Thursday of the First Week of Lent - March 10, 2022

-

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25      Matthew 7:7-12

“A clean heart, create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.”

A clean heart sounds like something we should all strive to achieve. In my mind, this is different from a clean mind that would require ridding ourselves of stress and anxiety; and different from a clean soul that would involve repentance for sins that we have committed. A clean heart is evidenced by love, which is addressed in today’s Gospel in the form of the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” God’s love for us demands a response on our part in return for that gift of love.

In the quest for a clean heart, I have found myself called to show love in both my thoughts and my actions. As stated in today’s Gospel, “the one who seeks, finds.” Through my involvement with Visitation’s Racial Justice Committee and the recently concluded Faith and Racial Healing Series, I have become acutely aware of the US Catholic Bishops’ “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love – A Pastoral Letter Against Racism.” This document is a roadmap to a clean heart and the love needed to get there. Our ability to show love through action, to speak up upon hearing a comment motivated by racial prejudice, to support racial justice and inclusion, to have difficult conversations, and to educate ourselves on the history of racism in America, is the way to a clean heart. This Lenten season, I have challenged myself to constantly seek out ways to express love, with the hope and promise of this Gospel that the one who seeks, finds. For me, this starts with a response called for in “Open Wide Our Hearts.”

One of my children asked me the other day as we were listening to the radio why all songs are about love. I explained that love is what everyone is ultimately searching for, but it takes effort.  And how can we ever achieve a clean heart, until all of our actions are rooted in God’s love for all people?

Q:  Read the US Bishop’s letter,“Open Wide Our Hearts?” Learn more about what Visitation parishioners are doing to open wide their hearts at www.visrjc.com.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Passion of the Lord (Good Friday) - April 7, 2023

-
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1—19:42  Every morning when I go to Mass and the Priest asks for our intentions for the day, my response is for “wisdom, courage, comfort and trust.” Wisdom to fi gure out the answer, the courage to carry it out, and the comfort that it is the best solution and the trust to know God is guiding us in the best way. When I read the Psalms for today, I was taken back by David’s trust in the Lord to guide him and keep him safe. “In you, Lord, I take refuge”  A good friend coined this prayer when I was helping my parents navigate through my brother’s cancer. He passed away, but I continue to take comfort in those words and try daily to TRUST. Many people have commented on how they appreciate that petition so I continue to pray it.  There are big things and little things that come into our lives that require us to trust as David did. Some things are as small as smiling at the person at the traffic light or as big as standing up for another’s r
Read more

Monday of the First Week of Lent - March 11, 2019

-
Leviticus19:1-2, 11-18  Matthew 25:31-46 As I read my assignment for today, I felt relief. I knew these readings; I could relate to them. I had heard them multiple times and thought that I understood them well. The first reading from Leviticus tells me to love my neighbor as myself and to judge my neighbor justly. I know this! I believe this in my head! I often find it difficult to carry out, but I do believe it. Today’s gospel, Matthew 25, many of us know well through readings, songs, and social concerns committees, "Whatever you do for one of the least of …mine, you do to me." Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; comfort the sick; visit the prisoner. We try to do these things in our life. I decided to read our parish book, Stranger God by Richard Beck, to see how it could expand my understanding of Matthew 25 – and expand it did! After I read the book, I realized that I had been reading Matthew 25 literally.
Read more

Monday of Holy Week - April 3, 2023

-
Isaiah 42:1-7 John 12:1-11  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be more mindful about how I spend my time. When we started having kids, everyone was always telling us, “enjoy it while it lasts because they grow up so fast!” I’d look at my tiny baby and think, yeah okay, we’ve got a long way to go. Fast forward 6 years, we have a kindergartener, and I am constantly asking myself, “where did the time go!?!?”  This Gospel is a reminder to me that I need to take advantage of every moment just as Mary decided to take advantage of that special moment with Jesus when she anointed his feet. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and fi nd ourselves just going through the motions without putting much thought into the importance of our actions. When I am at church, am I really present? I often fi nd that my focus is on how my children are behaving and if they are disturbing the people around us. When I am at home, am I making the most of my time with my family? Sadly,
Read more