Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent - March 22, 2022
Daniel 3:25, 34-43 Matthew 18:21-35
Today’s Gospel is really sticky and difficult. On paper, the
Gospel sounds wonderful and even powerful. However, Jesus’ command to reconcile
with others before approaching the altar of the Lord takes a lot of practice if
it is to be done with authenticity. And, in a word, it also takes quite a bit
of grace.
This past year was one of great loss for me. My mother, who
suffered from Alzheimer’s, died one day after she turned 97. Losing your mother
at any age is never easy, I learned. When Margaret died, a year ago in
December, the world was shut down because of COVID. A funeral, the family
decided, would have to wait.
When we finally gathered in late July for the funeral Mass, the
stress of the pandemic and the different perspectives provided divisiveness in
the family. Since then in an effort to heal and move on, I have learned to
study grace in a more in-depth fashion.
In doing so, this is one conclusion that came to me in prayer: It
is a moment of grace when you realize that someone’s behavior has nothing to do
with you but rather with their own internal struggles.
Throughout this year, I have always felt my mother’s presence with
me. And, in this year when she was no longer physically present in my
life, she taught me possibly the greatest and most difficult lessons in life.
Mostly, she taught me to be kind and to live with an open heart. And, each day
I begin again. It’s a practice.
Q: What opportunities will I have this week to gracefully practice mercy in my family and community?
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