Reflection for Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

DT 4:1, 5-9

PS 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20

MT 5:17-19

Today’s Gospel highlights the depth of Jesus’ relationship with Scripture.

Today, he tells us through his message to the disciples that prophetic law will stand true until the end of time, that it is a guideline in determining who gets to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. His purpose is to fulfill these teachings.

Looking back at the first reading, we can see the bigger picture that Jesus talks about. Moses was an instrument in the Israelites’ relationship with God, reassuring us that God’s commandments are not meant to constrict us. Rather, God has given us His word so that we may enter into the land He promises us. God not only opens a place for His people to live in unity, but provides us with a direct set of instructions on how to get there.

Pretty generous, right? Moses thought so too. I particularly love when he asks how many other nations have a God as intimate as we do, so close to Creation that He allows us to communicate with Him whenever we need Him. Our God is awesome, yet humbles Himself to interact with us.

Moses had no idea that 1200 years later, his words would take on a new meaning. God became even closer to His people, so close that He joined them. In a time when humanity needed God, God became human to administer to us through Jesus. THAT is quite the feat of an accessible God.

As Jesus came to fulfill the words of prophets like Moses before him, he invites us into the long line of leaders who contributed to bringing about Salvation History. He leaves us with a pretty simple set of directions in order to enter God’s Kingdom—follow the commandments, and do not break even the least of them. This shouldn’t be too difficult. In fact, it seems pretty easy that God would allow us to enter Heaven by simply following the rules the prophets so explicitly laid out. However, it’s in what Jesus adds that can sometimes trip us up when following God’s law. He doesn’t tell us to simply follow God’s commandments—he says that we must also teach them to others, and avoid leading others to break them. How many times are we so caught up in our own actions that we lose sight of those around us? We are all on the same journey through this life and into the next, so we must work together as a community of people striving to be saints. We must not seek Heaven for only ourselves, but rather become resources for others (as Jesus was) so that they can get home, too.

Are we good resources for others? It’s through the examples we set and the accountability we hold for others that we can fulfill our true potential as members of the Kingdom of Heaven.

In Moses, in Jesus, and in us, God continues His direct intervention in the lives of His people.

Ryan Kowalski

Reflection for Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

DN 3:25, 34-43

PS 25:4-5AB, 6 AND 7BC, 8-9

MT 18:21-35

The central theme of today’s Gospel reading is forgiveness. Peter asks Jesus how often we should forgive one another. Jesus replies “not seven by seventy- seven.” Jesus’s point is that we should forgive countless times. He continues with a parable. The servant owes the master a great debt and so he begs his master to “be patient” with him. The master is moved with compassion for his servant and forgave the debt. How often do we sin against God? How often do we ask for forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation? God forgives the same amount of times we ask for it. Just like the master repaying the servant’s debt, does God forgive our sins. Further in the parable, the same servant who had his debts forgiven does not pardon the debts of another man who owes him. The man in debt also begs the servant to “be patient” with him. However, instead of showing compassion towards the man, he puts him in jail. After just having mercy shown to him, the servant turns around and acts without mercy. In our lives we can easily be guilty of this. God shows us unending love and forgiveness and yet we chose not to forgive someone who has done us harm. Forgiveness is easier said than done. Because of this, it is important to note that the parable mentions more than once to “be patient.” Those is debt recognize that the pardoning of their debt is difficult to oversee, so they beg those they owe to give them time. We must also be patient with those around us who have caused us harm. We are not going to forgive overnight. We must also be patient with ourselves. We can say on the surface that we have forgiven someone, but it takes time and God’s grace to have forgiveness in our hearts. However, as long as we try to forgive as God has forgiven us, we are living the Christian life.

Franki Feinberg is a senior nursing student and campus ministry intern.

Reflection for Monday, March 5, 2018

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

2 KGS 5:1-15AB

PS 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4

LK 4:24-30

Reflection for Sunday, March 4, 2018

Third Sunday of Lent

EX 20:1-17     or     EX 20:1-3, 7-8, 12-17
PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11
1 COR 1:22-25
JN 2:13-25

Reflection for Saturday, March 3, 2018

Saturday of the Second Week of Lent

MI 7: 14-15

PS 103: 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

LK 15: 1-3, 11-32

A story of chasing.

Chasing materiality.

The story of the Prodigal Son begins with the son chasing a sense of materiality through spending cash on worldly pleasures. He uses his inheritance to spoil himself for personal gain. It is fun for awhile but the money doesn’t last forever. As the money runs out, famine strikes leaving him scrambling to stay a float.

To start, the son was chasing an image or feeling that provided him with momentary pleasure. However, his fleeting lifestyle wasn’t able to withstand the test of time. I sense that we often get caught up in a similar chase. The chase to earn more money, to get that recognition or award, to own the newest gadgets, or to keep up with the social trends. But what is all that worth in the long run?

What types of materiality are we chasing in life?

Chasing God.

Once the son hit rock bottom with nothing left to his name, he realizes that he was missing out on something, something greater than himself. As stated in the Gospel, he came to his senses. He realized that he could live another way if only he returned to his father.

Here, the son was able to find a solution to his misery when he took a step back and realized his life wasn’t all he thought it should or could be. We’ve been caught in moments like this where we may ask ourselves how are we being fulfilled through our actions. Sometimes the answer is a positive one but often, we are left with only temporary pleasure or no true fulfillment at all. The remedy? Letting God into our lives to fill the space that is or was giving us momentary feelings of happiness.

            Where in our lives can God replace something that provides only momentary pleasure?

Chasing Reconciliation.

The son turned around and headed back home to his father. Upon embracing his father, he apologized and repented for his actions against his father. In return, his father celebrated his homecoming and warmly welcomed him back into the family.

Now, the son returned home and had to acknowledge his aggressions against his father. He was also willing to be held responsible for his actions. As we are all sinners, we have faced times where we did the wrong thing and have had to acknowledge our actions. In order to be truly cleansed of our wrongdoings, we must own up to our sins and ask God to forgive us, despite our continued sinfulness. While it may be uncomfortable or take some humbling, it is necessary in order to be welcomed back home again, into God’s embrace.

            How can we acknowledge our sinfulness and seek God’s forgiveness?

Let us all chase God this Lenten season.

Anna Becker is a senior studying Biology.

Reflection for Friday, March 2, 2018

Friday of the Second Week of Lent
GN 37:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A
PS 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
MT 21:33-43, 45-46



As our Lenten journey continues, we dive deeper into how Christ is calling us to become better disciples. Particularly, in the readings from today, we are challenged to take a look at the debilitating power of envy. When somebody is envious, they are resentful towards another person and their possessions or achievements. As humans, we have such a competitive nature about us. Always wanting to be the best of the best, doing whatever it takes to get there. When the expectations that we set for ourselves are not obtained and we see that another person has something that we desire, we can become envious- wanting what another person has and wishing ill of them.

In the First Reading (Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13, 17-28), we take a look at the story of Joseph the son of Israel. In particular, these verses focus in on Joseph’s brothers and how they perceived Joseph. Joseph’s brothers felt as though their father, Israel, loved Joseph the best of all of his sons. His brothers began to resent Joseph and decided that they were going to get rid of him. Joseph’s brothers were so focused in on how much love that Israel was giving Joseph that they failed to recognize how much love they were being given as well.

Envy clouds our judgment and we become so fixated on what another person has that we don’t. When we start to envy and desire different worldly pleasures such as possessions, achievements, or talents- our center is shifted. We begin to chase things that do not fulfill us, things that are not ours. Lucky for us, we have an all- merciful God who is righteous and whose love never wavers. A God who sends His only son, Jesus Christ, to come down to this Earth and show us how much we are loved. To reveal to us that those envious thoughts and desires will not fulfill us, nor will they sustain us. The only one who can fulfill us is the one that died on the cross because He could not bear the thought of living a life in eternity without you.

Carly Haynes is a junior studying Communication Sciences and Disorders.  

Reflection for Thursday, March 1, 2018

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
JER 17:5-10
PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
LK 16:19-31

The bible teaches us in Proverbs 3:5-6 to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thy own understanding, but in all thy ways, acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths.  It is important in life to always acknowledge God, for he is the one who made us.  Trusting in him in times of trouble is what we as human beings need to fully understand.  Although, people come into our lives for a reason, a season and or a lifetime, but God promises that he will never leave us, nor forsake us.  Placing our trust in man is temporary, but God is eternal. 

When I lost my mother in 2006, I would ask myself. How would I be able to move on in life?  It was through the prayers and quiet times with the Lord that comforted me during those difficult times.  Many people were there in the beginning, but in the moments alone, I had to find strength in the Lord.  I truly had to give my emotions over to the Lord and take it one day at a time.  Many people only trust and believe in God when things are good, but we also need to learn how to praise him in the difficult times. As believers, if we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of our hearts. 

In Luke Chapter 16, the bible teaches us that the Pharisees had a great love for money.  This is another way the enemy tries to distract us from God, by focusing on the finer things in life.  I have always kept things in perspective because my mother taught us that money is the root of all evil.  More importantly, God knows the hearts of people and is not impressed with the outward appearances of wealth.  It is wonderful to have nice things in life, but remember not to put THINGS before God.  In Matthew 6:33, the word of God says to “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness and ALL these things shall be added unto you.”  I have always been the type of person to judge others by their heart, and not be moved by materials things in life. Unfortunately, we cannot take these things with us when leaving this earth. I am grateful for many things in life and thank God for the smaller things such as: food, shelter and clothing.  While growing up, we didn’t have the finer things in life.  My mother raised three beautiful daughters and always made sure we had a warm place to stay, food to eat (which may not have been fancy dinners, but mayonnaise sandwiches, and vienna sausages were the best). Our clothing was not name brand or made of fine linen, but we had clothes on our back.  We learned to always appreciate what we had. We never looked down on anyone.

In closing, I know that it is through God’s grace and mercy, that I am able to stand today. More importantly, I am not defined by things, but by exemplifying the fruits of the spirits and having a continued relationship with God.

Regina Walton is Executive Assistant in the Office of Diversity & Community Engagement.