Lent – the season the Church calls JOYFUL. Why is it “joy-full”? Because our focus is on the destination – the Paschal Mystery.
   Jesus’ journey was one of great love:  a love that was grounded in His relationship with His Abba, a love that flowed from His baptismal call, a love that enabled Him to be faithful in times of joy and pain.
   Journeying is what we Christians do together each Lent. The way may not be clear, but our call, like Jesus’ call, is to trust that the way will unfold – the way to be the messengers of God’s compassion, of God’s mercy and reconciliation, of God’s unconditional love.

Sr. Margaret Ellen Burke, SC

 

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Paul exhorts his followers to "put on the mind of Christ." We do this (in the words of John Paul II) "by becoming for people a model of merciful love for others."
   During this season of Lent, we will try to ask and answer the question, "What would Christ do"?
               ...in this situation
               ...with and for this individual
               ...regarding this problem
               ...to alleviate this need
               ...to address this issue
BECOME Christ's way of bringing His love to others. BE another Christ to the poor and needy.

 

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The ocotillo, at first glance, looks like a bush of dead sticks. Then, with a little bit of rain, it becomes green with leaves and eventually grows reddish/orange flowers.
   In the desert you learn very quickly to pay attention to water or its lack. Those barren, dead-looking sticks turn green almost overnight with some rain water. I am not talking about a heavy downpour – just a little shower.
   The life-giving power of the water helped me to appreciate why the scripture used water as a symbol for God's transforming presence – Isaiah:  "let all who are thirsty come to the water" and Ezekiel's vision of the temple (Ezekiel 47: 1-12).
   The water and ocotillo speak to me of God's graciousness, God's gracious drawing near, and all we need do is be open to receive! 

Sr. Jean Flannelly, SC
(Sr. Jean drew this reflection from
sabbatical time that she spent last
year in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, AZ.)

 

Photo Credit:
Sr. Jean Flannelly, SC