Wednesday of the Second Week

Reflection

A gloomy, foreboding mood hangs over the first reading.  It speaks of Jeremiah’s difficult life as a prophet and his ultimate rejection by his people: a foreshadowing of Jesus’ life and the death He will face in Jerusalem.  The psalm echoes the theme of the approaching catastrophe, though the psalmist retains a core of hope: “You will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.”

The Gospel readings throughout this week seem to be about people who, in one way or another, don’t “get” what Jesus is saying and what the Kingdom of Heaven is really all about.  Many of the characters are unappealing: the Pharisees wrapped up in displaying their piety or the rich man who cannot be bothered to share a few crumbs with the poor.  But the woman in today’s reading, circuitously identified as “the mother of Zebedee’s sons,” is easier to empathize with.  She appears to have recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and she wants to secure high places for her sons in His Kingdom.  Picture this “tiger mom” approaching Jesus with her grown sons in tow – saying “take care of my boys first” — it makes me smile!  Her request is understandable and her initiative is gutsy.  Unfortunately, she misses the point.  She doesn’t understand what the Kingdom is really about: not places of honor, not power and security, but the willingness to serve others, perhaps even at the cost of one’s life.

The circumstances of my own life, all the things I care about and am attached to, sometimes obscure or distort the meaning of the Kingdom.  I hide from the uncomfortable truth that membership in the Kingdom requires service, sacrifice, and at times drinking from the cup of suffering.

Prayer

Dear Lord, we are drawn to You and seek a place in Your Kingdom.  Help me to become aware of the ways in which I misunderstand the message of Your call. Help me to understand what You are asking of me. Redeem me, O faithful God. Amen.

Zsuzanna Kadas, Professor of Mathematics

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

As we enter the season of Lent, today’s readings send a nice reminder that we need to give God the worship that is due Him. The first reading from Isaiah encourages a sincere change of heart and a renewed devotion to God and our fellow humans.  Lent can be a time to wipe the slate clean as we anticipate the coming of our Lord at Easter.  Isaiah also reminds us that actions speak louder than words. This is definitely something that resonates with me.  Along with this, in the Gospel reading, Matthew reminds us that we should practice what we preach. This is something that I need to be reminded of daily; not only to practice what we preach, but practice what God, through Jesus, preached to the Apostles. The last line of Matthew’s Gospel speaks volumes, “whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Prayer

Lord, give me the strength to always practice what I preach.

Matthew Seklecki, ‘11, Admission Counselor

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

Think about the times you have sinned in your life. Were they always unintentional? Were some intentional? Sometimes, turning away from God seems as if it’s the “easier” choice. It’s easy to live mindlessly without giving thought to our actions and how they present us as children of God, but the challenge is in sticking to our faith and continuing to make choices that show our love for God and for others.

The phrase “children of God” is not just a simple saying. We are exactly that, children learning from our mistakes and striving to follow His example of love. “We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from Your commandments and Your laws.”  But God is always watching, He is always listening to our prayers, and He is always willing to forgive if we decide to turn to Him.

It is our choices that make us people of God. We all make choices that are good and bad. We’re human and we sin, but that does not mean we should judge the choices of others. In order to be people of God, we must act like such, which means we should open our hearts to forgiveness, compassion and understanding. We will be so much happier if we make the right choices for ourselves and give others the forgiveness we would like to be given to us which Jesus stresses in Luke’s Gospel. Seek forgiveness in God for bad choices and forgive others for theirs.

Prayer

Lord, guide us with Your love and help us to act through You. Let us love and forgive as You do. Help us to see others as You see them, with open hearts and great blessings. Help us to see ourselves as You do, with open hearts, great blessings, and worthy of forgiveness. 

Lauren Murphy, ‘15

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

On the second Sunday of each Lent, the Gospel selection is always the account of the Transfiguration according to one of the synoptic writers — Matthew, Mark, or Luke. The placement of this narrative at this point of the Lenten season is an encouraging reminder of the full glory to come at the end of our forty days of intense prayer and preparation.

The placement of the Transfiguration in the Gospel of Mark is also significant. In the previous passage, Jesus shared His first of three passion predictions with His closest disciples. In each instance, there was gross misunderstanding on the part of the disciples providing three opportunities for Jesus to teach His disciples the true nature of His mission and authentic discipleship – embracing one’s cross and being servant to all. The account of the Transfiguration is an experience of the disciples to give them encouragement along the way to Jerusalem, a very difficult journey.

The scene as Mark describes it evokes biblical images from the Jewish Scriptures. In the Old Testament, important revelations of God occurred on top of a mountain and the appearance of a cloud signifies God’s presence. The voice heard therefore is immediately identified as being God’s. The words of God are similar to the scene of Jesus being baptized in the river Jordan: “You are my beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)

This Gospel story is an opportunity for us to pray with our imagination and be present with Jesus on the mountain top. We can present ourselves to Jesus to be transfigured in ways that are personal and needed in our lives. We have the opportunity to ask Jesus to transform us into the disciples we are called to be. We can ask Jesus to accompany us along the way of the Lenten journey so we too will hear the voice of God say to each of us: “You are my beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Prayer

Jesus, help me to be transformed into the beloved disciple You call me to be. Increase the desire within my heart for this transformation. Amen.

Fr. Brian Cummings, S.S.E. ‘86, Director of Edmundite Campus Ministry

Scripture

First Reading: Genesis 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18
Psalm 116:10, 15-19
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Saturday of the First Week

Reflection

The reading from Deuteronomy today describes the character of the relationship between God and the people of Israel. The relationship of the Israelites is to be total, to engage their whole heart and soul. God insists on nothing less. And God promises nothing less; they will be His very own people.  In Christ, God will more fully reveal what His total commitment means for us.

In Psalm 119, the psalmist rejoices in the happiness of those who walk in the Law of God and seek Him with their whole heart. At the same time, the psalmist draws attention to our weak humanity by expressing the intention to be faithful to God’s law while earnestly asking for God’s aid and that He never abandon us.

Christ, the revelation of God’s infinite love for us, tells us today in Matthew’s Gospel that we must be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect. We must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  Because of the blessing of our circumstances, most of us have no real ‘enemies.’  What do Christ’s words mean for us in our life?

We are called to love and pray for those who hurt us by ignoring us, by judging us wrongly, by being envious and jealous of us. We must intend only good for those who cause us suffering. We must strive to love them with pure forgiveness.  If we are to become like God, we must begin in this life the journey of learning what it is to love infinitely.

Prayer

Father, with You all things are possible, please never abandon us and keep us on the path, that is Christ who is “The Way,” that brings us home to You.

Eleanor and Peter Tumulty, Professor of Philosophy

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

The readings for this day turn our attention to the need to live virtuously, to do our best to do the right, loving thing.  We are called to live this way for the sake of our salvation, for the forgiveness of our sins, but mostly to live in covenant and loving relationship with our loving God. 

Ezekiel assures us that the Lord God forgives our sins and gives us life as a reward for turning away from iniquity.  We are told God rejoices in our choosing the right path, not when our choices take us far away from Him.  The life worth living is the one in relationship with God.

The Psalm echoes the same thoughts pointing out that if God were not so loving and forgiving, we would not stand a chance.  But God asks our trust and fidelity to do good and promises us redemption as reward out of  love for us.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus makes clear that it is in loving relationship to our brothers and sisters that we walk the path God has given us.  Living virtuously, according to the Gospel, is to live a life of making peace with our brothers and sisters and caring for one another.  We are called to live in loving relationship with each other and so enter into the loving covenant with our God.

Prayer

As we try to walk along with You, Jesus, in this Lenten season, help us see the needs of others as the path that leads us to You each day.

Stephanie Noakes, ‘80, Office of Admission

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 

Today’s readings really show us how God will be there for us in our lives when we call upon Him in need.  Too often, we get swept up in a fast- paced world where we all too easily push the assistance of God aside and try to tackle our problems on our own.  These readings show us that God wants to be there for us.  He wants to take on our problems and show us the way out.  In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said to His disciples, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  God isn’t trying to hide what He wants to do for us.  These readings show us how truly easy it is to call upon God every day of our lives.  He encourages us to call upon Him and will be there whenever we do call.

It’s hard to let go and let God.  We want to tackle our problems, because we want quick fixes rather than having patience and faith to place them in the hands of our Lord.  All too often we try to find our own solutions and come up short.  In the first reading, we see Queen Esther call upon the Lord in her time of need.  “As a child, I used to hear from the books of my forefathers that You, O Lord, always free those who are pleasing to You.  Now help me, who am alone and have no one but You, O Lord, my God.”  Let us learn from Esther and call upon the Lord, not just when we need Him the most, but in all the days of our lives.

Prayer

Lord, help us see that Your path is the right path.  Show us Your ways and encourage us to call upon You in our times of need.  We cannot handle the pressures and problems that our world throws in our lives on our own.  Help us trust that You are holding us in the palm of Your hands and to be grateful for what we have been given every single day.  Strengthen our faith, grant us patience, and help us spread peace in a troubled world. Amen.

Melissa Morrison, ‘13

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