Ash Wednesday

Reflection

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, an important opportunity to reflect, pray, and prepare for Easter. Receiving ashes today is a humble reminder of our sins, but also God’s mercifulness and forgiveness.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls upon us by saying “When you give alms...  When you pray… When you fast…” and this really resonated with me. Jesus wasn’t saying if you do these things, it’s when you do these things, it is a call to action and it's to do them for yourself to move closer to God, not for show. This made me reflect on when the last time was that I contributed to those in need or sat down and deeply prayed. Oftentimes, I feel overwhelmed by the busyness of life, and I forget to take a moment to myself to pray deeply, to think about how I can live out the Gospel, and tune into God. This is not an excuse, but a realization to continue strengthening my relationship with God even in the toughest of times. I am taking this Lenten season to develop a stronger connection with prayer through different means and find more ways to give my time and resources to others.

Lent provides us with an opportunity to start or restart our faithful ambitions. If we seem to wander away from our path, the first reading reminds us we can always return to the Lord with our whole heart. Today, as we begin our Lenten journey, let us be reminded that Jesus died for our sins, and that we should be engaged in strengthening our faith and moving towards God’s calling for us.

Prayer

Merciful God, cleanse us from our sins and forgive us as we grow closer to You through giving, fasting, and prayer. Amen. 

Alexandria Lembo, ’21

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.

Easter Sunday

Reflection

Mary ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved.  Simon Peter and the other disciple then ran to the tomb.  A visitor to Jerusalem might have asked them, "Why all this excitement and running about so early in the morning?"  The disciples could not have answered, at least not at first.  They themselves still did not understand, even after the fact, with the evidence before their very eyes, the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.  How different the scene in Acts 10, where Peter stands up full of confidence to proclaim and expound on Jesus and His Resurrection as the fulfillment of all prophecy.  What had intervened?  Several encounters with the risen Lord, and the gift of the Holy Spirit on Easter evening (John 20:22) and at Pentecost (Acts 2).  Faith is a gift, but it takes time for faith to grow.  We should not be discouraged if, at first, we see nothing but the empty tomb.  Spending time with Jesus—in His Word in Scripture, in prayer, and in the Eucharist and other sacraments—will lead us to become the kinds of witnesses to His Resurrection that His disciples came to be.

Prayer

Lord, I do believe, but help my unbelief.  Never let me be complacent that I have learned all there is to know and love in You.  Lead me on.

Fr. David Cray, S.S.E. ’68,

Superior General of the Society of Saint Edmund

Scripture

First Reading: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

Gospel: John 20:1-9, Matthew 28:1-10, or Luke 24:13-35

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil)

Reflection

There is a poignant moment in the Easter Vigil when the proclamation of the Resurrection story renews in us the hope we first received in our baptism into Christ.  As the Letter of Paul to the Romans makes clear, we have been buried with Christ so that we may rise with Christ to new life.  The story of humanity told in the Easter Vigil, the story of humanity’s creation and the story of humanity’s relationship with God throughout the ages, reflects our own story.  In our coming to birth, we are born into a humanity in need of salvation.  In our baptism, we are made part of a new humanity, born of water and the spirit, that has been redeemed through the waters of baptism.  During the Easter Vigil, we recount how we have been healed—cleansed of sin—in our baptism.

The story of the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, as told by Matthew in his Gospel, poses for us the same issue that the women who came to the tomb that Easter morning faced.  Their search for Jesus led them to an empty tomb, the place where Jesus was no longer.  The women are told by the angel to seek Jesus elsewhere, in Galilee.  In another Gospel, the question is posed, “Why look for Jesus among the dead.”  This can be for us a moment of renewal if we are willing to take all that is empty in our lives—all that is dead in us—and search in other places where indeed Jesus can be alive for us.  Our prayer life, our spiritual journey, and even the routine of our days can be as empty as the tomb.  Continuing to search for Jesus where He no longer is may be for us a misdirected purpose or a fruitless search.  Our call this Easter season can be a time to connect our journey with the journey of Jesus’ disciples who are told to go to Galilee where they will see Jesus again.  The question for us:  Where do we need to go to meet Jesus?

Prayer

I pray, O Lord, that I may find You in places that are filled with life and love.  Lead me, Lord, to where You are so that I may be renewed and refreshed.  In Your Resurrection, raise me up to new life.  This I pray in name of Jesus, risen from the dead, the first of many sisters and brothers who live in newness of life.  Amen.

Fr. David Théroux, S.S.E. ’70,

Edmundite Center for Faith and Culture/Peace and Justice

Scripture

First Reading: Genesis 1:1-2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a

Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12-14, 24, 35 or Psalm 33:4-7, 12-13, 20, 22
Second Reading: Genesis 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
Psalm 16:5, 8-11
Third Reading: Exodus 14:15—15:1
(Psalm) Exodus 15:1-6, 17-18
Fourth Reading: Isaiah 54:5-14
Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
Fifth Reading: Isaiah 55:1-11
(Psalm) Isaiah 12:2-3, 4-6
Sixth Reading: Baruch 3:9-15, 32—4:4
Psalm 19:8-11
Seventh Reading: Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28
Psalm 42:3, 5; 43:3-4
Eighth Reading: Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Gospel: Matthew 28:1-10

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Good Friday

Reflection

Good Friday is a time to reflect on our sins, and it is also a time to remember just how much Jesus Christ loves each and every one of us. The first reading describes how Christ endured all of our suffering so that we “shall see the light in the fullness of days.” Jesus wants for us to live in His light and be free from the darkness of sin and sadness. We also hear this said in John 12:46 when Jesus says: “I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” To do this, He calls us to be his servants; to carry our hardship for the Cross and use our suffering to show how God is present. However, we are not suffering alone. As a result of His great sacrifice of taking on human form and ultimately dying on the cross for us, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.” We should trust the Lord with our sadness, our pain, our sorrow, and our mistakes because He, while on Earth, experienced the remarkable suffering many of us encounter throughout our lives. Jesus was betrayed by His close friend and disciple, Judas. Peter denied knowing who Jesus was not once, but three times. He was arrested, tried, brutally tortured, and sentenced to death which most likely caused Him tremendous anxiety. He was mocked, embarrassed, teased, and put to shame all in the presence of his Mother. Jesus Christ understands the human condition better than anyone. Therefore, we should look to the Lord for mercy and guidance as He traversed through life with difficulty and did so without sin. We should also look to the Lord to understand that the greatest kinds of love, whatever they may be, come with sacrifice.

As we pray and reflect on this Good Friday, I hope we can find it in our hearts to love one another as Jesus loves us and to open our hearts to making sacrifices for the sake of others; whether that be volunteerism, random acts of kindness, or being there for a struggling friend. I will leave you with this well-known verse that says: “very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).

Prayer

Lord, help us to love one another as you have loved us. Bless us with strength and compassion so that others may see your light through us. Amen.

Kayla Riordan, ’21

Scripture

First Reading: Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Gospel: John 18:1—19:42

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Holy Thursday

Reflection

The Triduum begins today with the evening celebration of the Last Supper, and the readings for this special Mass are replete with rituals and powerful sensory observations.  In April of last year, I had the opportunity to join Rabbi Glazier and his students for a Seder Supper held on campus in celebration of Passover; Professor Glazier carefully explained each aspect of this special meal as we gathered together in an upper room in Alliot Hall.  The first reading for today from the Book of Exodus helps to explain the origin of the Seder Supper’s most significant symbols and rituals, emphasizing the special preparation of the meal itself before celebrants gathered to share it.  The first reading tells us that Israelite families in Egypt prepared (and shared) a year-old lamb “without blemish” for this meal, eating “its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” Each participant at this gathering was dressed and ready, “staff in hand,” and eating “like those who are in flight” in anticipation of the Passover of the Lord.   The responsorial Psalm for today introduces yet another powerful symbol from Jewish tradition: the Blessing Cup as part of an ancient custom that is incorporated into our modern day celebration of the Eucharist.  The refrain of the responsorial Psalm commemorates the way that Jesus renews this symbol of sharing and unity (the blessing-cup), in the sacrifice of the Mass: “Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.”   Just as the first Passover meal in Exodus was “a memorial feast” which all generations to come “shall celebrate as a perpetual institution,” so do we as Christians commemorate the way that Jesus perpetually offers Himself to us at each celebration of the Eucharist.  As Saint Paul reminds us in the second reading, “as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me always to be fully present at the celebration of the Mass, remembering that the special rituals of the Eucharist help to deepen my understanding of Your extraordinary sacrifice.

Joan Wry, Honors Program Director and Professor of English

Scripture

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: John 13:1-15

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website

Wednesday of Holy Week

Reflection

We are confronted today with three very different texts. In the first, the prophet tells of a Servant who is not afraid of the beatings and insults of his tormentors: “I have set my face like flint, knowing that I will not be put to shame.” In a word, he is “stone-faced” in the face of adversity. This man has decided not to bow to the influence or disrespect of others, because “He who is near upholds my right.” This is no small comfort. “Be strong!” the prophet seems to say. “You’ve got this!”

But in the second text, the Psalmist seems less sure of himself—a little more vulnerable. “For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face...Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak.” This is a person who is NOT made of stone—shame doesn’t bounce right off. “Don’t let them keep at it!” he seems to say. “I’m not made of Teflon.” If you’re like me, you can easily identify. I know that I should get over this insult or that snide remark, but some how it’s not that easy.

And in the Gospel we see Jesus preparing for a final dinner with His closest companions, one of whom has already stabbed Him in the back. The rest of them will abandon Him when He needs them most. Some friends. Some “followers.” And yet He doesn’t cancel the dinner. He doesn’t tell them to take a hike. Not even Judas. He sits down to eat with them—all of them. In the end, He is neither “stone-faced” nor broken. Rather, His face is one of continuing love. He knows who He is and whose He is and so He can enjoy the company of His friends, despite the gathering dark clouds on the horizon. This is what it looks like to live your life possessed by love. 

Prayer

God of persistent love, I have no stone face. Show me where I can let Your love flow more consistently through me and through my actions. Let my face speak joy and love to those around me.

Robert Brenneman, Associate Professor of Sociology

Scripture

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34
Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website