The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 3:14-20,91,95
Daniel 3:52-56
John 8:31-42

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture. . . .

“If you live according to my teaching,...you will know the truth
and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31)

Today’s readings emphasize the importance of complete, steadfast trust in God, even in circumstances that could jeopardize our lives. We often refuse to believe or conveniently forget that there is more to being human than our mere physical existence. Daniel and his companions proved their full humanity by not dishonoring their God, not compromising their faith in Him. Their unwavering love and trust, their freedom from fear in the face of what seemed like certain death miraculously resulted in their survival in the fiery furnace and so bore much fruit for God’s kingdom; the king and his entire nation converted to belief in the one true God.

Jesus in our Gospel reveals that if we divorce ourselves from God, from living in His love and truth, we do not gain freedom but instead enslave ourselves to our fleshly demands. But since fully and permanently satisfying human appetites is impossible, our trying to appease them only gives us more demanding habits. His listeners based their freedom on being Abraham’s children. Jesus counters their claim, saying that if they were truly Abraham’s children they would not be intent on killing Him; for God’s children are imbued with His truth and love, fully trusting Him and faithfully living in His virtues. True human freedom results from faithfully abiding within this context of God.

Spirit of Truth and Love,
grace us with the ability to live totally within Your holy Word,
so that our fearless and joyful freedom
may draw others to You. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, ocds

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The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 102:2-3,16-21
John 8:21-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.”

Jesus is the eternal I AM. He is not to be found in our memories of the past or our visions of the future... Jesus is now!

We sin when we become preoccupied with the desires and motivations of our mind which is flawed and prone to dysfunction. Living in our mind alone takes us out of the present moment. When we live in the present moment -- focusing on where we are, what we are doing right now at this moment in time -- we live in grace, in eternity, in God’s time....

Prayer centres us on the present moment... it brings us into Jesus’ presence... right Now. Jesus asks us to leave tomorrow’s worries and troubles alone and focus on the NOW.

So today, let us begin to live eternity... focusing on being fully alive and present in every moment. By doing this we are growing in the presence of Jesus, creating healing and bringing truth to humankind.

- Cliodhna Doyle
(clia at cliadoyle dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 29, 2004
Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62
Psalm 23:1-6
John 8:12-20

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Today's First Reading illustrates the sin of adultery and its consequences in an Old Testament setting. The reason we've been given this story is to explain to us that every sin against God is unfaithfulness and adultery. Surely, as our present age drifts further from the Ten Commandments and dwells more on the darkness of it's own self-worship, so too, sin becomes commonplace, even paraded about like a merit-badge in public and brazenly idolized in the entertainment media. We, too, begin to falter when we succumb to our own personal self-worship.

Where can we find the spiritual strength to overcome this?

First we must set things straight with the Lord in the sacrament of Reconciliation (confession). Next, we can form good habits by regular prayer throughout the day, by being present at Mass and by receiving Holy Communion frequently throughout the week. Further, we must strive to live in the presence of God, availing ourselves of His life-giving graces on a moment-to-moment basis. From there, God will direct us to His holy will for us -- yes, moment by moment.

- Joachim, ocds

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The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 28, 2004
Fifth Sunday of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126:1-6
Philippians 3:8-14
John 8:1-11

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“For the sake of Christ I have accepted the loss of all things,
and I consider them so much rubbish.”(see Philippians 3:8)

Today’s Second Reading brings to my mind a question. I wonder what kind of advice great Spiritual Directors would give about whether we should look to those who made great spiritual progress in holiness or just keep our eyes focused on our own lives, duties, responsibility and responses? Probably the wisest course lies somewhere in between -- the course between great saint and lowly sinner.

I know for myself that when St. Paul tells all the wonderful things he has done, I am left feeling almost despondent, so pitiful has my response been to God’s love.

Maybe when we can’t be like a great saint, we can at least remember some little thing they said or did and imitate them in just a little way. I am going to do that. I might not be able to be like Saint Paul, always able to look at the “finish line” because I am so fixed on the road along the way. But at least I might be able to say, “My, isn’t there an awful lot of rubbish here on this road!” Rubbish indeed!

- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 27, 2004
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 7:2-3,9-12
John 7:40-53

A reflection on today's Scripture:

In Baptism, God creates us in His image and likeness--a lamb, pure, innocent and trusting. He begets us as His very own, His “be”Loved. He Himself shepherds and cares for us in all.

We are “prey”, pursued by the deadliness of sin--our own, or others. Like the Lamb we must persevere in trusting obedience for our Shepherd. Safely we take refuge in Him; “a shield before me is our God.”

He Himself frees us from bondage in the first Passover. The Passover meal, like the Last Supper, begins the passing to freedom. He Himself leads us to new Life in the promised land, the Kingdom of God. Our Lenten desert is a “womb” time as He re-forms what is dead in sin to “re”semble Him in new Life. He leads us, from the womb of the desert tomb to resurrected Life in Him. He begets us to new Life and feeds us with the holy manna and drink that is of Him. He makes us flesh of His flesh.

Lord, help us accept Your gift of faith that frees us to trust.

Let us see You, as the shield before us.

Let us accept Your new covenant through the Passover blood of Jesus. Freed from the bondage of sin we are led to new Life in the promised land that is You.

Give us this day our daily bread that is You in the Eucharist.

And let us do this in remembrance of You for one another. Amen

- Mary Williams
(wlmsconsul at pdq dot net)

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The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 26, 2004
Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Wisdom 2:1,12-22
Psalm 34:17-21,23
John 7:1-2,10,25-30

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

Enduring criticism is often difficult, although often instructive and helpful, if we have the humility to listen, and if it comes from people with good motives. In today’s first reading, we are given an insight into the reasoning of the evil-minded, who cannot endure good people. They find them “obnoxious” and unbearable, like iodine on an infected wound. It’s interesting how evil persons are more judgmental of the good, than the just are toward them. Their reasoning becomes more and more corrupted, accusing the just ones of hypocrisy, as though to say, “No one can be that good.” Evil has that effect--it destroys our ability to objectively evaluate.

In the Gospel, Jesus is criticized in much the same way by those who cannot endure his teaching. His words smart their consciences, and in their rush to reject him, they rashly and illogically apply the accepted criteria for discerning the true messiah. The grounds for their rejection do not bear the scrutiny of solid knowledge of the Scripture, nor of the facts of Jesus’ origins.

Let us ever be on guard against our own wrong motives for judging others and their teaching. Our rejection may be colored by a guilty conscience, pride, or careless research into the facts.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 25, 2004
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 7:10-14,8-10
Psalm 40:7-11
Hebrews 10:4-10
Luke 1:26-38

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“The Angel Gabriel Was Sent From God. . .”

God’s timing never fails to be amazing. Here we are in the middle of the season of Lent, following Jesus as He makes His way to Jerusalem and ultimately to His passion, and suddenly, as if a flashback in a film, we’re taken to where the story began.

This amplifies the pathos of the coming passion. We see a woman captivated by an angel, in love with God, saying, “Let it be unto to me as you say.” Mary’s eternal “Yes” resounds through time and through space as Jesus Christ becomes man and is born for us.

God makes the seasons and the times. He constructed the calendar for us by the way events unfolded. How wonderful then that He inserts this reminder, this focus on the joy of birth and of life in the midst of a season of penance and repentance.

And He does this to give a focus to our repentance. The focus is Jesus Christ and Mary’s “Yes” to Him. She had a choice, she could have said “No” and God’s plan would have found another route. But she did not. And in saying “Yes” to God, she showed us the path for our life.

Let us join with Mary this wonderful feast day and say “Yes” to God. “Let it be done unto me as you say.” For when we surrender our wills and become His servant, only then can we find freedom.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today’s Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 49:8-15
Psalm 145:8-9,13-14,17-18
John 5:17-30

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture. . . .

“He who refuses to honor the Son
refuses to honor the Father who sent him.”(John 5:23)

A problem that persists to this day is the inability of some to see Jesus as more than a human being. They may acknowledge that the Bible records His having exceptional powers in teaching, healing and even raising the dead, but they suggest it was only “smoke and mirrors,” illusion, not reality.

Today’s Gospel illustrates this very situation faced by Jesus in His efforts to bring the religious hierarchy of His day to a recognition of His true identity. This was of the utmost importance, not because He desired to gain ascendancy over them but to rescue them from “damnation.” They had been entrusted by God with making His salvation known to His people; instead they had reduced the “faith” to merely following complex, stringent, loveless rules beyond the abilities of poor and uneducated people. The temple officials despised Christ’s threatening their authority when He identified Himself as God’s Son (equal with God) and their awaited Messiah. As evidence against Him they said He had violated the law by having healed on the sabbath. Jesus countered their accusation by saying that since God never ceases being loving and merciful toward His children, He, the Son, also must continue in His Father’s work.

How are we honoring God, our Father? Are we consistently walking in His way of love and truth, or are we simply following, through habit, prescribed rules and rituals while our hearts and minds remain far from God, lack any true intimacy with Christ, our Savior?

O Creator God,
fill to overflowing our hearts
with Your pure and eternal love,
that we may share Your blessed life
with others. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, ocds

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The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
St. Toribio, bishop

Scripture from today’s Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiel 47:1-9,12
Psalm 46:2-3,5-6,8-9
John 5:1-16

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

Each of the readings of today focus on water and remind us immediately of Christ, the Source of life, and of our own baptism. Then in the gospel we hear of the man lying on a mat at the pool of Bethesda. The reading states that Christ knew that the man had been ill for thirty-eight years. The question that Christ then posed to the man is a fascinating one... “Do you want to be well?” At face value it sounds like a strange question. Who wouldn’t want to be healed?

It is a serious question and one that each of us could ask regarding the state of our own souls in this Lenten season. Do we want to be rid of those things in our lives that interfere with our spiritual health? We all have our ‘crutches and mats’ and reasons that we cannot seem to move ahead spiritually.

Later in the gospel we read that Christ went looking for the man and urged him to sin no more. He had healed him physically and spiritually. Who can say that we do not have a loving, caring God? We can all pick up our mats and walk WITH HIM.

- Joan of Jesus, ocds
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)

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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 22, 2004
Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaih 65:17-21
Psalm 30:2,4-6,11-13
John 4:43-54

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“The man put his trust in the word Jesus spoke to him....”(John 5:50)

In today’s gospel reading we are reminded what faith in Jesus accomplishes and are challenged to reflect on the extent of our trust in the Word of God.

Sometimes it seems that trust in God involves particulars like: I trust God will heal me; will answer my prayer. At other times, and hopefully most of the time, our trust does not mean that we can predict exactly what the Lord will do, but instead trust that whatever happens God will provide us with the grace to triumph over all difficult circumstances and situations.

Sharing with God the desires of our hearts pleases Him even if He already knows them. It demonstrates humble child-like trust that is so essential for salvation. So, continue to beseech the Lord at all times and for every good thing, but always end prayerful petitions with the very words of Jesus when He was faced with what seemed like the ultimate tragedy: “Father, not my will, but Your will be done.”

- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 21, 2004
Fourth Sunday of Lent
(Laetare Sunday)

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Joshua 5:9-12
Psalm 34:2-7
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Luke 15:1-3,11-32

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today’s Gospel we see something that seems so characteristic of our human nature, that is, we don’t often come to our senses until, and unless, we experience hardship. When all is going well (or so we think) we rely on our own ingenuity and think that we really are in control of life’s events and outcomes. We fail to recognize just how powerless and dependent we are.

Powerlessness and dependence are not happy contemporary terms and denote a state of being that for most couldn’t be more undesirable, It is however important to understand that when it comes to our relationship with God, recognizing our powerlessness and dependence is essential - it’s called humility.

Knowing who we are before the face of God and who God is, creates a relationship of authenticity. There are no delusions, no opportunities for game-playing.

Where in contemporary relationships we may be powerless and dependent in a relationship; with the Divine we hold a “trump card” -- that is, the heart of the Almighty, like the Father in the story of the Prodigal Son, is moved with compassion and mercy for the repentent.

Let us then not look on our hardships and failings as altogether onerous, but perhaps an opportunity to acknowledge our dependence and sorrow for wounding the heart of so loving a God and Father.


- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 20, 2004
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 51:3-4,18-21
Luke 18:9-14

A reflection on today's Scripture:

He Will Bring Us Back to Life

Hosea reminds us that our God who wants nothing more than a contrite spirit and our espoused faithfulness. He reminds us that God desires for us to know and to love Him.

Jesus’ parable in Luke echoes the message of God’s mercy. God alone justifies us, makes us holy and pleasing to Him. We humbly acknowledge our sinfulness and guilt. Psalm 51 choruses this beautifully with a soul that fully acknowledges guilt and with a sincere heart implores God to “wash me until I am whiter than snow.” These become our Lenten aspirations as we pray, “hide not Your face from me, do not banish me from Your presence nor deprive me of Your Holy Spirit.”

We can clearly see the process of our sin being “seen” in the pure judgment of God. We acknowledge our sins and repent. We are His beLoved and we return to God with willing repentance and reparation. Hosea voices the faith we share, “...after a day or two He will bring us back to Life; on the third day He will raise us and we shall live in His presence.”

In His presence we have new Life which is seen with great hope. The journey of suffering and reproach is then not feared. “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.” Each time we stray let us hasten to return to our beLoved, acknowledge our guilt, repent, make reparation in the sacraments and rejoice that He raises us to new Life.

.....Amen


- Mary Williams
(wlmsconsul at pdq dot net)

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The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 19, 2004
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16
Psalm 89:2-5,27,29
Romans 4:13,16-18,22
Matthew 1:16,18-21,24

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

St. Joseph stands out as a crown jewel among saints. Like Joseph himself, Scripture is brief and succinct in its praise for telling us only that he was a just man. Because of his great trust in God's ways, and lifelong protection of Jesus and Mary, he has been named Patron of the Universal Church. How earnestly we need to "go to Joseph" in these troubled days, to beg his protection, to seek his intercession with God for a humility and trust like his own for all in the Church.

Joseph is the model for all men, in his self-effacing sacrifice for his wife and child, and in his great trust in God's plans, testing normal human logic to the breaking point. He is a model for men in his respect and tender love for Mary. Priests and all who are dedicated to a life of celibacy need to turn to Joseph on his feast, begging from this faithful saint the grace to keep untarnished their vows of chastity. Through his intercession, may we make suitable reparation for the weakness and sins of all who have broken trust with God, with the Church, and with children.

O St. Joseph,
patron of the universal Church,
restore her honor and integrity. Amen.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 18, 2004
Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop, doctor of the Church

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2,6-9
Luke 11:14-23

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“Every Kingdom Divided Against Itself Will Be Laid Waste. . .”

Truer words were never spoken than all of the prophecies that issued from the lips of the Savior. This is a pertinent message to each of us today.

Catholicism is a religion that embraces a great many people, styles of worship, and ideas. Unfortunately, we sometimes have difficulty living together as a family. We each have our own vision of how the faith should play out. We each have our own notions of what is right and proper. Some hold hands during the Our Father, some do not. Some sing certain hymns, others sing no hymns at all. Some think that the Pope is infallible, others carefully define his infallibility, yet others deny any infallibility.

Our job as Catholics is to correct explicit error when it is spoken or taught, but above all not to judge our brothers and sisters in the pew. After all, at very least, they made it to worship. Think how many Catholics show up only for the great Holy Days of the year. And think how many never make it. Yes, some people believe things that are simply incorrect, I used to be among them. But thanks to loving acceptance and a great deal of prayer for me by faithful Catholics, I came to discovery the richness of the treasury of Church teaching. This may happen as well to others who have bought into secular teaching too heavily.

But we have allowed our internal divisions to define ourselves too sharply. We sometimes totter as a house divided. So, to bring the house together, my advice would be: focus on those things we hold in common, pray for those errors that you may know a person holds in their heart, in loving-kindness correct those errors spoken aloud, and above all else, love everyone within and outside of the Church. Pray for their conversion and their walk in the right way. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide them on and illuminate their path. And avoid judgment. In these ways we may be pleasing to the Lord, gently leading the wayward sheep back to the Shepherd.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
St. Patrick, bishop

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20
Matthew 5:17-19

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture. . . .

“For this will show your wisdom and discernment...”

Sometimes it seems that all the Old Testament talks about is law, law, law. You’d get the impression that it was a rule book. However, if you listen in on some of the talk of our Jewish brothers and sisters you’d hear them say that the Law is a way of loving God. Obedience to that law is a way of being close to God in your daily life.

But law is more than written word, it is spirit. God did give rules to people Who were unruly -- they were rules designed to help these people find a way to Him. God gave us His Son as a way to Him. Jesus is the total fulfillment of the law. In loving Jesus, and in walking the way of Jesus, we’re being obedient to God.

“For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to Him.” Let’s remember that today, in all of our paths and in all of the ways we walk. Let’s remember that He is worthy of worship and praise. But more importantly, let us remember that worship and praise are simply expression of love. We don’t love our mothers and fathers out of duty, but out of the fullness of our hearts. Let’s take this great Lent and consider our love for God the Father. Let that love come from the fullness of our hearts, let our praise be love-songs. Let’s remember Him as the God who saves. For God speaks to us and says:

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,
passion fierce as the grave.
(Song of Solomon 8:6)

God's love for us is stronger than death, it has conquered death completely, it has slain death for us. Praise God and his most glorious Son Jesus Christ.

- JuandelaCruz

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The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 3:25,34-43
Psalm 25:4-9
Matthew 18:21-35

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Today Jesus speaks to us about the importance of forgiveness - how we must forgive each other before we can enjoy the Lord's forgiveness. In the spiritual domain, what we give, we will receive, what we hold back, will be held back against us....this is a universal spiritual truth.

So applying this truth.....if we hold a lack of forgiveness for another person....we are in effect condemning ourselves....as we judge so will we be judged. Holding resentment,judgment, lack of forgiveness against another contaminates our spiritual nature, creating a block which stops us receiving God's love and grace. Our willingness to forgive is not about the other person....it is about our ability to accept God's healing presence and to move forward in openness and communion -- this is the challenge.

Today, O Lord,
help us melt the hardness in our heart
so that we may be refreshed and renewed
and grow in your divine Love.

- Cliodhna Doyle
(clia at cliadoyle dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 15, 2004
Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:`
2 Kings 5:1-15
Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4
Luke 4:24-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“No prophet is accepted in his own native place.”

So we hear the voice of our Lord in today’s Gospel as He preaches to the people of His own land. The reaction He gets from them is a bit surprising, at first. But after some reflection it becomes no surprise at all.

In today’s first reading we see that during the time of Elisha only one leper is cured by God through His prophet and that person was a Syrian. As Jesus points out, in the time of Elijah during the long famine, only one widow is helped and she too is a foreigner. This occurs again and again in sacred scripture as one man of God after another is rejected by his own people only to be accepted by gentiles.

And this is where you and I come into today’s gospel. We are gentiles, born with original sin, plunged into the cleansing water of our Baptisms much like Naaman the Syrian into the Jordan. We accept the rejected Savior and He accepts us into His eternal kingdom.

- Don Claunch, sfo

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The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 14, 2004
Third Sunday of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Exodus 3:1-8,13-15
Psalm 103:1-4,6-8,11
1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12
Luke 13:1-96

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

God, who has no beginning and no end, certainly knows all of temporal history - past, present, future, and even the possibilities that will never take place!

So listen up as St. Luke's Gospel give us a news-bite for the day: about some Galilean "sinners" who came to a calamitous end, perhaps serving as an example to others who have been graciously given more time to get their 'act' together. Reaching back to ancient Psalm 103 we're reminded:

Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.

Indeed, this is so, as we hear a parable today from Jesus about the farmer who had a barren fig tree, but gave it another chance to bear fruit. Yes, God is that fig farmer patiently tilling the potential of our souls. Let us renew our efforts to cooperate with God's grace and resist the attraction of the world, the flesh and the devil. For now is the time of our salvation!

- Joachim, ocds

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The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 13, 2004
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Micah 7:14-15,18-20
Psalm 103:1-4,9-12
Luke 15:1-3,11-32

A reflection on today's Scripture:

Today's gospel is the beautiful story of the Prodigal Son. It provides us with a wonderful representation of God's mercy and love. Like the father of the Prodigal Son, our Heavenly Father desires to give us every good thing. So too, He will not interfere with our free will. He allows us to choose where we will go and what we will do.

Like the Prodigal Son, we often discover our choices have led us to heartache, sorrow and destitution. While we have been gone, God our ever-faithful Father has been waiting. He has watched and waited, ready to greet us with open arms. He is ready and anxious to forgive all our sinful and foolish transgressions. He is ready to restore us whole (and holy) into His presence.

God waits. He longs for us. He wants us back. Let us turn from meaningless paths that lead us astray. Let us go home.

- Donna Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 12, 2004
Friday of the Second Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 37:3-4,12-13,17-28
Psalm 105:16-21
Matthew 21:33-43,45-46

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

There are so many lessons that God teaches us through His Word. In the story of Jacob and Joseph, we see intense love; in the hatred of his brothers, we see envy for the love of the father for the son. This same envy is portrayed in the Gospel. How foolish is envy. We should rather praise our Father who loves so strongly. Yet, God uses our sin to yet accomplish His purposes. Jesus' horrible death on the Cross wrought our salvation.

Rather than envy love, we should try all the harder to merit the same love. Both the brothers of Joseph and the landowners of the parable are rejecting the love which the Father has for them. Hatred and envy cast out the love to which we are blind. But God does not stop loving those who hate. Rather, His providence is always devising ways to lavish greater love on the sinner. Eventually, Reuben and his brothers benefited immensely from Joseph's forgiveness. It was a manifestation of the overriding love of the Father Himself, even for those who hate. Nothing conquers love.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 11, 2004
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

Scripture from today’s Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1:1-4,6
Luke 16:19-31

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings. . .”

Just rest for a moment and consider the truth of that statement. Think about it for a moment. God isn’t cursing the person who trusts people. Rather He is telling us through His prophets that it is a spiritual law that if your trust is placed in human beings you are cursed -- you’ll be disappointed.

The greatest of servants fails. The most loving and trusted of people sometimes cannot do what we need. But nothing is beyond the power of God. God accomplishes all things necessary. If we trust in Him we cannot be disappointed because we’ll have all that we need for His service. We’ll never have all that we want, because want breeds more want. But God will make certain that we have everything we need in every particular.

But it is important to remember that what we’re given, we’re given to use for others. We’re not to hoard it and keep it to ourselves. Rather, we’re to be like artesian wells, allowing the bounty of God that comes from our trust in Him to flow out to everyone around us. Don’t put a cap on the well -- trust in God and serve others, and the well of Life-giving water will never run dry. You will be the servant of servants, and God will continually bless you and your service. For then your joy and your trust will be in the Lord -- and what greater blessing is there?

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 18:18-20
Psalm 31:5-6,14-16
Matthew 20:17-28

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture. . . .

The Son of Man has come to give his own life as a ransom for many.

Today’s readings contrast humanity’s selfish, sinful tendencies with God’s unwavering, self-giving love. Jeremiah, a young, immature prophet calls for God’s vengeance upon the Israelites plotting to kill him for delivering the Lord’s message to cease their sinning. Both Jeremiah and the Israelites had little knowledge of God’s truth and love. Their cry for vengeance only fuels the world’s never-ending cycle destructive to peace -- hatred which leads to violence that spawns revenge and results in an ever-deepening hatred.

The Psalmist, a more mature believer, doesn’t seek revenge against his enemies. He knows the loving and just God more intimately, so he fully entrusts himself to Him and asks for rescue, not revenge. This man accepts that all people and situations are in God’s providence, that whatever the results of his encounter with those hating him, he has no fear because he knows he remains, both in life and in death, in God’s hands.

Jesus in today’s Gospel predicts His passion, resurrection and establishment of His new kingdom. Typically human, the mother of James and John asks Him to assign them prominent positions there. She and her sons do not yet realize the price of suffering and even death that will be paid by Christ and His followers; the world despises those opposing its ways. Human insistence on being “number one”, refusal to make sacrifices for or concessions to others, and unforgiveness toward transgressors -- all give Christ and Christianity a bad name. When we choose self over God, bedlam prevails.

Blessed Redeemer,
break through the hardened shells encasing our hearts
and instill in us those virtues that lead to peace with You
and with one another. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, ocds
(mlbocko at borg dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
St. Frances of Rome, religious

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 1:10,16-20
Psalm 50:8-9,16bc-17,21,23
Matthew 23:1-12

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

God knows us so well, even to the point of knowing us before we were conceived in our mother's womb. He knows our strengths and human weaknesses, not just those of humankind in general, but our own individual tendencies. Why then, has the Church chosen these particular readings for today, in which we are reminded that we hate discipline, recite statutes and pray only with our mouths, not our hearts?

Many of us start off the Lenten season full of zeal and enthusiasm that WE will have a spiritually fruitful Lent and thereby feel full of consolations when it is time to sing the alleluias at Easter. God must be a bit amused, as He realizes that we use so little of the gift of faith that we have been given, and very soon we will be mouthing our prayers and acting as usual. The gospel reminds us that we must be humble, and if there is anything to be humble about it is to acknowledge that we cannot begin to have a spiritually fruitful lenten season without realizing our total helplessness to do so before God. Once we ask God to be in the driver's seat of our spiritual life, and if we cooperate with God's graces, maybe then we can more honestly join in the alleluias of Easter.

- Joan of Jesus, ocds
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)

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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 8, 2004
Monday of the Second Week of Lent
St. John of God, religious

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 9:4-10
Psalm 79:8-9,11,13
Luke 6:36-38

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

I’m always amazed at how the teachings of our Lord are contrary to the teachings of our society. For instance, in today’s gospel we’re instructed to “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The teaching of society would go something like: “Show no mercy, it’s a sign of weakness.”

Likewise, Jesus tells us to “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” While the world would tell us to “judge everyone, it puts you in a position of power. Condemn everyone for every petty offense they give and forgive no one for no one will ever forgive you.”

And lastly, the Lord says “Give and gifts will be given to you.” But the world says “be greedy and save up everything for yourself.”

Perhaps an effective way to follow Him is to do the exact opposite of what the world tells us to do!

- Don Claunch, sfo

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The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, March 7, 2004
Second Sunday of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
Psalm 27:1,7-9,13-14
Philippians 3:17--4:1
Luke 9:28-36

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today’s First Reading and the Gospel we hear mention of fear -- the “terrifying darkness” that Abram experienced and the overshadowing darkness on Tabor which made the apostles, Peter, James and John grow fearful.

These images of fear often resemble the fear we experience in our own lives, of the times when life-changes so impact what has been stable, that we’re thrown off base and for a time become uncharacteristically fearful. It is in these moments that we need to remember “the rest of the story.”

For we who believe, the rest of the story, what followed times of darkness, fear and confusion is an extraordinary manifestation of God. Let us not be afraid of darkness, uncertainty, or even things that by all human reason should make us fearful, but instead trust in God who is the Lord of creation and Lord of our lives (if we’ll allow it).

Bolstered with such an awareness we, like the psalmist, may say:

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear.(Psalm 27:1)


- Donna Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 6, 2004
Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Psalm 119:1-2,4-5,7-8
Matthew 5:43-48

A reflection on today's Scripture:

“Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

We're reminded in the first reading how beloved we are, cared for and desired. This love is honored by hearkening to God's voice, keeping His statutes and commands; yes, walking in His ways. His covenant is the promise of sanctity when our lives and our love for Him please Him. Today's psalm continues the message that hearts totally dedicated to God, lives that are lived blamelessly, obediently keeping the ways of His decrees, are blessed lives.

Finally, our Lord reminds us in the gospel, that to be children of our heavenly Father requires that we love as He loves us first; by loving beyond decrees and our natural inclinations, beyond those who return our love. We are invited to love as He does so perfectly, to love our enemies. This is the redemptive love that we have so generously received from the sacrifice of the cross and the new life of resurrection. When we suffer the pain of another's sin in love, we carry the cross they lay upon our shoulders; we must embrace and tenderly bring this through to a redemptive end: new life. We're sanctified and are enemies are redeemed. And sometimes we discover that like Simon the Cyrenean, our own lives are what is being redeemed -- we're forever changed.

Father you love us perfectly

Help us to love our enemies into redemption

We praise and thank you
for your endless mercy and ever-sanctifying love

May our lives resemble your love to others.


- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

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The Catholic Calendar for Friday, March 5, 2004
Friday of the First Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiel 18:21-28
Psalm 130:1-8
Matthew 5:20-26

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Lent is such a wonderful, positive time of opportunity. We're just into Lent one week, when we confront one of the most difficult situations of the Christian life -- love for our brother and sister. It's so easy with those who are gentle, gracious, and thoughtful. It's so difficult with the abrasive, rude, and selfish person. What a thorn they can be in our side!

But Jesus is persistent and serious about this commandment. We might just as well suspend the rest of Lent if we can't confront this issue today! Of course, we can't love and forgive on our own! Jesus never asked us to do it on our own. We can do it by using His power to love and His power to forgive.

And don't forget. Once we have forgiven and reconciled, once we have embraced this person into our family of brothers and sisters, we must keep them there -- and treat them as family. Alone, I certainly can't do it. But living in Jesus' presence, and clinging close to His attitudes, it's even a joy.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 4, 2004
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
St. Casimir

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Esther C:12,14-16,23-25 or 4:17 (Esther's prayer)
Psalm 138:1-3,7-8
Matthew 7:7-12

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“Ask and it will be given to you. . .”

Ask. Ask. Ask.

In other words, talk to God. Don't expect God to read your mind, even though He can. Ask Him directly for what you need. Humble yourself to admit and recognize your need. And then ask.

When you ask, you are opening yourself up to His healing action. Ask for what you think you need, and then accept what you actually need. Sometimes we think we need one thing and we actually need another. We are very confused and conflicted about our needs. We have not been taught to distinguish between needs and wants. Everything that we need will be provided, much that we want will not be.

So start today. Ask for what you need. First search within, ask for the help to find out what you need. Then in joyful hope approach the throne of grace and ask for it, in the assurance that whatever you need will be provided for you in abundance and overflowing.

- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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©1986-2004 The Way, The Truth, The Life

[Please note: Because I’ll be away tomorrow morning, I’m posting this meditation one day in advance. Everything back to normal on Thursday, God willing. --joachim]

The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, March 3, 2004
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent
St. Katharine Drexel, virgin, religious, founder

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,18-19
Luke 11:29-32

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture. . . .

“For at the preaching of Jonah they reformed,
but you have a greater than Jonah here.” (Luke 11:32)

Today’s readings echo Ash Wednesday’s message, the fragility of life and the importance of our abiding in God’s will and our reflecting His love and goodness to the world. Jonah was at first a reluctant messenger and later, mean-spirited, regretful of the success of his mission -- saving Nineveh from destruction by calling them to repentance of their sins. Selfishly it did not occur to Jonah that he should extend to others the same mercy God had shown him, freeing him from entombment in a whale.

Psalm 24 is the heartfelt cry of a sinner realizing his spiritual peril and begging our merciful God for cleansing and forgiveness. He sees that the only sacrifice acceptable to God is a “humble and contrite spirit,” one truly sorrowful for having hurt both God and man. The psalmist declares his need of a loving communion with God, seeking His Holy Spirit to teach, guide and strengthen him in life’s temptations and problems.

Jesus alludes to Jonah and compares Israel’s condition to Nineveh’s, but his age refuses to see its sin. His people resisted change, preferred to remain blind rather than accept His light, the love and truth that He, their Messiah, had shown upon them to lead them out of their entombment in sin. Will our present, highly dangerous age choose to be a Nineveh or a Jerusalem?

O Merciful God,
make us to seek Your light,
that we may repent of our sin,
resolve to live in Your truth and love
and avoid self-destruction
through willful blindness. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, ocds
(mlbocko at borg dot com)


The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, March 2, 2004
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 34:4-7,16-19
Matthew 6:7-15

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

“In prayer do not babble like the pagans. . . .”

During this Lenten season we may endeavor to pray more regularly and more fervently. We may add more rosaries onto our daily prayer routine or decide to take up another form of prayer. This is all good. Sometimes though, we need to be careful that our focus is not just on the achievement or completion of our daily prayer tasks, for in this there is no gift in itself. We need to remember that the real gift of prayer is that it keeps us centered on the present moment, where God is ALWAYS present. It takes us out of the mindless chatter of our mind, keeping us truly alert and reflective, opening our hearts to the abundance of love that God wishes to bestow on us.

- Cliodhna Doyle
(clia at cliadoyle dot com)

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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, March 1, 2004
Monday of the First Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Leviticus 19:1-2,11-18
Psalm 19:8-10,15
Matthew 25:31-46

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today’s first reading we get a taste of the law that God gave to Moses for his people. There were over 600 of these laws that the people of Israel were expected to strictly follow. But even though they had such a detailed law, they didn’t quite get it, did they?

You and are I are not subject to these 600 items of the law since it was all done away with by Jesus’ divine act on the cross. This should make things much simpler for us. But I submit to you that we are just like the Israelites that Moses led: we don’t quite get it.

As summarized in the first reading, the law boils down to one fine point - love you neighbor as yourself. Jesus also stated this as a truth. And how are we to do this, exactly? Well, Jesus outlines it pretty clearly in today’s Gospel. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the downcast, give drink to the thirsty. The consequences of not doing this are rather severe as Jesus points out.

As a lenten objective we should all strive to “get it.” In addition to going without meat on Fridays, fast and give what you would have eaten to the poor. Instead of watching TV every night, take a night and prepare meals at a mission for the homeless. Give your coat to one who has none. Spend time with those in prison or who are otherwise downtrodden. By doing these we are also doing it for our Lord, and this is the point of the whole law.

- Don Claunch, sfo

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