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Lectio Sunday march 24, 2024

LECTIO DIVINA SUNDAY OF PALM, Cycle B

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7: «Therefore I hardened my face like a rock, knowing that I would not be disappointed (cf. Is 50:7).

 The prophet Isaiah presents us with the figure of the suffering servant, describing him as a «disciple and envoy» with a message of consolation: «He has given me the tongue of the initiate to speak a word of encouragement to the brokenhearted» (cf. Is 50:4), and goes on to say: «He has opened his ear to me. I did not resist nor did I back down, he has strengthened him to «Withstand the outrages and spittle of his assailants», certain that he would not be defrauded.» (Cf. Is, 50, 4;9a)

Psalm 22: «My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Ps. 22:1).

This psalm, in its interpretation attributed to the Elohist school, does not contradict the portrait of the suffering servant presented to us by Isaiah, certain that no matter how much he suffers, he will not be disappointed. Some hermeneuticists and exegetes suggest that, by putting these words in the mouth of Jesus in the torture of the cross, allusion is made to the prayer of the third hour that every Jew offered on Friday. He, associated with his faith, joins the psalmist, but he never feels abandoned or left by the Father, and even less so at the culminating moment of his sacrifice and surrender for love.»

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6 – 11

 «He took the form of a slave, making himself in the likeness of men. (Cf Phil, 2, 7) Jesus passed through the world as one of many, demonstrating to us that we were created for love and in the image of God and that likeness to Him is our daily task. Yet Jesus: «He did not boast of his status as God; on the contrary, he emptied himself and became a slave. Therefore God exalted him, giving him the name that is above every name.» (Phil 2:6-8).

Gospel, Mark 14:1-15; 47: «The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark is placed by its author and by its close link with Peter before the community of the Romans, whom Mark wished to strengthen in time of persecution with all his accounts. Mark presents Jesus in his passion as a model in suffering and as the savior of those who believe in him.»

LET’S LISTEN:

After reading Mark’s Gospel in its innumerable details to frame the context of the Lord’s passion, it is important to highlight an itinerary along which the Gospel leads us. It all begins with the detail of the meeting and the anointing in Bethany and the crisscross interpretations around the «waste of the perfume» to which some of his disciples allude, trying to persuade the others that it could have been better sold to distribute it among the poor.

Continuing this itinerary of the Gospel presenting the dialogue around the details of the preparation of the Passover supper and the story highlights the dialogue between Jesus and his disciples during it, triggering the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, the arrest of Jesus, the confrontation before Pilate, the torture of the condemnation, the scourging, the road to Golgotha with the cross on his back and finally the death and burial of Jesus .»

LET US CONTEMPLATE:

We all know the details of this story and its bloody denouement; but let us dwell on some clear expressions and contemplate from the memory of the heart these words letting them sink deep into our believing experience:

  1. «She has gone ahead to embalm my body for the burial».
  2. they promised money to Judas Iscariot.
  3. Where is the room where I will eat the Passover with my disciples? 
  4. «One of you will betray me, one who is here eating with me.
  5. «This is my body, this is my blood, the blood of the covenant.
  6. «Before the cock crows twice, you have denied me three times.
  7. «He began to feel terror and anguish». 
  8. «Take him and hold him fast». 
  9. «Thou art the Messiah, the Son of God».
  10. «I do not know this man.
  11. «What say ye? do ye want me to release to you the king of the Jews?
  12. «They put on him a crown of thorns which they had twisted together. They took Jesus to Golgotha and crucified him.
  13. «He has saved others, let him save himself.»
  14. «Jesus gave a loud cry, and breathed his last». 
  15. «Joseph of Arimathea rolled a stone at the entrance of the tomb.»

It is important to pause and allow these expressions to resonate in the depths of our being. Each word can confront our faith and strengthen our hope. 

ASK US

How can we actualize the Passion of Christ in our daily lives? How can we adhere to his sacrifice of love, without feeling that death on the Cross is a defeat?

INVITATION

In this time of grace that Palm Sunday inaugurates, let us dispose our hearts to actualize the mystery of the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection in our own lives. May these experiences help us to understand the redemptive meaning of suffering and above all to long with hope for the dawn of Easter and the encounter with the Lord of life who conquers death with his resurrection.

Sr. Sandra Milena Velásquez Bedoya, tc

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¨Women who leave their mark¨ Sister Doracy Pires de Oliveira: 40 Years of Devotion and Service to the Community

Born in Laranjeira do Sul, Paraná, Brazil, Sister Doracy Pires de Oliveira celebrates four decades of consecrated life as a Capuchin Tertiary.

Her spiritual journey led her to become a Vocation Animator for Brazil in the Congregation, where her dedication is guided by the values of daily prayer, listening to the Word of God and the sacraments, fundamental in her mission to serve with joy, faith and hope.

Despite the challenges she faced along the way, Sister Doracy always found the strength in God’s grace to overcome them.

 Her greatest pleasure lies in guiding people on their spiritual journey, witnessing to their commitment to the spiritual Church, and their commitment to the Kingdom and providing an environment for others to discern God’s call in their lives.

In today’s context, Sister Doracy sees her role as being a light to others, radiating love, compassion and gratitude in all that she does. Her service as an Animator has left a lasting impact on many young women, helping them to discover and follow their purpose with determination and faith. Her exemplary dedication and positive influence continue to inspire not only the religious community, but also society at large, demonstrating that love and kindness can make a difference in our world.

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Alaine present in Nikki (Benin)

Nikki is a village in the Department of Borgou, Benin, and is considered the capital of the traditional Bariba people.

The Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family, since March 25, 1996, have been present in the village of Nikki, Diocese of N`dali, Benin.  The mission is pastoral health care and promotion of women.  

We count on God’s providence through our benefactors who are a reflection of mercy, love, gratitude and generosity expressed towards our needy brothers and sisters.   In this opportunity we share the experience with the ALAINE Foundation, which every year comes to help the people accompanying the projects they offer among the basic needs of this foundation is the promotion of women.  Education and maternal and child health. 

The ALAINE Foundation was visiting the projects from February 4 to 14, the sisters welcomed them in the community and accompanied the inauguration of some projects.

Among them is that of Gore, Goupora, Kousoukou, which have been benefited with projects of schools and pumps to get water, many families are favored with these projects.  And in communion with the sisters this foundation has financed water supplies, helping to engage the population to start their own vegetable garden project to help in family nutrition, also so that women can benefit from the garden by obtaining some economic income. 

Sister Amelie Segbegnon, accompanied by the sisters of the community, is directly in charge of the administration of the projects in the Nikki community.  Amelie Segbegnon, accompanied by the sisters of the community. The sisters provide formative accompaniment to young women in the teaching of sewing and provide a teacher for the studies of those who cannot go to school.

Full of gratitude to see the joy of the women and children who are benefited, and the benefactors who share the bread through their dedication, time, financial means, their life, their love.  The sisters with the service they perform, their welcoming details, simplicity, love and joy.  They are a very visible sign of the Providence of God who always remains faithful in the protection of his people.  And as our Father Founder Luis Amigó says: «Love for people and love for God are like flowers on the same stem».  For everything and in everything, thanks be given to God the Father for his generosity. 

Delegation of Our Lady of Africa.

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In Lent – Perfume the head… (Mt 6:17-18)

We all know that Lent is a time of reflection, of change, of conversion. It is like a path of spiritual rebirth, moving towards the NEW FIRE in the Easter celebration. Often, this time of change goes unnoticed by each of us, as we settle for external attitudes of renunciation, fasting, penance, without allowing ourselves to be touched by the person of Jesus who impels us towards the other, allowing Lent to truly transform our lives.

Our existence undergoes several transformations; we are in constant change and we always give off AROMAS that attract or repel those around us. The time of Lent is the moment to look for the fragrance that can be a good aroma on the road we travel, so that it absorbs all our essence and lives intensely the logic of Lent, which is to RESURCISE.

GOOD FRAGRANCE puts us in tune with reconciliation with ourselves, with others and with God. This is the great path of Lent: RECONCILIATION. We need to ask ourselves constantly on this path: WHERE AND WITH WHAT, OR WITH WHOM SHOULD I RECONCILIATE?

On this path of inner transformation and renewal, we must leave behind the old habits so that the new man and the new woman are born in the heart. This rescues our look of hope for a new beginning, a new Easter.

Our current reality shows that we live in a culture of indifference, individualism, intolerance, prejudice… everything is transitory, and so, at times, we allow ourselves to be enveloped by this transience and miss the opportunity to live our day to day life more intensely as a blessing. Lent challenges us to RISE from our own ashes, to let go of the ephemeral and let ourselves be intoxicated by the FRAGANCE of the Resurrection.

«You are all brothers and sisters» (Mt 23:8), this is the fragrance that we must take leave of, experienced in this Lenten season. Our faith reminds us of this BROTHERHOOD, where the other is always brother and sister; without this awareness, there is no Easter.

Reflecting on the Passion of Jesus during this time, with its climax at Easter, warms and enlightens our being to reach this deeper connection with God, who invites us to be heralds of the message of mercy and hope, joy and love of this great Easter experience. May the experience of this Lent help us to «Enlarge the space of our tent» (cf. Is 54:2), opening us to the NEW FRAGANCE that impels us to continue seeking and building this new dream of fraternity.

We ask the Holy Spirit to sustain our march, to help us not to stop along the way, since we are pilgrims in this life. May He allow us to always give off the good fragrance, advancing along the Lenten path and infecting those who seek to feel in us the love of Jesus….

Lord Jesus, allow us to live this time as a grace and gift in changing our own way of being and being. It challenges us to go out of ourselves with all that distances us from You. It invites us to welcome your risen presence, leading us to live the Lenten walk in this inner desert, breaking our masks and opening ourselves to the birth of this new life, which is me. So be it.

Sister Julia Maria da Silva Irio, tc

Mother of the Good Shepherd Province

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MYSTICISM, PROPHECY AND TESTIMONY

Mysticism, prophecy and witness, three key words with which the text of the Inspiring Horizon begins and which I consider to be the pillars of our consecrated life today. As young consecrated men and women, it is likely that at times the word «mysticism» makes some «noise» to us. It is a term that is more or less distant from our times and, for that very reason, it seems somewhat difficult to awaken interest in young religious. However, it is not as complex as we think; it is closely related to spirituality and contemplation. Now, contemplation is a grace, a gift of the Spirit, of the Ruah of God that is born in prayer and makes us capable of discovering Him in everything and everyone. This is a truth that Francis of Assisi knew how to live and that is why it is said of him that he was «no longer only prayerful, but prayer» (2 Celano, 24-25. On the prayer of St. Francis), all contemplation. What was his secret? To allow himself to be embraced by the merciful love of God the Father and to know himself (and also to feel himself) the son and brother of all creation and, in it, human beings are naturally included. How good it would be to join Francis in singing: Praised be you, my Lord, for my brothers and sisters! Because that is what it is all about when we read that to be religious in today’s world is «a continuous exercise in the search to become sowers of universal soro-brotherhood» 1.

So, as a first point, it is fundamental to remember that as New Generations «on the move», to recognize this when we open our eyes in the morning and dispose ourselves to the life that is given to us, is a daily task. In this same line of approaching these three words, prophecy may seem a little more familiar to us. In fact, for the heart of a young consecrated person it tends to enliven the missionary and evangelizing fire, especially if we remember so many men and women who have been prophets on our Latin American soil, announcing and denouncing, walking alongside our people, and giving their lives for the Kingdom in often forgotten places (so many martyrs and missionaries! Casaldáliga, Romero, Labaka, Gerardi…). Las Mujeres del Alba: Las Mujeres del Alba: Reflexiones a partir del Horizonte Inspirador Nuevas Generaciones en «movimiento» MOVIMIENTO No 6 Hacia la utopía del Reino: un mundo de hermanas y hermanos ¬- (Women of the Dawn: Reflections from the Inspiring Horizon New Generations in «movement» MOVEMENT No 6 Towards the utopia of the Kingdom: a world of sisters and brothers).

And that’s good. It is very good. However, I believe that walking towards the utopia of the Kingdom implies, in the first place, to desire the way of being and proceeding of those women of the first Christian community, those of the dawn; that prophetic way of living from the Master that summons to soro-fraternity. That is the «where» of the Gospel that goes beyond a place, and is closer to what it means to be with Jesus in the brother and sister, in the other…To be in movement from the prophecy demands us to assimilate that we are children and brothers and sisters by the Son and with the Son, and, therefore, we are called to announce that which binds us: God is our Father, Father of all. And not necessarily from great campaigns (although it is also valid), but from the reality in which we are immersed: sometimes it will be among the poor, among children and young people, with the elderly, migrants… but at other times it will also be our turn to be brothers and sisters within our religious communities. Brothers, let us not forget the latter, because I believe that Jesus learned precisely how to be a brother, among those close to him, with his family, with the apostles, with his friends in

Bethany. From this experience of soro-fraternity in our religious family, we will go out to others, called, as Pope Francis says, to «try to meet each other, to seek points of contact, to build bridges, to plan something that includes everyone…»

(Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, num.16), and that something is the family that Jesus dreamed of for everyone: his Kingdom of love.

Finally, as we approach the third word, witness, we refer to the concrete, to what is palpable in daily life. At this point, it is good to look at Jesus who, being a Son, lived as a brother: «When I was with them, I took care of those you gave me in your name. I watched over them, and not one of them was lost…» (Jn 17:12). It is about a Jesus who loved and from that love lived and cared for others. As New Generations on the move, witnessing first implies loving, and from loving, living, walking, accompanying and caring for so many brothers and sisters that God has placed in our hands to make them sharers in his love. Therefore, let us make the utopia of the Kingdom a reality! It seems like a dream, but as Pope Francis said at the recent WYD in Lisbon: «Do not be afraid, be courageous, go forward, knowing that we are «amortized» by the love that God has for us…» (Pope Francis, XXXVIII World Youth Day, Welcoming Ceremony, Thursday, August 3, 2023).

Sister Iria Agreda, tc

Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe

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Lectio Sunday march 17, 2024

Lectio for the fifth sunday of lent

First Reading (Jeremiah 31:31-34): God announces a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the old covenant, written on tablets of stone, but God will inscribe his law in the hearts of his people. All will know the Lord and be forgiven of their sins.

Psalm 50: Invites us to ask God for a pure heart and to recognize our need for his mercy. May the Lord renew us from within and guide us in his ways.

Second Reading (Hebrews 5:7-9): Christ presents himself as the author of eternal salvation. In spite of his anguish, Jesus obeyed unto death and became the source of life for all who follow him.

Gospel (John 12:20-33): Jesus announces that the hour of his glorification has come. Like the grain of wheat that dies to bear fruit, he will also give himself for our salvation and by following Christ, we will find eternal life.

A new day begins and we wake up at dawn to listen and contemplate, both attitudes are fundamental to approach God and his will. Listening implies being attentive, receptive and willing to obey. Contemplating implies admiring, thanking and praising. Both attitudes help us to enter into communion with God and with others.

Listening.

Today’s liturgy is full of verses that renew the believer’s Hope. The Passover is approaching and therefore Jesus’ discourse is aimed at making the disciples aware of the end that awaits him and the blessings that his death will bring to all those who believe in HIM.

Contemplate.

Jesus uses the analogy of the grain of wheat to convey a profound spiritual truth to his disciples and to us. Here are some reasons why Jesus made this comparison:

Death and New Life: Like a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies, Jesus knew that his own death on the cross would be the crucial act that would give rise to new life. His sacrifice would not be in vain; instead of remaining alone, like an unsown grain of wheat, his death would bear abundant fruit.

Redemption and Salvation: The grain of wheat must die to release its potential for growth. Similarly, Jesus’ death was not a failure, but a redemptive act. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus offers us salvation and reconciliation with God.

3.The Way of the Cross: Jesus was aware of his destiny on the cross. By comparing himself to a grain of wheat, he taught us that the way to eternal life is through the total gift of self.

Invitation.

The analogy of the grain of wheat is also an example of Humility and Obedience because the grain of wheat does not resist its destiny; it falls to the ground and dies. That is why we ask ourselves:

– Do you humbly accept the Father’s invitation to listen to his Son (Mk 9:7b)?

– Is every day a new opportunity to set out on the road?

– Do you live each day the call of Jesus to conversion? What gestures show this?

– What areas of your life need transformation? What must you let «die» in order to experience new spiritual growth?

Prayer.

May these readings inspire us to live with hope and to follow Jesus, who shows us the way to true life. Amen.

S. Mariulis Grehan, tc

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Lectio Sunday march 10, 2024

4TH SUNDAY OF LENT, <<LAETARE>>, CYCLE B

Every year the Fourth Sunday of Lent, wearing pink, makes us realize that we have already walked more than halfway to the joy of Easter. The entrance antiphon of the Eucharist begins with the invitation «Laetare, Ierusalem», that is «Rejoice, O Jerusalem…» (Is 66:10). The liturgy of the Word of this day will remind us of the deep and inexhaustible springs of joy that God himself brings forth in the midst of every reality in which we live.

First reading – from the second book of Chronicles 36, 14-16. 19-23

God is still determined to walk with his people, even when they do not correspond to him. And when all seems lost (the temple destroyed, the people exiled…) God makes a new hope rise from the ruins. And he does it by a surprising, unexpected way: through someone outside the chosen people: Cyrus, the king of Persia. God’s faithfulness and mercy reach far beyond what we are capable of perceiving. Is this not a reason for profound joy?

Psalm 136:1-2. 3. 4. 5. 6 R. The psalm is a lamentation of the people in exile from Babylon. The refusal to sing the songs proper to Zion (of the temple) in a foreign land and for the amusement of the oppressor is intertwined with the purpose of not forgetting the Holy City «summit of joys». Cultivating the memory of the sacred places of our personal salvation history can help us to stay connected to what grounds us, even in the midst of the banishments we also experience at times.

Second reading – from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 2, 4-10

St. Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus (and to us) insisting that salvation is something that is already present («you are saved») and is a free gift of God («by pure grace»), whose love reaches further than sin («because of the great love with which he loved us, when we were dead because of sins, he made us alive again with Christ»). Salvation, grace, faith, love… These are words that we still use very often today. Let us allow them to touch our hearts again today, on Laetare Sunday, and fill them with joy.

Gospel according to John 3:14-21

In this Sunday’s Gospel pericope we hear part of Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a Jewish leader. The dialogue takes place at night, shortly after Jesus’ prophetic gesture in the temple. We are struck by the clarity with which Jesus speaks to Nicodemus of his death, of the salvation and light that he brings to humanity. In fact, we meet Nicodemus only twice more (and only in the Gospel according to John). It will be Nicodemus who will insist to those who wanted to kill Jesus that no one can be condemned without trial (Jn 7:50-52) and then who will bring myrrh and aloes for his burial (Jn 19:39). Jesus entrusts his being, his mystery also to people who are insecure, searching, doubtful, undecided… To Nicodemus, to his «hidden» dialogue with Jesus, we owe the great news that «God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through him might be saved.» Is this not a reason for hope and joy?

Contemplate

  • GOD IS SALVATION. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of one of the events that took place during the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land: «Moses made a bronze serpent and placed it on a standard. When a serpent bit someone, he looked at the bronze serpent and saved his life» (Num 21:9). He warns that «As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life». Lent places before our eyes Jesus crucified. And we can only accept the invitation to look at him and let ourselves be saved by him. God really cares about our salvation and wants it even more than we do: he wants us to live in his love forever. Let us look at Jesus and let ourselves be looked at by him.
  • GOD IS LOVE. And because he loves the world, every person, every creature with an immeasurable love, he gives us everything: «God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through him might be saved». Sometimes we fall into the temptation of thinking that God is very focused on looking at and searching for our sins, our faults, imperfections… And it is quite the opposite: he is very focused on loving and saving us. Surely we have the experience of feeling loved by someone (parents, grandparents, siblings, husband, wife, a friend…). And we know how valuable this experience of a free and sincere love is, even though it is so human…. How much more God’s love? It can do us good today to pray, to dialogue with God about his love and about our belief?
  • GOD IS LIGHT. And it is significant that Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, who comes in secret and at night, about the light: «he who works the truth comes to the light, so that it may be seen that his works are done according to God». Nicodemus seems to have doubts: he perceives the truth that Jesus brings, but he is not yet able to give himself to it with full decision, in broad daylight. It happens to us too: we approach God with greater courage when we are able to name our truth, whether it is beautiful, poor or even shameful. We can be sure that Jesus also wants to speak to us, to remind us of the salvation, love and light that he brings. Let us give ourselves, on this journey towards the light of Easter, the experience of drawing close to God, of letting ourselves be illuminated by his light, of standing before him with all our truth.

Invitation

God’s salvation is already present in the reality of our lives. And while we could perhaps more easily name causes to be concerned about the reality of the world or our personal reality, faith invites us to joy: «Rejoice, O Jerusalem». Let us welcome the invitation to encounter Jesus in the midst of our nights, to welcome God’s love for us, to experience his salvation that reaches beyond what we are able to perceive, and to walk in his light and truth. Today is an excellent day to connect with the deepest wellsprings of our joy and happiness and to rest in God who is SALVATION, LIGHT AND LOVE.

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Lectio Sunday march 3, 2024

3RD SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE B

First Reading, Exodus (20:1-17): God once again takes the initiative to establish a special RELATIONSHIP with his people, a covenant – this is what this first reading of today’s liturgy reminds us. God in some way puts himself within our reach, allows himself to be taken to heart: «I am the Lord your God» and draws before the people an image of peace, justice and mutual respect that we know as the Decalogue. It can help us to look at it not so much as «commandments» as «promises»: God tells us that if we accept him as Lord and God among us there will be no theft, adultery, lies or betrayal. The covenant demands me, but it also protects me. It is one of the expressions of God’s love for us, his people.

Psalm 18, 8. 9. 10. 11: The psalm is a song full of gratitude for the law with which the Lord instructs us. The experience that the psalmist transmits to us can also be done by us remembering our RELATIONSHIP with Him: the moments in which the Word of God has been for us «rest», the «light» that the Lord has given us in some moment of doubt or darkness, the «sweetness» that we have experienced in our relationship with God… It is an invitation to sing from our heart «Lord, you have the words of eternal life».

Contemplate

Jesus and his disciples went up to Jerusalem, probably singing, as was the custom of the pilgrims, one of the psalms: «What joy it was when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord (…) to celebrate the name of the Lord'» (Ps 122:1,4). But if we try to unite ourselves wholeheartedly to the group of Jesus’ disciples who enter the temple with their Master, perhaps we will be able to perceive how strange he felt in the temple. In Jesus, God comes «to the end» to humanity. Gratuitously, even «in spite of everything». And humanity does not try to «celebrate the name of the Lord» but to buy it. The temple, which was to be a sign of the covenant with God (relationship!), becomes «a marketplace». The evangelist tells us that the disciples, upon observing Jesus, remember another very different psalm: «The zeal of your house devours me» (Ps 69:10). If today the disciples of Jesus were to enter with us into our temple, our space of encounter with God, what psalm would they intone? What would they sing when they reached our hearts?

If we read the text carefully we can see that what is directly affected by Jesus’ indignation are the sheep, the oxen, the coins, the tables of the money changers and perhaps the stalls of the pigeon sellers. Things. Not people. For people there is always room in the Father’s house. With his gesture Jesus makes it clear that in relationship with God we do not need to bargain, to exchange something for his favors. God desires a personal RELATIONSHIP with us. What he wants is that we «celebrate his name» and that we let him enjoy us. And that our life be enkindled, enlightened, beautified in relationship with Him.

The word «temple» appears several times in this Sunday’s pericope. St. John points out the difference in the understanding of its meaning between the Jews and Jesus. The former speak of a building built over 46 years and which has replaced the previous ones. Jesus speaks first of «my Father’s house» and then of «the temple of his body». The former went from considering the temple as a place of encounter with God to converting religion into commerce and the temple into a marketplace. And it is also a temptation for us to want to «earn God’s favors» by mark of… Jesus points out, in this prophetic gesture that he makes, that now, it is not a building, but he himself is the place of encounter with the Father.

And of course we need concrete spaces (churches, chapels, oratories…) that help us to pray. But it is precisely their role is to facilitate silence and the encounter in communion of brothers and sisters, to enter into the heart of Jesus and with Him into the heart of the Father in the Holy Spirit. There we all find ourselves: in RELATIONSHIP with Jesus, in His Heart.

Invitation:

The whole liturgy of the Word this Sunday makes us an invitation to review our RELATIONSHIP with God. And perhaps it would do us good not so much to think about it as to ask Jesus what he would say to us today. Perhaps there is also in our heart some ox (or a small and shiny coin…) with which we want to negotiate with God. It is good that we allow ourselves to be reminded by Jesus that his love is gratuitous, merciful and goes to the extreme, beyond our misery. Let us look at Jesus crucified and learn from him what God is like (and how he is a fully human person).

Sr. Alicja  Grzywocz , tc

Province of Nazaret

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Lectio Sunday, february 25, 2024

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE B

First reading: from the Book of Genesis (22:1-2,9-13,15-18). This reading presents us with the story of the sacrifice of Isaac, Abraham’s only son, whom God asks to offer him as a burnt offering. It is a test of faith and obedience, which Abraham overcomes with trust and generosity. God rewards him with a great blessing and a promise of numerous and blessed descendants. This reading invites us to reflect on our own faith and our willingness to follow God’s will, even when we do not understand it or find it difficult.

Psalm 115:10,15,15,16-17,18-19. The psalm is a thanksgiving of a faithful person who has been delivered from death by the Lord. He expresses his gratitude and his commitment to serve God and to fulfill his vows in the presence of all the people. The psalm encourages us to recognize God’s benefits to us and to offer him our life as a sacrifice of praise.

Second reading: from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (8:31b-34). This reading shows us the certainty of the victory of Christians over every adversity, thanks to the love of God manifested in Christ. If God is with us, who will be against us? If God has given us his Son, how can he not give us everything else? If God justifies us, who will condemn us? If Christ died and rose for us, who can separate us from his love? This reading strengthens us in our hope and trust in God, who loves and saves us.

Gospel: according to St. Mark (9:2-10). This reading narrates the episode of the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, before three of his disciples: Peter, James and John. Jesus appears glorious, clothed in white robes and surrounded by Moses and Elijah, who represent the law and the prophets. A voice from heaven proclaims that Jesus is the beloved Son of God and must be heard. The disciples are astonished and terrified, and remain silent until Jesus rises from the dead. This reading reveals to us the identity and mission of Jesus, the suffering and glorious Messiah, and invites us to follow and listen to him.

A new day begins and we wake up at dawn to listen and contemplate, both attitudes are fundamental to approach God and his will. Listening implies being attentive, receptive and willing to obey. Contemplating implies admiring, thanking and praising. Both attitudes help us to enter into communion with God and with others.

Listen

Today’s Gospel places us on Mount Tabor, the place where Jesus is transfigured before Peter, John and James. Let us contemplate this passage welcoming the depth of the experience of which God makes us witnesses; his clothes were glistening, very white as snow (Mk 9:4), Moses and Elijah appeared (Mk 9:4), a cloud covered them and from heaven a voice was heard saying. «This is my beloved Son, listen to him» (Mk 9:7b).

Contemplate

We continue the Lenten climb and the opportunity to allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit into the desert and accompany the Lord to a solitary place remains vital in today’s liturgy of the 2nd Sunday of Lent. Let us look at the text from four keys that will help for reflection:

1) Willingness to go up. The text begins by alluding to the ascent of the mountain where Jesus takes three of his friends (Peter, James and John). Like the disciples, it is important to make this route of ascent, because when we prepare ourselves for the journey we encounter the fatigue of daily life, where the need to return, to do penance, to listen to the pain of the heart that lives on spiritual rents is revealed. It is important to go up because the call to conversion is made to us by the Lord walking with us, being, working and listening in our daily life.

2) We are not alone as in the desert, but we are accompanied by Jesus and our brothers and sisters, because conversion arises from the encounter with others. To review the relationships with oneself, with God, with nature, with the neighbor, is the secret, because in that daily exchange Love and the firm purpose of serving the Lord is manifested.

3) Jesus also sets out on this journey because he needs to be reunited with his Father and with himself. On Mount Tabor, Jesus receives the confirmation of his Mission; not only does he see Elijah (the Prophets) and Moses (the Law), but he hears the voice of his Father who envelops him and gives him a foretaste of the glory and the cross.

4) This is my son, listen to him! The transfiguration is a gift for the believer, because we do not walk blindly but we know well what is the destination of our conversion process: the experience of the encounter with the glorious Jesus, who looks at us with love and consoles us, dispels our doubts, fears and disappointments. He shows us his shining face, which anticipates the glory of the resurrection and eternal life. He invites us to listen to his voice, which reveals his will and his word.

Invitation.

Pope Francis said, «the culmination is not only to attain the grace of forgiveness and the experience of the Father’s love, Lent also allows us to forge the will to put the means to keep the heart centered for inclined to sin we will always be, but we can choose to stay with HIM.» We ask ourselves:

  • How is your relationship with yourself, with others, with God, with creation?
  • What did Jesus need to hear according to today’s Gospel? What could Elijah and Moses have said to him?
  • What does the Father want you to hear from Jesus?

Intention.

Let us ask the Lord that we may continue on the path of conversion.

S. Mariulis Grehan, tc

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Lectio Sunday, february 18, 2024

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT, CYCLE B

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15. God establishes a covenant with Noah and his descendants after the flood, and establishes the rainbow as a sign of his faithfulness and of his promise not to destroy the earth again with water.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24. It is a psalm of trust in the Lord, who is the guide, the savior and the forgiver of his people. The psalmist asks him to teach him his ways and make him faithful to his covenant.

Second reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22. The apostle Peter reminds us that Christ died for our sins and rose again for our salvation. He is the model of our faith and of our baptism, which unites us to him and makes us sharers in his victory over evil.

Gospel: Mark 1, 12-15. The evangelist Mark tells us how Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the desert, where he was tempted by Satan, but also assisted by the angels. After the imprisonment of John the Baptist, Jesus began to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, calling to conversion and faith.

A new day begins and we wake up at dawn to listen and contemplate, both attitudes are fundamental to approach God and his will. Listening implies being attentive, receptive and willing to obey. Contemplating implies admiring, thanking and praising. Both attitudes help us to enter into communion with God and with others.

Listen

We read in the Gospel «After this the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert» (Mk 1:12), «There he lived for forty days among the wild beasts, and was tested by Satan; and the angels ministered to him» (Mk 1:13). «After John was put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee to preach the good news from God» (Mk 1:14). He said, «The time has come, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Turn to God and accept in faith his good news» (Mk 1:15).

Contemplate

As we cross the threshold of Ash Wednesday, we enter into the midst of the Lenten season. Today’s Gospel is brief but profound in meaning. The opening sentence tells us, «The Spirit drove Jesus into the desert, and he stayed in the desert forty days.» This is Lent: 40 days in the desert. The word «Lent» comes from the Latin «quadragésima», which means precisely «forty». This time evokes ancient biblical events loaded with spiritual symbolism.

  • 40 years of pilgrimage of the people of Israel through the desert towards the Promised Land.
  • 40 days of Moses’ stay on Mount Sinai, where God renewed the covenant with his people and gave him the Tablets of the Law.
  • 40 days that Elijah traveled through the wilderness until he met the Lord on Mount Horeb.
  • 40 days that our Lord Jesus Christ spent in the desert praying and fasting, before beginning his public life that would culminate on Calvary, where he would bring our redemption to completion.

In this passage (Mk 1:12-15), we contemplate two fundamental aspects: the desert, where Jesus prepares himself for his mission, and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, which demands conversion and faith.

The desert, in biblical literature, is not only a physical place, but also a spiritual symbol. It seems that God chooses this setting to carry out his works of salvation. The desert is arid and inhospitable, but it is also a place of encounter with the divine. It is a symbolic and profound place. It is the place where God’s people suffer, are tested and purified, but it is also the place where God reveals himself to his people and saves them.

It is a place of solitude, but also of encounter with God’s love. It is a place of desolation and also of Hope. It is the place where I want to go because «God will speak to my heart and win me back» (Hos 2:14). In the desert we see God as He is and He looks at us as we are. It is the place where I allow myself to experience weakness and recognize that «Mercy is the name of God» (Pope Francis).

Welcoming the call of the Spirit to the desert and conversion begins with accepting the call to holiness and to live the Gospel as St. Francis once expressed it: «This is what I want; this is what I seek; this is what I desire with all my heart to do» (cf. 1Cel 22). It is not an idea, it is the firm will to take the step to experience in order to configure one’s own feelings to those of Christ in such a way that prayer and one’s own life go from superficial foundations to the point of saying «it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me» (Gal 2:20).

Conversion is a demanding path, which implies renouncing and fighting against everything that distances us from God. But it is also a path of mercy, which brings us closer to Jesus and to following him. During these days, the Church invites us to practice the spiritual works of mercy (Teach those who do not know, Give good advice to those who need it, Correct those who are in error, Forgive injuries, Comfort the sad, Suffer with patience the faults of others, Pray to God for the living and the dead, and pray to God for those who are alive, To pray to God for the living and the dead) and corporal (To feed the hungry, To give drink to the thirsty, To give lodging to the needy, To clothe the naked, To visit the sick, To help those in prison, To bury the dead) as signs of our conversion.

Invitation.

We ask ourselves:

Are asceticism, almsgiving, fasting, prayer, penance and confession means that help you to deepen and live meaningfully Lent, which is a time of grace and gift? What is my purpose at the beginning of Lent? What does it mean for you to live in an attitude of permanent conversion?

What do you think of this phrase of Pope Francis? «Without recognition of your own sin you cannot receive Mercy». 

Intention.

Let us contemplate today’s liturgy from the desire to be with Jesus, to know his heart, to love him and to follow him. Let us ask the Lord to impel us with his Spirit into the desert.

S. Mariulis Grehan, tc

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