Monday of the First Week

Reflection

During Lent each year, I often reflect on the question, what am I DOING?  Not so much on the question what am I not doing.  And with that in mind, I often talk to my kids about making a Lenten promise to themselves to do something proactive and positive, not simply avoiding doing something.  When they were little, that would look like complimenting my sister (doing) as opposed to not eating candy (not doing).  As they have gotten older, this conversation has evolved into chats about how do I want more in this world?  What I DO is who I AM.  I, of course, am still challenged by this premise myself. 

In today’s readings, we are given a lot of directives on what not to do (you shall not...), but Jesus tells us exactly what to DO as well.   In short, He implores us to take care of each other.  “Amen I say to you, whatever you DID for one of these least brothers of mine, you DID for me.”  What is missing from Jesus’ guidance to us today is any sort of qualifier.  He did not say love your neighbor as yourself, when it is convenient for you to do so.  He simply said love your neighbor as yourself.  And, in this act of LOVE, is an act of DOING!  We might find this act of doing in the simple compliment of a sibling or the more complicated act of ministering to those in prison and everything in between.  But it seems clear to me in today’s readings that Jesus has called us to DO and ACT! 

Prayer

Good and gracious God, help us to act with kindness always and love constantly.  Walk with us.  Guide our hearts and minds as we love our neighbor as ourselves.

Jeff Vincent, ’93, M’15, Assistant Dean of Students

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

I’m blown away by the intimacy and harmony of God’s relationship with Adam and Eve at the beginning of the first reading. It’s a relationship in which the absolute dependency of man upon the God who breathed life into him is embraced, in which the abundant gifts of the loving Father were received with joy by children who knew that they could trust their Dad. But as both the rest of the passage and our own daily struggles make clear to us, this trusting and harmonious relationship did not go on uninterrupted. When, like Eve, our faith and trust in our good Father is challenged, we often find ourselves unable to resist the temptation to grab after control and security for ourselves, allowing this fear to slowly close our hearts to God.

Yet as quick as we are to turn away from the Father, He is even quicker to offer us forgiveness, mercy, healing, and love, as we are told in the second reading. God matches our small-minded, fearful, grasping tendencies with “the gracious gift” of His “abundance of grace;” all we have to do is to open our hearts to receiving it!

Jesus shows us the way in the Gospel, giving us a model of true faith, trust, and obedience that breaks the chains of our self-defeating cycle of sin. He shows us that we can trust in our good Father, and that, by relying wholly on Him, we can be set free to accept His gift of salvation. 

Prayer

Lord, open our hearts to Your unending, unearned love and mercy. Help us to follow Christ’s example, so that we, too, may learn to trust in You with reckless abandon, and may ready ourselves so that we might receive Your abundant and gracious gift with grateful hearts. Amen.

Miriam Pritschet, ’17 

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

“Follow me.” 

It sounds like a simple request, but when we look at the lives of those who have done exactly that, it’s certainly not easy.  Throughout history, faithful people walked away, leaving everything behind–wealth, jobs, even family– in order to do God’s will.   I don’t know if we are all called to go to that extreme, but I do think we’re asked (as one hymn says): “to die to self and chiefly live by [God’s] most holy Word.”

Again and again, God calls on us to give up our selfish, petty ways and follow Him.  Again and again we keep doing our own thing, oblivious, focusing instead on our Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat followers. We must drive God crazy. 

As a parent, I appreciate how frustrating it is to have to repeat simple requests.  “OK, kiddo, time to brush your teeth.”    “Please put the book down, it’s time for teeth.”   “Are you listening to a word I am saying? TEETH!”

Like children, we often ignore God’s call...until we find ourselves in need.  Then, like children, we badger God with our petitions: “Listen to me!  Answer my prayer!”  With infinite grace and patience, God repeats what we need to hear:  “Follow me.” 

It’s not easy, but during this season of reflection, perhaps we can all try harder to act like grown-ups, to listen and respond to God’s call, and to be nourished by it.  “Follow me.”

Prayer

Dear Lord, like a loving parent, teach us to listen.  Help us to hear Your call, to follow the path You have prepared for us, and to delight in Your ways.   Amen.

Helen Donahey, Administrative Assistant, Office of the President

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

As part of a global faith community that preaches about loving “the stranger,” sometimes, I don’t think we’re living up to our expectations. I think we relate to the people from the first reading, more than we care to admit. In our first reading, God’s people are crying out, and begging God to listen to them. They tell God they’re fasting and praying like they’re supposed to. At the same time, they’re pointing fingers at each other and ask God to validate their judgments. But the Lord sees right through that. He says, “Do not fast as you do today to make your voice heard on high!” (Is 58:4) I find myself asking, When I do things, is it simply to be noticed and check a box?

Then we learn that the fast God calls us to instead includes breaking the bonds of injustice, freeing the oppressed, fighting against the exploitation of workers, sharing our meals with those who are hungry, inviting people who are homeless into our homes. To me, this is God calling us not to fast from food, but to fast from unjust actions.

During this Lenten season, this leaves me thinking, Whom do I share meals with? Whom do I invite in? Do I see the fullness of human dignity in every person, or do I choose whose dignity I want to see?

Then, when I bring it to prayer, in the quiet of my heart, I hear God say, “Focus on Me.  Focus on loving my people in all the little ways you have control over. Invite the new student out for dinner. Have a conversation with someone who’s alone. Be aware that every action you have impacts another.  And when you do these things, you’ll know I’m with you.”

Prayer

During the Lenten season, help us to focus on the fasting You’ve asked of us by standing up for our most vulnerable and inviting them to sit at the table with us.

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

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

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Reflection

In the first reading, the theme that stands out to me is that God has given us the Ten Commandments as a way of growing closer to Him. The first commandment is “thou shalt put no other gods before me.” No one is perfect, and we can get easily distracted in our everyday lives. But here lies the problem. Our everyday lives can be filled with schoolwork, our job, family, friends, and the daily stresses of life. As important as each of those are, we are reminded that God is supposed to be a part of our daily lives. Not only should He be a part of our lives, but He should be number one in our lives. With simple daily reflection and prayer, we can come to put God as the number one priority, and soon our thoughts and actions will begin to reflect God and His love for us.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells us, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” We are all called to follow Jesus, and we must symbolically pick up our own cross daily and follow Him.  During this Lenten season, it is important to realize what it means to take up our own cross. For some, it might just be finding a little more time spent in prayer. For others, it might be realizing what earthly distractions are keeping us from growing closer to God or how we can show love to those around us. Since Lent is a time of reflection and preparation for Christ's resurrection, now is a great time to begin to practice taking up our crosses daily to follow Him.

Prayer

Dear Lord, Help me to realize what distracts me from Your love. Help me to realize how to take up my own cross, and give me the strength to deny myself for You.  Amen.

Mitch McDonald, ’20

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

The season of Lent is now at hand.  Our long path through the desert is laid out before us. This day, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of our forty-day journey towards the Lord and eternal salvation through His death and Resurrection.  There is undoubtedly an abundance of imagery that reminds us of the Lenten season.  The first reading alludes to some of these saying: “with fasting, and weeping, and mourning…Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly, gather the people…” The Scriptures call us to gather together as a Catholic community to examine ourselves and renounce sin with an open heart. 

However, it is the words of the Gospel that summon a distinctly different image of our task this Lenten season.  Jesus tells His disciples, “But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.” There is a distinct juxtaposition between the displays of trumpets, weeping, and assembling the Lord’s people and Jesus’ call for quiet, contemplative, personal prayer.  In this way, Jesus reminds us that our quiet walk through Lent starts with an honest, visceral examination of ourselves—that it is our intimate and personal relationship with God that will lead us to His most perfect grace and the promise of everlasting life.  Perhaps it is here, behind closed doors, where our Lenten journey truly begins.

Prayer

Lord, lead us to the most inner room of our hearts where we may be joined in perfect union with You.  May our ashes this day not only remind us of our sinfulness, but also fill us with hope in the Resurrection and overwhelming gratitude for Your ultimate sacrifice on the cross and triumph over death. Amen.

Eliza McDonald, ’17

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.