May 2021 - The Feasts of Pentecost and Mary, Mother of the Church

The word “pentecost” simply means fiftieth. Our Pentecost Sunday Feast is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter, and it is called the “Birthday of the Church.” According to Sacred Tradition. the disciples and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were praying in an upper room waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. The disciples were terrified that they would be tortured and killed if they were known to be followers of Jesus. These disciples were being called to hold leadership roles in the new Church. How could these frightened men lead in this new Christian Community?

The Lord had promised to send them the Holy Spirit who would be their companion and guide in this new challenge. He had promised not to abandon them. Knowing their weaknesses, as well as their goodwill, Jesus sent the help they needed. He also entrusted them to His mother.

 Although it was a deep interior experience, St. Luke describes the coming of the Spirit in ways that appeal to the senses.  He describes the coming as like the wind. The wind can lift up and move things. He was the wind behind the back of Peter who now had the fortitude to stand up and preach to the Jews that they had put to death their Savior. Many were converted and baptized as a result. 

The Holy Spirit is also described as tongues of fire. Fire can purify, and warm things. The disciples were cleansed of their cowardliness and set on fire with zeal to spread the Good News. They even had the courage to give up their lives as martyrs for the faith.
 
Fire provides light. The disciples are given guidance also through the light of the Holy Spirit. Today many people pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance, especially when there are important decisions to be made.

The Holy Spirit is visualized as a dove, symbolizing gentleness and love. Jesus had exhibited gentleness and love all through His divine-human life. How gentle He was with sinners who repented! His whole message was “Love” that we are to love God and our neighbor as ourselves.  

Then, there was the phenomenon of people hearing things in their own native languages. The Spirit’s message is that the Good News is for people of all nations and races. These disciples were being called to bring this Good News to everyone.

Finally, there with the disciples was another wonderful gift! As he was dying on the cross, Jesus had given John and all of us, his own loving, faithful, mother to accompany us through the joys and sufferings of our own journeys through life. 

Reflection on the sequence for the Feast of Pentecost is helpful for fully appreciating the Gifts: 

  Veni, Sancte Spiritu (Come Holy Spirit)

 

Come, Holy Spirit,

send forth the heavenly

radiance of your light.

Come, father of the poor,

come, giver of gifts,

come, light of the heart.

Greatest comforter,

sweet guest of the soul,

sweet consolation.

In labor, rest,

in heat, temperance,

in tears, solace.

O most blessed light,

fill the inmost heart

of your faithful.

Without your spirit,

there is nothing in man,

nothing that is not harmful.

Cleanse that which is unclean,

water that which is dry,

heal that which is wounded.

Bend that which is inflexible,

fire that which is chilled,

correct what goes astray.

Give to your faithful,

those who trust in you,

the sevenfold gifts.

Grant the reward of virtue,

grant the deliverance of salvation,

grant eternal joy.

Since the Holy Spirit is not visible, the disciples have to trust in the Lord’s word that He can send His Spirit of Love, the third person of the Trinity to be with them. The apostle Philip is certainly a good example of one who placed his whole trust in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. As a result, His missionary journeys were very fruitful, as seen in his ministry in Samaria.  

While the apostle Philip was in a city of Samaria, being filled with the Holy Spirit, he performed miracles of freeing possessed people and healing paralyzed and crippled people. The crowds listened attentively to him. When the apostles heard that the people of Samaria were accepting the Good News, they sent Peter and John who prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit                    

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For the Latin rite, Pope Francis has dedicated the first Monday after the Feast of Pentecost to be the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church to be celebrated every year. This emphasizes the sacred tradition that Mary was with the disciples as they prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit.  It also acknowledges that many Catholics through the years have honored Mary and sought her motherly care.

 Reflection Question:  Do I take the time to call on the Holy Spirit and/or Mary when I need, courage, comfort, or guidance?

Stephanie Morris, Ph.D. Historian, Certified Archivist, Emerita

St. Katharine wrote that “The Holy Ghost is ever within me – the presence of God.” Like the Apostles, we have received the Holy Spirit; like the Apostles, we each have our “own particular work to do for the Church.” Spending a little quiet time with the Holy Spirit, after Communion or whenever we have some quiet time, we may hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit, inviting us to work with God to do what God has asked us to do.

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

The song, “The Prize Worth Fighting For,” by Jamie Kimmett, can be heard regularly on Christian radio. Essentially, it affirms that one will persevere through the difficulties of life by remembering the promises of Christ and His unfailing grace.

Before I headed out the door to do some errands, I read your post for the Feast of Pentecost so I could think about it during the day. I turned the radio on in the car and the above-mentioned song was playing. I was struck by the description of the challenges the songwriter was describing:

 

“Lately been down so low

My faith seems to come and go

Some days father I don’t know

How did my love grow cold

When every day’s just another struggle

And every choice is an act of war

Gotta pray gotta press on

To the prize worth fighting for…”

The lyrics go on to describe the depths of pain that none of us desire to experience.

 

The first thing that came to my mind is how blessed I am to believe in, and have a relationship with, the Holy Spirit. Next, I felt panic at the thought of not having the Holy Spirit to call on for comfort and support if I were going through a season where life felt like a battle. I realized how important it is to pray for others going through difficult times who may not know of the Presence of the Holy Spirit, that they will come to know His consoling, strengthening grace.

 

Richard Rohr wrote a series of daily reflections on the Indwelling Spirit and one thought that stirred me was, “When the Spirit is alive in people, they wake up from their mechanical thinking and enter the realm of co-creative power.” That sentence moved me because I recognized that, after so many decades of praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance, this is now a reality for me. As soon as I turn my attention to the Holy Spirit when I am in need, I am reminded that I have access to a higher level of thinking. When I ask Spirit for help, I can be assured of a more favorable outcome than if I had turned to my default mode of operating and tried to “fix” matters on my own.

 

While preparing for the day today, I was listening to talk radio and Flash Point Philadelphia was on. The topic was Suicide Awareness among teens. Suicide has tripled over the past several years in the 10 to 19-year-old age group, and Mental Health experts attribute this situation to increased exposure to social media. Depression, linked to loss of contact with others, is cited as contributing to suicides. The facilitator also mentioned the presence of self-harm videos on Instagram where practices such as cutting, draw young people into darkness that ending life is an option.

I found the program to be disturbing and I felt a profound sadness that these exquisite children fail to recognize their true value and worth. Mental health issues are unique and complex, yet I ask, against what standards do these hurting souls measure their sense of identity. These grim statistics, in my mind, provide evidence that the attractions of the world are shallow and that we have an obligation to reach young people with the message that they are loved and have available to them the intimate companionship of the Spirit of God.

 

As numbers of churchgoers continue to drop, where will this generation of youth hear the message of God’s love and of His Plan for them; that they matter and are infinitely precious? We are wired for God. It is who we are, and the absence of this awareness, I believe, will cause us to experience a void when we encounter struggles that cry for spiritual communion. As I call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance, comfort, and courage for myself and my loved ones, I will include in my prayers those who are in need of His assistance but unaware of His Presence in their lives.

April 2021 - Holy Week

The Easter Vigil 

Since there is so much in the celebrations of Easter, the high point of the Church Year, I shall begin by giving an overview of the mother of all vigils: the Easter Vigil, and then focus on the making and renewing of the Baptismal Vows in both the Vigil and Sunday Masses.

The Roman Missal explains that during the Easter Vigil “The Church keeping watch, awaits the Resurrection of Christ and celebrates it in the Sacraments.” The Vigil begins in a darkened Church. The large decorated paschal candle, representing the risen Christ, is lit and is carried into the church while the words “Light of Christ” are proclaimed. Usually, small candles, held by the congregation, are lit from the pascal candle and the light is passed from one worshiper to the next until the whole church is filled with light from the candles. I see this as symbolic of the fact that we are to carry the light of Christ into a dark world.

Several readings from the Hebrew Scriptures summarize the story of salvation beginning with the story of creation, the choosing of the Hebrews to be God’s people, and their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Then the readings speak to God’s constant care until Christ comes. Prayers and canticles follow each reading.

After the readings, the altar candles are lit from the paschal candle, and the church is filled with light and triumphant music. The “Alleluias” are heard in the Church again and the first Easter Eucharist begins. Our risen Lord has come into the darkness to light up the world.

Following the Gospel, the Saints are invoked to pray for those to be baptized and/or receive other Sacraments. Then the baptisms and confirmations take place. Those who were baptized in Christian denominations whose baptisms are accepted as valid by the Catholic Church make a profession of faith in the Catholic Church.

The people in the congregation are sprinkled with holy water as a reminder of their own baptisms.  They renew their vows to renounce Satan and promise to serve God in the holy Catholic Church. For those who were baptized as infants or young children, it is an opportunity to consciously verbalize their commitment to Christ.

Since none of us is perfect, it is a way for all of us to start anew to live and love as Jesus has taught us. The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows and the newly baptized will join the rest of the people receiving Holy Communion.

Easter Sunday

The Easter Sunday Masses are like the ordinary Sunday Masses except for the addition of a sequence, the renewal of Baptismal Vows, and several choices for the Gospel readings.

                         

Sequence

Christians, to the Paschal Victim

Offer your thankful Praises!

A Lamb the sheep redeems;

Christ, who only is sinless,

Reconciles sinners to the Father.

Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous

The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring

What you saw, wayfaring.

“The tomb of Christ, who is living,

The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;

Bright angels attesting,

The shroud and napkin resting,

Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;

To Galilee He goes before you.”

Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.

Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!

Amen. Alleluia

Although there are several choices for the Gospel on Easter Sunday, I shall focus on John 20:1-9.  Many believe that aware of how deeply His mother Mary was suffering, Jesus would have appeared to her first. That may well be true. In fact, John concludes his Gospel with the following words: “Now there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books that would be written.”  (John 21:25).

John, the evangelist, has personally witnessed Mary of Magdala grief-stricken running to tell Peter and himself that the stone had been rolled back from the entrance of the tomb. She fears that His body has been stolen.

In response, Peter and John hasten to the tomb. John, being younger, arrives first but does not enter. When Peter arrives, he goes inside and sees the burial cloths and the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head, not with the burial cloths, but rolled up in a separate place. Then John goes in, sees and believes. According to John: until that moment, “they had failed to understand the teachings of scripture that he must rise from the dead.” (Jn 20:9).

During the Easter Season, we shall be reflecting on the many ways the risen Savior makes himself known to the people. What great joy they must have felt after witnessing the cruel Passion of Jesus to know that He was victorious and that they would someday share in His victory over death.

Reflection Question:  How can I consciously bring the Light of Christ into our world?


Comments:

Stephanie Morris, ASBS, Ph.D. Historian, Certified archivist, emerita

To shine a light, you need to turn on a switch or strike a match to light a candle. To bring the Light of Christ anywhere, we must first have Christ’s Light within us.

Any lamp needs fuel. Matthew tells us that the “eye is the lamp of the body” (6:22). During these difficult times, our eyes are almost the only part of our face showing above our face masks! 

Christ’s lamp within us needs fuel. Mother Katharine tells us that prayer and the reception of Holy Communion are the food necessary for a strong spiritual life. If we are open to being fed by the Word of God and to the love He freely offers us, we can fan a little light of God into a fire of His Love radiating from us. This fire will then illuminate our actions.

Do our eyes show that we are listening to those around us who are asking for help or prayers? Do our eyes show the joy and gratitude we feel for the love and mercy God has for us? Few of us are where we would like to be physically or socially or perhaps spiritually.  But we can keep trying to do what God asks of us in a willing manner. Then our lives will shine the Light of Christ to all.

At the Easter Vigil we will sing: “Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts, Shine through the darkness.” May the Light of Christ shine in and through our hearts today and always.

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

“But you, beloved, are not in darkness…for you are children of light and children of the day.”  These words from 1 Thessalonians 5:4 came rushing to mind as a result of three individuals who chose to let their lights shine one ordinary day.

Wednesdays are shopping days for mom and me. We adhere to a set pattern. I gather her up and we leisurely walk down the long hallway to the exit where I park the car. Once mom and her walker are in the car, we head to Walmart, the Dollar Store, the supermarket and occasionally, the State Store to pick up a bottle of Manischewitz Concord Grape wine. She maintains that it warms her “insides.” One blustery cold Wednesday our routine chores were elevated to glimpse Compassionate Presence. The event that set my heart ablaze was not announced or noticed by anyone other than myself but it was one of the strongest sensations of being in the Light that I experienced, at the supermarket, of all places.

All the handicap parking spaces were taken, so I decided to drop mom off at the entrance of the store. The area was exceptionally congested and noisy due to active construction work.  I pulled up, got out of the car, went over to the passenger side to get mom and walker out.  A young man, who was gathering up shopping carts, paused and asked if I would like him to get a handicap cart for my mother.  Then, from seemingly nowhere, a woman was standing next to us. She told me she would take care of my mother while I parked the car. I was still trying to figure out where those two people came from when I went inside the store and found my mother comfortably sitting on a chair off to the side with a team of three people surrounding her. The third person was a young male store associate who had fetched the chair for mom. They attended to her as if she were a celebrity.  I thanked them repeatedly, and they were genuinely appreciative of my thanks.

The young men who tended to the needs of my mother each had speech and physical impairments. Rather than limit their abilities, these “handy-capable” individuals had innate insights which moved them to be of service to a stranger. There was such simplicity in their actions and in their caring!  I sensed the movement of the Holy Spirit as I held back tears of gratitude. Their response held the intrinsic energy of “We’re here for one another.”  I felt very much a member of the Body of Christ for a few brief moments huddled in this little circle in the bakery department of Giant Market. The woman, who was the supervisor of the boys, had stepped outside for her break which she willingly sacrificed to watch out for my mother.  Mom benefitted from the attention and pampering, but the lesson was exclusively mine. 

Mom’s helpers were shining lamps radiating light to all around them.  I felt embraced by warmth in their presence because Presence (The Lord) was shining through them. The big question for me was, “Would I have even noticed the elderly woman, the pressured caregiver, the tired mother?” Regrettably, the truthful answer was probably “No.”   My flame was extinguished, mostly due to my recurrent bouts of negative thinking regarding all the ongoing restrictions surrounding Covid. Would the prolonged darkness of pain, separation and self-suffocation of masks ever end? Not if I keep fanning the flames of misery.  

God’s Divine Mercy cradled me that day and restored me to renewal. God’s Light is contained in His Word (Holy Scripture). I recognized I was spending so much time reading and listening to all the fear-fueling news that my prayer time with God had slipped to daily snippets. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Light begets light. I chose to reignite my flame that day. That ordinary shopping day was a grace-filled gift for me. Thus, I encourage any reader who may be experiencing distress over conditions “out-there,” to spend adequate time going “within” to commune with Jesus who is “Light from Light.”

 “Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

Let us pray for an end to the Pandemic, racism, injustice, and suffering in our world!  

Let us bring peace and justice and joy to all!

May you and your loved ones

have a blessed Triduum

and Easter Season!

April 5, 2020 Holy Week - Easter

Reading I: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Psalm 118
Reading II: Colossians 3:1-4
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

We are Easter people and "Alleluia" is our Song. Let us sing "Alleluia" 

here and now in this life, even though we are oppressed by various 

worries, so that we may sing it one day in the world to come, 

when we are set free from all anxiety.

-St. Augustine of Hippo

(On Easter Sunday, there are choices given to the priests regarding the Scriptures to be read. Therefore, if you have heard a different Gospel from the one I have chosen, realize that it is just a different choice. I chose it since it seems to include what is contained in the others.)

In today's Gospel from Luke, we find the risen Jesus joining two of his disciples on their way to Emmaus. When Jesus asked them what they were conversing about, they where talking about the recent crucifixion and death of Jesus. They were confused and troubled because they knew Jesus' body was no longer in the tomb. Had some people removed it? They had witnessed Jesus' miracles. Why had he not saved himself? 

Jesus responded: "Oh how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Jesus then interpreted the prophets for them.

As evening approached, the disciples invited Jesus to stay with them. As they sat down for an evening meal, Jesus said a blessing and took bread, broke it and gave it to them. They then recognized Jesus and exclaimed,"Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?" 

They returned to Jerusalem where they found the eleven and others who exclaimed that Jesus had appeared to Simon. Together they proclaimed that Jesus had risen. It was the appearances of Jesus in his risen body that had assured them that promise of a Savior had been fulfilled.

There are two parts of the Easter Liturgies which are special to them.

1. An ancient hymn called a "sequence" used to be sung to add to the ceremony of the gospel procession. Today it can be sung or recited at the Easter Masses. Let us take time to reflect on the beautiful words:

Praise the Pascal Victim

Christian, to the Pascal Victim

Offer your thankful praises!

A Lamb the sheep redeems;  

Christ, who only is sinless,

Reconciles sinners to the Father

Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: 

The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring what you saw, wayfaring.

The tomb of Christ who is living,

The glory of Jesus' resurrection;

Bright angels attesting, the shroud and napkin resting.

Yes, Christ my hope is arisen; 

To Galilee he goes before you.

Christ indeed from death is risen,

our new life obtaining.

Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!

Amen, Alleluia.

2. It is important to meditate on Renewal of Baptismal Promises so that they become more meaningful. Usually, this happens after the reading of the Gospel.

The Celebrant will say:

Dear brothers and sisters, through the Paschal Mystery we have been buried with Christ in Baptism, so that we may walk with him in newness of life.

And so, now that our Lenten observance is concluded, let us renew the promises of Holy Baptism, by which we once renounced Satan and his works and promised to serve God in the holy Catholic Church. And so I ask you.

1. Do you renounce Satan? I do.

And all his works? I do.

And all his empty show? I do. 

2. Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the children of God? I do.

Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no mastery over you? I do.

Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin? I do.

Since we are weak human beings, we need to ask the Lord's help to keep our promises. With his grace, we can be faithful.

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Let us pray for those who are sick from the Coronavirus-19, their families, care takers, all our government leaders, health-care providers,  and scientists who are searching for cures.

May you and your loved ones have a blessed, happy, and healthy Easter! 

Spanish Translation

(El domingo de Pascua, se dan opciones a los sacerdotes con respecto a las Escrituras para ser leídas. Por lo tanto, si ha escuchado un Evangelio diferente al que yo he elegido, tenga en cuenta que es solo una elección diferente. Lo elegí porque parece incluir lo que está 
contenido en los demás.)

En el Evangelio de hoy de Lucas, encontramos al Jesús resucitado uniéndose a dos de sus discípulos en su camino a Emaús. Cuando Jesús les preguntó de qué estaban conversando, ellos hablaron sobre la reciente crucifixión y muerte de Jesús. Estaban confundidos y preocupados porque sabían que el cuerpo de Jesús ya no estaba en la tumba. ¿Algunas personas lo habían eliminado? Habían presenciado los milagros de Jesús. ¿Por qué no se había salvado a sí mismo?

Jesús respondió: "¡Oh, qué tonto eres! ¡Cuán lento de corazón para creer todo lo que los profetas hablaron! ¿No era necesario que el Cristo sufriera estas cosas y entrara en su gloria?" Entonces Jesús interpretó a los profetas por ellos.

A medida que se acercaba la noche, los discípulos invitaron a Jesús a quedarse con ellos. Mientras se sentaban a cenar, Jesús dijo una bendición y tomó pan, lo partió y se lo dio. Entonces reconocieron a Jesús y exclamaron: "¿No ardían nuestros corazones dentro de nosotros mientras nos hablaba en el camino y nos abría las Escrituras?"

Regresaron a Jerusalén donde encontraron a los once y otros que exclamaron que Jesús se había aparecido a Simón. Juntos proclamaron que Jesús había resucitado. Fue la aparición de Jesús en su cuerpo resucitado lo que les aseguró que se había cumplido la promesa de un Salvador.

Hay dos partes de las liturgias de Pascua que son especiales para ellos:

1. Un antiguo himno llamado "secuencia" solía cantarse para agregar a la ceremonia de la procesión del evangelio. Hoy se puede cantar o recitar en las misas de Pascua

2. Es importante meditar en la Renovación de las Promesas Bautismales para que sean más significativas. Por lo general, esto sucede después de la lectura del Evangelio.

Como somos seres humanos débiles, debemos pedir la ayuda del Señor para cumplir nuestras promesas. Con su gracia, podemos ser fieles.

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Oremos por aquellos que están enfermos por el Coronavirus-19, sus familias, cuidadores, todos nuestros líderes gubernamentales, proveedores de atención médica y científicos que están buscando curas.

¡Que usted y sus seres queridos tengan una Pascua bendecida, feliz y saludable!

Comments:

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS
This past November I took a mini vacation to Savannah, Georgia. The trip was my first real get-away in forty years, so needless to say I was very excited. Savannah was no exception to the extreme weather conditions that most cities along the east coast were experiencing. I departed Philadelphia in blustery rain only to find it cold and stormy in Savannah. It poured three out of the four days I visited. Sunday, however, was a glorious day and I spent every daylight hour exploring the city. I was greeted by a resident who was walking her dog in one of the town’s historic squares. She quickly assessed that I was a tourist because I was taking pictures of everything. She commented that the one photo I must absolutely take was of the “Resurrection” trees lining the path. She went on to tell me that if these trees are deprived of water for just a few days, their lush green draping foliage turns brown and dries out. If I had visited the prior week, I would be observing dead looking trees. Thus, the blustery cold rain that dampened my sightseeing and lead to turbulent flights “resurrected” these trees to vibrant life. 

Naturally, I was thinking spiritually principles as this hometown lady related the nature of the trees. After all, we go through a similar transformation with every dark period we experience. If we invite Jesus to tread with us through the rainy days of life, we too will emerge renewed like the unique trees of Savannah.

Lent is a time dedicated to reflection and prayerfulness. Acknowledging my sinfulness, I petition God for mercy and strength. During these “examination of conscious” moments I recognize patterns of behavior that deplete my spirit, deadening it to my soul’s needs. When in this withered state, I am incapable of noticing the needs of others. Worse, I am apathetic to the suffering of others.

Unless I refresh myself with “Living Water,” my soul remains parched. This life giving water, of course, is Jesus. I look to the cross and see there the greatest love of all time. Total gift of Self, given that I will have life. We are showered with abundant grace when we meditate upon Christ’s passion and death. Such contemplation puts things in perspective, opens the heart to forgiveness, and reignites within us the desire to move forward as a dedicated disciple of Jesus.

Raised from the depths of my self-imposed separateness from God, self and others, I am restored to life. My “resurrected” self reflects the light, love and oneness of Christ radiating in and through me.

Once again, I celebrate the joy of my belovedness. It is Easter!

Stephanie Morris, ASBS, Ph.D Historian, Certified Archivist, Emerita 
Only one disciple on the road to Emmaus – Cleopas – is named; you might be the other. Does your heart burn when reading on listening to the Word of God? Does your soul sing “Alleluia” when you receive the Body and Blood of your Savior? How can you deepen your response to God’s Presence? A few quiet moments spent in gratitude, contrition, praise and petition might help to quiet our restless spirit and allow us to rest calmly in God’s loving embrace.

Feb. 23, 2020: The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Ash Wednesday, Preparing for Lent

Reading I: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Psalm: 103
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48

Sunday Gospel
One of the stories I remember from my religion classes when I was a child is the following: There was a little boy who had just made his First Communion and was saying the evening rosary with his family. He responded to every 'Hail Mary' loud and clear. However, when the 'Our Father' was prayed, he remained silent. After the rosary was finished, his mother asked him why he didn't respond to the 'Our Father.' Sheepishly, he answered, "I am mad at my brother because of something he did, and I don't want to forgive him, but I still want God to forgive me when I do something bad."  He was referring to the words in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

The little boy had understood the message that Jesus gave in today's Gospel from Matthew: "You have heard it 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, so that you may be children of your heavenly Father....be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
  
No matter what age one is, forgiveness is one of the greatest challenges we experience as Christians.  It is easy to be good to those who love us, but to be good to our enemies requires God's grace and sometimes help to deal with the circumstances and emotions involved.

A requirement for one of my pastoral ministry courses was to observe a group process session at a mental hospital. The patients and students sat silently in a circle with a facilitator. The mother of one of the patients was there also. The young woman began by thanking her mother for coming to the therapy session for her. Then she expressed to her mother that she was hurt because she believed that the mother had always loved and favored her brother rather than her.

The mother's eyes filled up as she explained that the father had never accepted the son and that she had tried to make up to the son for the father's rejection. The mother assured her daughter that she was very much loved also. At the end of the session they were crying in each other's arms. The lesson for all of us was to realize that we seldom know the motives of those who hurt us. It makes a big difference when we understand them.

Many Saints have followed the example of Jesus by praying for and forgiving those who tortured and martyred them. It is only by God's Grace that we can love our enemies as He does.

Ash Wednesday
Lent is a very special time during which we prepare to be baptized or to renew our baptismal promises at Easter. It begins this Wednesday with the marking of our foreheads with ashes. This sign of repentance has its origins in the Hebrew Traditions.

The word "lent" is a shortened form of an old English word "Lenten," which means springtime. Spring reminds us of growth and new life. Flowers bloom and trees, which appeared to be dead, put forth buds and leaves.

During Lent, we attempt to die to our selfishness and sinfulness and grow in our relationship with the Lord and generosity toward others. We hope to be morally stronger people when we pledge to renounce Satan and all evil at the Easter Vigil or on Easter Sunday.

It used to be that the emphasis was put on giving something up for Lent, usually some favorite food, etc. While that still is an option, today we are encouraged to do something positive. Is there someone from whom you are estranged? Make an effort to reconcile. If it doesn't work out, at least God knows that you tried.  Is there someone who is lonely, make contact as best you can. Is there someone hungry? Provide food in some way. Jesus said, "Whatever you did for the least of my brethren you did for me."


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Stephanie Morris, ASBS, Ph.D Historian, Certified Archivist, Emerita
Traditionally, people make “New Year’s Resolutions” in January to improve their lifestyle in some way. Ash Wednesday is a chance to “re-boot” resolutions to improve our spiritual lifestyle. St. Katharine reassures us that God does not ask for a “finished work;” He does ask for our “continued effort and is pleased with our desire to please Him.” How can we please God? Think of the Beatitudes. How can you be a Peacemaker in your family or in your community? Small steps can be a good start.

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

This week’s reading from the Book of Leviticus speaks to my heart. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy…You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart…Take no revenge and cherish no grudge…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.’ “

One of the featured articles in this week’s edition of my local community paper read, “Father of slain football player pleads for peace.” The man’s 19 year old son was a passenger in a car when a stray bullet went through the window of the car and hit him in the head. At least a dozen bullets were fired and the boy who was killed was not the intended target. The young man played football for his high school, had many friends and would have graduated this June. The father addressed the 1400 students and pleaded for the violence to stop. The young man’s mother reported that she was just too angry in the moment to talk, though after her husband’s appeal to the student body, she did comment, “My son is not here anymore and these things have to stop.” As a mother of two sons, I know that the depth of her pain is unmeasurable. Sadly, this is a regular occurrence on the streets of our cities. The boy’s football coach stated that he is not sure what the answer is, but feels that the answer has to start in the schools.  I believe the answer is in Leviticus – our communities need to return to holiness. God needs to be returned to the schools, made more visible in our communities and be reestablished in our hearts. 

You referenced the challenge of forgiveness in your post. My heart aches for the parents who lose a child through violence, and I would probably struggle with forgiving such a senseless act. Ultimately I know that forgiveness is the only life affirming, God honoring response, but I would only be able to arrive at that decision through the grace of God. I am deeply touched at the ability of grieving parents who rise above the tragedy and initiate programs that address the deep rooted needs of the individuals who pull the triggers.

The Presence of God is strongly felt when people come together in their brokenness, consoling one another and uniting in hope to make their neighborhood a better place.  Communal prayer is often a part of these gatherings and the support and consolation of the community nurtures the healing process. Imagine how transformative the vigil would be if the spiritual leader preached the message of Leviticus? Something like, OK friends, let us use this tragic event to commit to holiness, to forgive one another of any and all perceived wrongs, and to love one another as unconditionally as the Lord loves us. Let us together engage in the battle against the powers of darkness that engulf our youth by reminding them and reinforcing every day that they are children of God, created in His image and likeness.

Our kids need to hear this message from every adult in their life because they are being crushed by the world that only values the smart, the healthy and the beautiful. In the depth of my heart, I believe that many of these young people committing such cruel crimes are hurting inside because they feel as though they don’t fit in or can’t measure up to standards that are superficial to begin with. They need to know they are loved, valued, they matter, and that they are the beloved of God. This is the foundation upon which the solutions to violence need to be based. Our moaning, groaning, suffering communities will heal when we invite God back into our daily lives…when we choose holiness. 

As the holy season of Lent begins, perhaps we can pray for our hurting communities, and if possible maybe can listen to the young people in our life and remind them that they are loved by us and by God. That encouragement may open up a much needed conversation of how God is present in their lives.