Lent 2020

2020 Online Lenten Retreat Sunday, March 22 Today's Scripture Then let us no longer judge one another, but rather resolve never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother ….   If your brother is being hurt by what you [do], your conduct is no longer in accord with love . … For the kingdom of God is…a matter…of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit ….   Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.   (cf. Romans 14.13-19) Today's Reflection “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”    This Beatitude makes us think of the many endless situations of war in our world. Yet we ourselves are often a cause of conflict or at least of misunderstanding. For example, I may hear something about someone and I go off and repeat it. I may even embellish it the second time around and keep spreading it.   And the more harm it does, the more satisfaction I seem to de...

2020 Online Lenten Retreat Saturday, March 21 Today's Scripture I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you back to your own soil. I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean….   I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (cf. Ezekiel 36.24-28) Today's Reflection “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”    This Beatitude speaks of those whose hearts are simple, pure and undefiled, for a heart capable of love admits nothing that might harm, weaken or endanger that love. The Bible uses the heart to describe our real intentions, the things we truly seek and desire, apart from all appearances. “Man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart” ( 1 Sam 16:7). God wants to speak to our hearts (cf. Hos 2:16); there he desires to write his law (cf. Jer 31:33). In a w...

2020 Online Lenten Retreat Friday, March 20 Today's Scripture "Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt….   His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt…. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’   Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturer….   So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." (cf. Matthew 18.29-35) Today's Reflection “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”    Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving, helping and serving others, but it also includes forgiveness and understanding. Matthew sums it up in one golden rule: “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you” (7:12). The Catechism reminds us that this law is to ...

2020 Online Lenten Retreat Thursday, March 19 Today's Scripture I have had enough of whole-burnt rams and fat of fatlings; In the blood of calves, lambs, and goats I find no pleasure…. Your   hands are full of blood!   Wash yourselves clean!   Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good.   Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.   (cf. Isaiah 1.11-17) Today's Reflection “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”    Hunger and thirst are intense experiences, since they involve basic needs and our instinct for survival. There are those who desire justice and yearn for righteousness with similar intensity. Jesus says that they will be satisfied, for sooner or later justice will come. We can cooperate to make that possible, even if we may not always see the fruit of our efforts.     Jesus of...

2020 Online Lenten Retreat Wednesday, March 18 Today's Scripture Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good;   love one another with mutual affection….   Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.   Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality…. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (cf. Romans 12.9-15) Today's Reflection: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”    The world tells us exactly the opposite: entertainment, pleasure, diversion and escape make for the good life. The worldly person ignores problems of sickness or sorrow in the family or all around him; he or she averts their gaze. The world has no desire to mourn; it would rather disregard painful situations, cover them up or hide them. Much energy is expended on fleeing from situations of suffering in the belief that rea...