Second Sunday of Lent

Reflection

Abram and Sara were from a prominent family of Ur, an ancient city with its affluence built on violence, oppression, and exploitation. God called this couple to leave their civilization of privilege and to go out into the unknown. God promised to be with them and show them a better way.

In our own faith journey we are called to step out and take a different direction into the unknown, trusting that what we have is not as good as it gets. We believe God’s promise that there is a better way.

Consider the horizon that is part of our daily lives. We pay extra money for homes with a view of the mountains on the distant horizon. We walk the shores of the ocean with our eyes fixed on the horizon. We do not know what is on the other side, yet it calls us. Faith is walking with God toward that horizon. In His presence we can endure life’s difficulties, accept what we did not expect to happen in our lives. We can leave the old self and take on a new self. We can take steps to move forward toward the horizon and into the unknown.

When the apostles witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus, they did not understand what happened but felt drawn to it. With Jesus we can take a new direction, a better way, the way of adding love to the universe, the way of compassion, kindness, goodness, reconciliation, forgiveness, The Way of Jesus.

Prayer

God, our Father, we place our trust in You. Let Your mercy be on us through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son Who lives with You in Unity with the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Janice Couture
Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:8b-10
Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

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