Saturday of the First Week

Reflection

In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses continues to instruct the people in the statutes and laws of the Lord which are perfect. What is so remarkable in this last book of the Torah is that these laws are given not as a reprimand but as the foundation of God’s covenant with His people. We have a God who calls us into relationship. He will be our God. We will be His people, a people sacred to Him as we keep His commandments.

In today’s gospel reading, Matthew tells us more about this covenant that God has made with His people. Just as Jesus loves us, he calls on us to love one another; to go beyond our bounds, beyond our comfort zone. It is not enough to love family, friends and others who gratify us. We must love our enemies. God is our perfect model of love as he “makes the sun shine on bad and good alike, and the rain to fall on the just and unjust.” The God who made and loves all of us, teaches us that we must love without discrimination.

The covenant God makes with us call us into a deeper relationship with Him and a love of others, even our enemies.

Prayer

God grant me the grace to love my enemies. Oh, how much more comfortable to find fault, to claim higher ground from which to look down on those I call enemy. I pray that you would move my heart this day to respond with love for all.

Jackie Lawson, M’89
Member of the Worshipping Community

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

Today’s readings lead us to the contemplation of justice. In our unsettled world, seeking and making our own peace with God’s sense of justice, and man’s sense of justice can be a challenging task. Ezekiel calls us to live righteously and repent our misguided choices, return to the warmth of God’s love, and strive to live out our days following God’s call. He writes about reconciliation, and this reading provides a guide for restorative justice, something the world is often in need of. The responsorial psalm reminds us that God does not keep score the way humans tend to. Yes, punishment awaits those who persist in their misguided ways, but forgiveness and redemption are the hallmark of God’s scorecard, not retribution. Truly it is never too late to turn to the path of God. Writing for a Jewish Christian audience Matthew has Jesus set a culturally high bar: the scribes and Pharisees were deemed the most holy of people in Jewish society at the time, and Jesus pointedly says that his disciples (representing all of us) must be better than they are. Matthew proceeds to give some practical examples of just how we might start to live this way; it is easier said than done.

Theodore Parker, an American abolitionist, coined the phrase "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. popularized it during his efforts in the civil rights movement. To-day’s readings encourage us to keep up the good work by looking inward and acting for the good of all.

Prayer

Father, these are trying times. Guide me in my faith to follow you, to repent my mis-deeds, and reform my behavior. Help me to find the understanding and humility to aid in bending the arc of the moral universe toward justice each day of my life. Amen.

John Devlin
Professor of Performing Arts, Theatre

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

Reflection

In the first reading we meet an anguished Esther, deeply concerned for the fate of the Jewish people and pleading to the Lord our God for protection. Calling on her commitment to the Lord, in defiance of her human overlords, she asks God to save the Jewish people. May we, as Christians follow in the way of the Lord, avoid false idols, so that He may hear our prayers.

The psalm today reinforces the message in Esther. “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.” His “kindness endures forever.” If we give thanks to the Lord and praise Him with all of our heart, He will answer our prayers.

Matthew tells us “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” We must be open to asking the Lord for help for our own needs. But Matthew also instructs on how we should be open to helping others as God is willing to help us with the golden rule — “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

Prayer

Lord, let me be open to your message and grant me the courage to act ac-cording to your will. Help me be open to helping others as you have helped me.

Tom O’Keefe, ’86
Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Psalm: 138:1-3, 7c-8
Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Wednesday of the First Week

Reflection

This passage from Jonah is a story about second chances, uncomfortable obedience, and the surprising power of repentance. God comes to Jonah again — not to scold him, not to shame him, but to send him back out. That “second time” matters. It reminds us that messing up or running away doesn’t end the story. God still calls, still trusts, still asks us to show up.

Jonah goes to Nineveh, a city so big and overwhelming it takes days just to walk through. And Jonah doesn’t exactly give a warm, inspiring speech. His message is blunt and uncomfortable: destruction is coming. No soft landing, no reassurance. And yet, the people listen. They take it seriously. Instead of arguing or ignoring it, they stop, reflect, and change. They fast, they put on sackcloth, and they humble themselves. Even the king steps down from his throne, laying aside power, comfort, and pride. Repentance reaches every level of society, from the greatest to the least, and even symbolically to the animals. Nothing is left untouched.

What’s especially striking is the king’s response. He steps down from his throne and admits he doesn’t have control here. There’s no guarantee things will turn out okay, just a hope that God might be merciful if they truly change. That “who knows?” feels very honest. It’s the kind of faith that doesn’t demand certainty, just trusts enough to try.

Lent invites us into that same space. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about paying attention, being willing to admit when we’re off track, and choosing to turn around — even if we’re unsure how things will end. And in the end, God responds not to dramatic promises, but to real change. This story reminds us that God notices our effort, meets us in humility, and is always ready to offer mercy when we turn back.

Prayer

God, thank you for not giving up on us and for calling us back when we wander. Help us slow down this Lent, be honest about what needs to change, and trust that you meet us with grace when we turn back to you.

Tanya Makhlina-Eckstein, ’10
Member of the Liturgical Choir

Scripture

First Reading: Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19
Gospel: Luke 11:29-32

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Tuesday of the First Week 

Reflection and Prayer

When I pray, I remember Jesus’s words to his disciples, urging us to avoid the empty babble of skeptics who think their many words will make them heard. Instead, Jesus reassures us that our Father knows our needs even before we ask. This brings me comfort and focus, reminding me that prayer is about sincerity and connection rather than quantity. I follow his guidance and recite the Lord’s prayer: acknowledging God’s holiness, inviting His Kingdom and will on earth, seeking daily sustenance, and asking for forgiveness while forgiving others. This prayer is a reminder of the importance of humility and mercy. Jesus emphasizes the power of forgiveness. This principle resonates deeply with me, reinforcing the need to practice compassion and understanding in my relationships. By forgiving, I open myself to divine forgiveness and peace. The prayer concludes with a plea for guidance away from temptation and protection from evil, guiding me to live a life aligned with integrity. Through these teachings, I find a personal way to connect, centered on love, forgiveness, and trust.

Noreen Pigeon, Lector

Scripture

First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11

Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19

Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

 

Monday of the First Week

Reflection

Our readings today have an obvious call to action: “Love your neighbor as yourself”, follow the Commandments, and do good works so that we can inherit the Kingdom prepared for us.

Be Good, Do Good. 
But there is more. What separated the sheep from the goats is that one group saw Jesus in strangers, in the naked, in the sick, in prisoners, and in those who were hungry and thirsty. It was the ability to see Jesus in others that made the difference, not just the act of ministering to the needs of others. 

We strive for a life of many small, hope-filled daily actions, seeing Jesus in those we meet, including immigrants, the elderly, the homebound, and the disabled. We share our time and resources in consistent small and direct or indirect actions to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the poor, welcome strangers, and aid the sick and the imprisoned. One sense we struggle with is the fine line between helping every needy person and being manipulated or being an enabler, but we can at least see Jesus in everyone we meet. We can also impact our local, state, and national leaders by sharing our votes to support those who believe in our call to action, and we can try to hold them accountable after being elected.

 Prayer

Lord, please send your Holy Spirit to inspire us to see Jesus in others. Please guide us to share our time and resources with the least of your brothers and sisters.

Amy and Andre LaChance, SMC graduates

Scripture

First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18
Psalm 19:8-10, 15
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

First Sunday of Lent

Reflection

My earliest images of the desert while growing up came through movies. Classic westerns often had characters traveling through the deserts of the western states while other movies had scenes in faraway regions such as the Sahara in Africa. In all these memories, I remember the desert being presented as a dangerous place where life was virtually nonexistent and those who traveled there were at risk. Intense heat and lack of water often took the lives of those who lost their way.

Yet into the desert Jesus goes before He begins His public ministry. In the three Gospel accounts of this scene, Mathew, Mark and Luke, all place it immediately after Jesus’ baptism. Jesus is declared the “beloved” and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as He is baptized. It is this same Spirit that leads Jesus
into the dangerous desert to face temptations and confront demons. It is as if Jesus was led into the desert to make a retreat to prepare himself for the public ministry that He was about to begin.

Jesus entered a risky space where there was no life to fight temptations to sin. This contrasts with the opening verses of Genesis where God breathes “the breath of life” into the formed clay to create life. Jesus’ journey in the desert is necessary for Him to become the giver of eternal life. This mirrors our Lenten journey to Easter.

We enter the desert of our own lives and discover our sins as Adam and Eve did. We face temptations and acknowledge those times when we have given in to sin knowing that on the other side of the desert experience awaits a merciful savior eager to forgive us and give us “back the joy of salvation.” This is the Lenten journey we begin as we prepare to celebrate life eternal at Easter time. Into the desert we go too!

Prayer

Almighty God, give us the courage to enter the desert so that we may know our sins and seek your forgiveness as we journey through Lent toward Easter. Amen.

Fr. Brian Cummings, S.S.E. ’86
Spiritual Director at St. Anne’s Shrine

Scripture

First Reading: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7
Psalm 51:3-6, 12-13, 17
Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19
Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Reflection

Isaiah provides us with a series of “If’s”: watch your speech especially if it is oppressive or malicious, feed the hungry, comfort the afflicted.  And if we do these “if’s” we are promised that we shall be in the light rather than in the darkness, and we will have the water we need for life.  Similarly to New Year’s when we might make a list of resolutions, Isaiah provides us with a map for our Lenten practices.

Isaiah also suggests a good title for ourselves that we might want to adopt this Lent, “Repairer of the breach” or “Restorer of ruined homesteads.”  What are the breaches in my life that I can repair or restore this Lent? Where do I need God’s grace to heal any breaches?  

In the Gospel, Jesus is the ‘Repairer of the breach’, he sits down at table with the unclean, the sinners.  The Pharisees, the pure ones, remain on the outside to criticize the actions of Jesus.  So, where do I want to sit? Do I want to be at the table with the undesirables, or do I want to stay outside the banquet room secure in my sense of righteousness?  May this Lent provide direction for where I should be.

Prayer

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Aline Paris, RSM, D.Min.

Scripture
First Reading: Isaiah 58:9b-14

Psalm 86:1-6

Gospel: Luke 5:27-32

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

 

Friday after Ash Wednesday

Reflection

Today’s first reading from Isaiah (58-1-9a) contains some concrete advice about how we might “fast.” This is especially important for this first Friday of Lent. How should we keep this day of penance, Isaiah asks. Not by hypocrisy or “…bowing our heads like a reed and laying in sackcloth and ashes…”, but by good works instead. His list of suggestions is familiar to every Christian, and a good reminder for everyone: “…releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” 

In modern tradition, the Catholic Bishops ask us to abstain from eating meat during each of the Fridays during Lent, except on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday when we are asked also to limit our food intake to the equivalent of just one full meal for each of those special days. 

According to Jessica Coblentz in U.S. Catholic “Fasting rituals are not legalistic obligations but rather collective rituals of self-denial aimed at imitating Christ.” Perhaps the most profound statement of the practice is expressed by Fr. Daniel Merz of the Conference of Catholic Bishops: “For the Christian, fasting is ultimately about fasting from sin.”

Cutting out meat and skipping a meal is pretty easy by comparison, but a good reminder of the life we are called to.  

Prayer

Lord, help me to live with many forms of fasting in my daily life and for those sacrifices to help me become a better Christian in all its magnificent manifestations.

Vince Bolduc
Professor Emeritus of Sociology

Scripture
First Reading: Isaiah 58:1-9a
Psalm 51:3-6b, 18-19
Gospel: Matthew 9:14-15

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

 

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Reflection

As we enter the Lenten season, today’s readings remind us that life in Jesus is about making choices. Luke first recounts Jesus foretelling His disciples what is going to happen to Him. Jesus tells us that to follow Him, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. This is not just about extreme suffering but also denying ourselves. This is most difficult today because we live in a culture that continually bombards us to indulge ourselves, but we must focus on letting go of anything that competes with God
for priority in our lives including self- centeredness, profit driven ambition and more. Honestly ask yourself if you are truly taking up your cross daily to truly follow Christ in love and faith.

In Moses last sermon before he died, he, too, talks about choices with stark contrasts on what we can expect if we choose to follow GOD’s commandments OR turn our hearts away, not listen and go astray. “Choose life” by loving God, walking in obedience to Him and the commandments. This again, is not easy in the world we live in as we are human and thus, sinners. Although it can be challenging to choose life, we must continually try by calling on the Holy Spirit for guidance, so we continue to carry our cross daily and walk with Jesus to our salvation.

Let us deeply reflect on our choices this Lenten season to choose life by carrying our cross daily. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for the strength, honesty, and courage to choose life leading to eternal life with you for “Blessed are they that hope in the Lord”. We pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen

Eileen Casey, ‘81

Scripture

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

Gospel: Luke 9:22-25

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

  Ash Wednesday

Reflection

Today, our foreheads are traced with the dust and ashes of the earth, with the judgement that “you are dust.” This of course is both factual and metaphorical or symbolic. Dust is all the same, one fleck no different than another, it blows where it wills. In scripture God tells us we are dust, but scripture also asserts that the Word became flesh (dust) and dwelt among us. This flesh, this dust embodied in Christ is also the flesh of our salvation. Dust moves from nothingness and death to life and eternity. At the same time, we experience our own weakness, the difficulties of living a virtuous life, the disappointments we experience in ourselves, our families, the church. And so, there is a dying and lying in dust we may feel on any given day. But this dying is not the last word. “You are dust” is not our future because God is involved with us and promises the depth of eternity, and thus there is hope.

This signing today with dust will have meaning in as much as each of us takes on those small “deaths” whereby we show patience with the boring and tedious in our lives; request forgiveness; live up to our convictions in face of opposition. If we die in the daily round of living and do so willingly in union with the passion of Christ, our everyday, ordinary lives will reflect the splendor and glory of Christ’s resurrection.

Prayer

Gracious God, you speak to us and reveal our origins as dust of the earth, but you have not finished speaking. You are with us each day and remain our hope against all hope. Abide with us on our Lenten journey and bring us to know the glory of the resurrection.

Edward J. Mahoney
Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies

Scripture

First Reading: Joel 2:12-18

Psalm 51:3-6b, 12-14, 17

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

 

  Join us on a Lenten Journey…

Lent is an incredible gift to us. Some of us receive it with eagerness as a time of healing and growth; others receive it with trepidation of the challenges and sacrifices that Lent can pose; still others receive it with indifference. And yet regardless of where we are in our spiritual journeys, we are all given an opportunity during these 40 days to turn our hearts back towards God and deepen our relationship with God and others in a special way. It offers a chance to take time to reflect on our lives and renew our commitment to open our hearts to God through prayer.

With this in mind, the students, faculty, staff, and members of the Saint Michael’s College worshipping community have come together to offer their reflections on the daily Scripture readings and what they are saying to us in our lives today...how they challenge and encourage us to feel God’s presence, love, and forgiveness each day during this sacred time. Each day of Lent, there will be a new reflection on this blog, based on the Scripture readings of the day, from Ash Wednesday through Easter. We encourage you to join us on a Lenten journey of reflecting and praying with us through this site.

We hope that these reflections are ones that inspire and help you grow deeper in your prayer life during the journey of Lent as we prepare for the Resurrection of Christ Jesus! May we be inspired to open our eyes and see God’s deep, unconditional love present in our lives.

Please note that these reflections are not intended to represent theological views or statements by Edmundite Campus Ministry or Saint Michael’s College, but rather are a compilation of reflections as written by members of the campus and wider community of worshippers.