget how cruel we can be by being unforgiving, or closed minded, or judgmental.  These actions also take us away from God.

In the gospel reading Jesus tells his disciples how important it is to resolve disputes with our brothers.  We can see that once the virtuous person turns away from God, it gets harder and harder to turn back. 

It is also interesting to note that it says whoever is angry with his brother.  It doesn’t say the person who caused the anger – but the one who is angry.  Even if you didn’t start the incident, God wants you to go and be reconciled with your opponent.  God will wait while you reconcile with your opponent.  God does not want the virtuous person to start down that path of wickedness.

These readings really speak to us every day.  We have our plans and that is all we see.  We get so comfortable with our virtuous ways that we miss the subtle influence of pride or jealousy or envy in ourselves.  We miss when we start doing the wicked deed.

The good news is that we can turn back to God and preserve our life!

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Sister Mary Jaeger
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

Lectionary: 226

Today in our Lenten journey readings we meet up again with Jonah that colorful, lively character who is a reluctant prophet. There are many images surrounding Jonah so we can let our imagination run wild if we wish. The story of Jonah is one of the places in the bible where I initially end up laughing as he is such a funny guy especially with the big fish story. We all need humor even while we fast and pray and sit in our bucket of ashes.

As I allow myself to go deeper into the experience from my throne on the ashes the strong themes of mercy and forgiveness emerge where I move on and meet God. In this story God for me becomes a big hearted, generous, loving real person God who is teaching us to love and forgive through His example of loving and forgiving the Ninevites. That is a powerful image for me and all the while God is smiling, loving, compassionate and caring and will lift me out of the ashes when I am called to do so. So I ask myself in all of this, how am I doing on a daily basis of forgiving and loving, and yes difficult as it is even my enemies?

O God fill us with your wisdom and increase our love for your truth. Help us to learn to forgive even when it is difficult so that we may wholly desire to do what is pleasing to you.  Amen

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Sister Annrita Johnson
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

This is how you are to pray:  Our Father

Beginning with ‘Our Father’ are we really convinced that God is the Father of us all?  Not merely ‘my’ Father, but ‘our’ Father.  If he is ‘ours’, then we are all brothers and sisters.  People with the same father are brothers and sisters. p. 57 Through the Gospel with Dom Helder Camara

We have become His adopted children through Jesus and His Holy Spirit who lives on in us through our Baptism and in the Eucharist.  Jesus taught his disciples to address God as “Abba” (dad).

This is the epitome of Native American spirituality, so I’ll close with an Indian Blessing.

Let us walk softly on the Earth with all living beings great and small remembering as we go, that one God kind and wise created all.

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That first reading from the book of Leviticus reminds us of how God wants us to live, it reminds us of the commandments that we learned long ago. “Do not steal.  Do not lie.  Do not swear falsely.  Do not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.”  Then I also like that next sentence a lot, “Though you may have to reprove your neighbor, do not incur sin because of him/her.”  The Gospel acclamation reminds us how important that first reading is:  “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor.6:2)  

Yes, let this Lenten season be a time for all of us to draw closer to God, to remember how God wants us to treat our neighbor, being honest, and loving our neighbor in our hearts, words, and deeds.  Or maybe the Psalm Response might be something for you to remember:    “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.”    (Psalm Response)

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 A Lenten Journey Inward

“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

This pre-Easter season invites us to discover where we may be weak or lacking in the spirit of Jesus. This is not a time to give up or avoid eating candy, or going to movies. It is a time to diagnose our spiritual growth. We ask ourselves, “How do I do that? Am I spending enough time in prayer? Am I listening to the Holy Spirit within before I make decisions?” Getting answers does not center on what we have done, but rather what we are; and what we hope to become. It is internal. I am seeking fulfillment from the inside with the help of the Holy Spirit, rather than doing something from the outside, like giving up eating candy during Lent.

Every phrase and every word of today’s Gospel packs a powerful message: Get ready. The Christ has come. He calls us to eternal life. Repent is the operative word for this First Sunday in Lent. It literally means to re-think; to put some quiet time aside; to stop; to interrupt our routines; to reassess and adjust our priorities and our behavior. Jesus understands our natures. He knows that we constantly need to reorder our lives to bring them in line with God’s plan for us. He knows we must constantly repent to get ourselves right with God. That’s why we have Lent.
Blessings to you as you embark on your Lenten journey! May it be a time of growth and grace.

Prayer

Grant, Almighty God, through
the yearly observances
Of Holy Lent,
That we may grow in understanding
Of the riches hidden in Christ
And by worthy conduct pursue
Their effects.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity
Of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen

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Sister Paulette Garry
Carmen Morrison, Convent Employee
Saturday after Ash Wednesday

It seems to me that God, via Isaiah, is asking us if we are on the right path this fourth day of Lent!  No matter what our answers are at the moment, Isaiah is naming for us the rewards for achieving the goals God wishes for us.  Then the responsorial psalm response gives us the right words for the moment, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth”.  With this prayer in our hearts, we are on the right path through Lent.

Luke 5:27-32

In the Gospel, Jesus says, “Follow me” to the tax collector, Levi.  This is the same invitation that we have received from Jesus.  How have we chosen to follow Jesus? This Lenten season may be an opportunity to re-evaluate our relationship with Jesus.   Jesus had a vision for each of our lives before we were conceived.  Do you recognize the plan Jesus has for you?  Do you ask for that plan to be shown to you and then listen and wait for Jesus to respond?  Levi left his old life behind to follow Jesus.  Are we willing to leave our old life behind?  What does leaving our old life behind mean?  Could we find a life where we were kinder, more compassionate, more forgiving?  Could we lead a simpler life, with less possessions and spend more time in prayer and with the people we love? 

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Sister Myra Remily
Friday after Ash Wednesday

Isaiah like Joel in the Ash Wednesday reading is being told by God to “cry out full throated and unsparingly, lift your voice like a trumpet blast”. A trumpet blast; remember in many Christian movies of old where there was always a trumpet blast to call the people’s attention?  What is God telling Isaiah in this trumpet blast?  It is all about fasting.  Tell the people with a full-throated voice loud and clear of their wickedness.  Fast, however Isaiah is more or less asking “what kind of fasting do you think you are doing?”  What you are really doing is not fasting, what your doing is proclaiming your own pursuits! You call that fasting?  God says To fast is to change you ways and to act justly, God makes it quite clear what fasting is all about.  How can we, you and I fast as God wants us to fast in our day and age? 1. Release those  bound unjustly (Children in detention centers), setting the oppressed free( by raising wages to a living wage, and improving working conditions), sharing your bread, sheltering the homeless, and clothing the naked ,in other words practicing the corporal works of mercy and Mathew 25 :31-46. This is the fast our God wants of us.  Our call by the trumpet is to wake up, reach out and touch those in need.  Yes we also need to pray, fast and give alms but also to eradicate all injustices, violence, and greed whether it is ourselves, or in our State, Nation or Universe.

We too need to blow the trumpet blast and proclaim a time of fast a fast that brings about change, peace and healing to our world.

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Sister Patrick Leonard Murphy

The priest in our parish gave us a theme for this Lent… “A Journey of Joy!” Now that was refreshing. I always like to think of the Lenten season as that of springtime and renewal. The idea comes easily of turning my heart as we turn the soil for planting, very gently and lovingly with purpose. “A Journey of Joy” sounded great.

In the first reading, Moses speaks to his people of choosing life. Certainly, of obeying God’s commandments, rules, decrees and statutes, but in the end it sounds fairly easy…Choose life and not only you, but your people after you, will have that journey of joy and then LIFE.

The Psalm certainly is one of blessing and hope. It fits the theme of springtime Lent, gentle persuasion, which I had in mind for this season. Then came the Gospel. Jesus speaks very clearly:

“I am going to suffer greatly and be rejected and ridiculed and killed and if any one wishes to come after me then you too, must take up whatever pain, suffering and difficulty comes to you in your life…and follow me.” Such a jolt from that “Journey of Joy” Father mentioned Sunday.

Jesus never gives us more than we can take. Look closely. “On the third day I will be raised.” “If you lose your life for my sake you will save it.” And, “If you forfeit yourself, what good to gain the whole world?” Jesus is saying what Moses said, “Choose Life.”

Both are saying what the Psalmist says,
“Blessed are those who hope in the Lord”

And, I must admit, I can take another run at this “Journey of Joy.” I have some good companions by my side.

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Sister Mary Thomas
Ash Wednesday

“And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Mt 6: 4

The gospel for this day is the message we hear each year at the beginning of Lent. The caution with this regular pattern is we may be so familiar with this passage that we are unaffected. So this year, instead of looking at what we are not to do – do not blow a trumpet, do not be like hypocrites, do not look gloomy let’s see what we could focus on.

Lent is a retreat for the entire Christian community. As we strive to get our spiritual house in order the first part of this passage challenges us to examine our motives. Whatever sacrifice you decide to do for Lent pay attention to the motive that fuels this good intention. We are not to do righteous deeds to be noticed by others. What, then, is our motive?

In our prayer we are to pray from our “inner room” not on the street corner. The focus is on our relationship with God as we truly are before God, not what we would like others to presume our relationship with God is. The protected inner room allows us to be honest with ourselves and honest before God. We are unguarded in this intimate space with God. Daring to stand in our naked truth, in our need for a Savior, opens the doorway to experiencing God’s unconditional love and healing. Where can we be more honest?

Fasting as a discipline empowers us to curb our appetites – for food, for acclaim, for power and many other excesses that can weigh us down spiritually. Fasting enables us to turn from these more obvious hungers to desire and hunger for God alone as primary. Turning away or letting go of a perceived good, even when excessive, can cause us to feel sad or gloomy. Choosing to empty ourselves out of love is an act of hope in God’s power working in us which can do more than we can imagine. We are staking our wellbeing, not in any temporal good, but in God in whom we entrust our entire life. What are we turning from and what are we turning toward?

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