Wednesday of the Second Week

Reflection

Although I’d like to think I could relate to the prophet Jeremiah about feeling persecuted, that I’ve had people who wanted me to fall flat on my face, my circumstances just can’t compare. They wanted him dead. Not just a few naysayers either — it was all the citizens of Judah and Jerusalem. He cries out to God, Hey, didn’t I call out to you on their behalf? This is how they repay me? The citizens just didn’t get it. They didn’t want to hear what his voice had to say.

We’d like to think that God’s words for us will always come as angels singing. But if I think about it, I don’t think I can blame God for making me a little uncomfortable to get my attention. I think I’m probably a lot more like a citizen of Jerusalem — leave me alone; I know I’m right; I’m fine as I am, thank you very much — than I’d care to contemplate.

I can be outraged by James and John. Fools, weren’t you listening at all? But, as I walk this road, I’m not often thinking about how I can be someone’s “servant” or, even worse, “slave.” I tend to be busy concentrating on how justified I am.

Yet, hopefully, I can learn to listen a bit better, especially to those voices I don’t want to hear. Hopefully, rather than resenting the prophets in my life, I can pray with the psalmist, “Save me, O Lord, in Your kindness,” because I cannot save myself.

Prayer

“You are my refuge. Into Your hands I commend my spirit.” Help me learn to listen to the prophets in my life.

TJ Bird Matarazzo, ’98, Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Jeremiah 18:18-20
Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Tuesday of the Second Week

Reflection

Are we all Pharisees trying not to be? 

Matthew’s Gospel story today is about Jesus’ warning that heeding the law taught by religious leaders is good and right, but following their example is not the same thing. It was an easy leap for me to think of examples in our Christian church and heritage that exemplify the contradictions of faith taught versus faith practiced. Not so easy was the next step of identifying, in myself and others, the ways we do not live the faith we hear and profess. We don’t practice what we preach.

When I’m frustrated or angry with the behavior of others, behavior that is disrespectful, what do I do? Do I remember that God loves them as He does me? Perhaps I am wrestling with my inner-Pharisee and my unrecognized, but culturally present, sense of entitlement.

Am I a Pharisee who judges myself more important than others, or do I act as one of the least and in service to others? Do I think about the added burdens the other person has in his or her life? Do my words and actions dismiss or support my neighbor?

Isaiah, in these verses, presents God as tired of animal sacrifices, festivals, incense, and worthless offerings, asking who told them these were pleasing to God. Instead, what God wants is for His people to “put away your misdeeds…cease doing evil, learn to do good, make justice your aim.”  In the same vein, Psalm 50 points to the vanity of people professing covenants and commandments while offering sacrifices God neither needs nor wants. Rather, “those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me.” We’re reminded again to do what is important to God, not what we think looks impressive.

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for offering Grace and Truth in our hearts. May we become what we receive and live as Jesus taught. In His name, we pray. Amen.

Jan Hancock, M’12, P’99, P’09, Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20
Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23
Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Monday of the Second Week

Reflection

In today’s reading from Daniel, there are three important points that Daniel is making:

First, he is praising God for being loving, loyal, and merciful toward us. As Catholics, some of our main goals are to love God with our whole heart and soul and to try to do His will, regardless of what humanly burdens our fallibility brings.

The second point Daniel makes is that we knowingly depart from God’s will. He has given us laws to follow yet our daily actions fall short of pleasing God. In the reading, Daniel is confessing these faults for us and owning up to the fact that we are fallible. Also, he is alluding to the fact that God deserves better by saying, “Yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness…and we paid no heed to your command.”

The third point that Daniel makes is probably the most important. “We are shamefaced even to this day…we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you.” Daniel repeats twice that we are shameful and sorry for what we have done. We have knowingly failed to “live by the law [the Lord] gave us” and for this we are “shamefaced.”

In short, during this Lenten season, we should strive to be better than we have been so that we can come closer to God by strengthening our relationship with Him. We do so by following the instructions given in the Gospel: stop judging and condemning and instead, forgive and give so that we can have the same done unto us!

Prayer
Merciful Lord, forgive us for our wrongdoings this Lenten season and help us begin anew by striving to become closer to You. Help us to open our eyes to see what great things You have done for us so that we can do the same to You and others as we go about our daily lives.

Abbey  Beach, ’21

Scripture

First Reading: Daniel 9:4b-10

Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13

Gospel: Luke 6:36-38

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Second Sunday of Lent

Reflection

From the collection of stories and sayings, “The Desert Fathers”:

A certain brother came to Abbot Silvanusi, and seeing the hermits at work he exclaimed, “Why do you work for the bread that perisheth? Mary has chosen the best part, namely to sit at the feet of the Lord without working.” Then the Abbot said to a disciple, “Give the brother a book and let him read, and put him in an empty cell.”  At the ninth hour, the brother who was reading began to look out to see if the Abbot was going to call him to dinner. Hearing nothing, he went to the Abbot and said, “Did the brethren not eat today, Father?” “Oh yes, certainly,” said the Abbot, “they just had dinner.” “Well,” said the brother, “why did you not call me?” “You are a spiritual man,” said the elder, “you don't need this food that perisheth. You read all day, and can get along without food.” Hearing this the brother said, “Forgive me, Father.” And the elder said, “Martha is necessary to Mary, for it was because Martha worked that Mary was able to be praised.”
  

No matter how much we may desire to stay on the mountain like Peter in today’s Gospel, we have to “come down” to work and labor for the necessities of life. But, the Christian is called to see work as cooperation in God’s ongoing creative action and not a means to self-aggrandizement. Prayer allows us to enter into work as praise.
 
Prayer

“Give us this day our daily bread…”

Most Rev. Christopher Coyne, Bishop of Burlington

Scripture

First Reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 
Psalm 116:10, 15-19
Second Reading: Romans 8:31b-34
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Saturday of the First Week

Reflection

What does God ask of us? Today's readings offer us rich insight, and yet, I almost feel they can be a trap if you're not reading carefully. In the first reading, Moses reveals that if we follow the commandments of God, we will be God's people. That is, if “we observe them with all (our) heart…and soul.” The Gospel tells us to love our enemies and "be perfect...as your heavenly Father is perfect." Perfect?  Sure. So if we just follow the commandments and always do what's right, and in fact, be "perfect," then God will love us wholeheartedly. Easy.

 

Except that it’s not. In fact, it is impossible, for I always seem to be tripping on my ego, my insecurities, my blind spots, and my large warts. We can easily get caught up in this kind of nonsense, feeling unworthy somehow or that the bar is set impossibly high. Why bother trying for something if we can’t possibly attain it? And like that, we hold ourselves back from all God is offering us.

 

We are human and fallible and messy and God knew that when He created us. I have said to our children on a number of occasions, “I don't expect you to be perfect. I just expect you to try to be the best *you* you can be.” This is possible for our kids to understand only when they know we’re there for them, engaged and ready to talk and share and listen. But we, as parents, need to hold up our end of the bargain in order for them to trust in their potential.

 

It occurs to me that this is all God is asking of us. Simply this: God wants to be in a real relationship with us. God wants us to know we are loved beyond measure.  He wants us to rely on Him, and trust in Him, and in return, He wants us to love others in the same way, even those with whom we disagree.  And no, we’re not going to be perfect at it, but God’s goodness is offered to "the bad and the good...the just and the unjust." This love comes without strings attached for all of us – and the power of that love, if we choose to believe in it, engage with it, and let it form us, is what will give us the strength to live rightly, even in the face of suffering, pain, and difficulty. For we are all made in God's image, even if we are perfectly imperfect. 

 

 

Prayer

Good and gracious God, don’t let me cower in my imperfections, but help me to remember with You at my side, with You as my strength, the love I bring into the world can be transformational.

Heidi St. Peter, ’96, Assistant Director of Academic Support

 

Scripture

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Friday of the First Week

Reflection

Good behavior is always encouraged. God wants us to be good, our family and friends want us to be good, and the world expects us to be good. However, being good is not easy as we so often hear that the just man falls at least seven times a day. Our nature causes us to sin every day, therefore, we cannot be completely good. Sin also separates us from God and takes us further away from Him. So how can we develop a relationship with God if sin is in the way of being completely good and distances us from God? 

I think the first step is understanding how much God loves us. The readings for today remind us that no matter how bad our sin is or how far away we are from the path of God, He will always be waiting for us with open arms. We need to remind ourselves daily that His love for us is so great because He sent His only Son to die for our sins. The death of Jesus is what builds the bridge to God. We must never forget that God’s love is nothing like human love.  It is perfect and completely good. We are not perfect and being good is hard, but with the help of God, we can live a holy life.

Prayer

God, we thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to die for our sins. Please do not leave us alone. Walk with us every single day so that one day we may be with You forever. Amen.

 

Elizabeth Lopez, ’20

 

Scripture
First Reading: Ezekiel 18:21-28
Psalm 130:1-8
Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Thursday of the First Week

The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle

Reflection

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. We celebrate God handing the keys to the Kingdom to humanity. We remember our shared responsibility to care for one another by honoring dignity and being in solidarity with each other in the journey to Heaven.

In our Gospel, Jesus challenges the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They come up with all kinds of responses, but Peter comes out on top. When Jesus deems Peter correct, I like to think he was surprised. I don’t think Peter meant to be the rock of the Church when he answered this question. I mean, Jesus was always asking questions!

The Rock of our Church is the same man who is so overjoyed and eager to see Jesus that he miraculously runs on water towards Jesus. He is also the man who denies Jesus during the crucifixion. As we get to know our first Pope in Scripture, we engage with the rawness of humanity. What I love most about St. Peter is that, even with all of his messy emotions, God chose him. Just like God chooses us.

While proclaiming Peter’s new responsibilities, Jesus also says that what we bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Likewise, what we loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Looking to Peter as an example, I hope that we can engage in the rawness of our humanity and acknowledge what we bind and loose on earth. When we are willing to be vulnerable with ourselves and God, we create space for God to heal our hearts and open our eyes.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, be with me in my vulnerabilities, thoughts, and actions. During this Lenten season, help me to acknowledge what I should let go of, and what I should focus on as I honor the responsibility of caring for my fellow people.

 

Anna Boesch, Assistant Director of the M.O.V.E. Office 


Scripture
First Reading: 1 Peter 5:1-4
Psalm 23:1-3a, 4-6
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

 

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website