Abiding in Love: The Vocation of Motherhood

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– Br. Michael, ofm

One of my favorite things to do when I get to spend time with my mom is to rest my head on her shoulder. This means we need to be seated for our heights do not match. It often happens at the end of a day full of whatever may have come our way as we reflect on what was and consider what is in store. It is a graced moment; a moment where time seems to sit still.

Head on her shoulder moments seem to hold every moment in which she has held me, comforted me, encouraged me and sheltered me. Through a lifetime these can number a lot moments with each one providing a snapshot into her vocation of mother. As I consider my mom’s vocation of motherhood and that of the many mothers of the world, I can’t help but reflect on the words of Christ: “Abide in my love…love one another as I have loved you… go and bear fruit that will last”

(John 15.9-7).

To abide in love is to remain stable in love. Christ’s love is stable and continuous – is ever encompassing and it never falters. God doesn’t show us love in hard to grasp scenarios or philosophies instead God shows abiding love in simple concrete moments, like resting on a mother’s shoulder. My mom’s shoulder to rest on and cry on is a witness of Christ’s abiding love in my life. I am also aware that not every child has this encounter of love and witness of Divine Love. There are times when I rest my head on her shoulder that I think of the children who do not know their mother or those who have broken relationships with their mom. My heart aches for these children as we should all be able to know the abiding gift of love. May our prayers be for these children and for their mothers, for hope and for reconciliation.

Love one another as I have loved you is a call to action. It is not stagnant but life-giving. It means sacrifice and dedication. God invites us into this command by the endless gift of love poured into our lives and then simply asks that we share this love with others. Mothers have a way of showing love as real and tangible. Not only in tasks done where they lay down their lives over and over again for their children but in tender moments where an adult son can rest his head on his mother’s shoulder and breathe in the gift of God’s love that close. There are other times when I rest my head on my mom’s shoulder that I think of this gift of love and how it has infused my life because she has lived into her vocation of motherhood. I am always grateful for this. I also think of the mothers who struggle to share this love and to be present because of traumas and hardships in their lives. May our prayers be for these mothers from all walks of life that healing may touch their lives and they may know the gift of Divine Love.

Bearing fruit is a natural part of motherhood – we the offspring would be that fruit. We are in a sense a legacy of our parents and how we bear fruit gives testimony to hope and new life. We sometimes don’t nurture the fruit which is ours to grow and at other times we may even neglect. Still mothers choose to bear fruit and instill lasting values, qualities and opportunities. As a child who will never have his own children, I can see how bearing fruit is not simply about being a parent but is in how we nurture others and are present to others. This can be a bearing of fruit which will help transform someone’s life and set them free to love with the heart of Christ. There are still other times when my head rests on my mother’s shoulder that I give thanks for her nurturing and encouragement. How she has shown me ways to bear fruit that will last by fostering my relationship with Christ and by helping me to see the ways my life is bearing fruit. I also then become aware of those who struggle with being loved, struggle with their value and the gifts they offer; whether that is a mother, father or child. May our prayers be for those who struggle to see the fruitfulness of their life, may they have continual glimpses of God’s love for them and may we be heralds of their dignity.

My plan for this Mother’s Day was to show up at home and surprise my Mom. Although this pandemic has changed those plans again, I give thanks for the moments I have had to rest my head on her shoulder in the past and look forward to the next time I can share in this graced moment. Until then I am grateful for her vocation of motherhood and how I have encountered the abiding love of God as close as my mother’s shoulder.

Let us offer our prayers for all the mothers of our world, from all walks of life who bear love so to help our world love better.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom and to all Moms!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fullness of Being Brother: Religious Brothers Day 2021

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– Br. Michael, ofm

 

A common question asked to a religious brother is:

Why didn’t you go all the way?

To which a Brother will often respond with:

Pardon me?

 

To which the questioner expands:

Why didn’t you become a priest? Why did you stop at Brother?

 

To which a Brother will respond with all kindness:

This is not a stepping stone to priesthood or a lesser than vocation.

I didn’t stop at Brother; this is the fullness to which I am called.

 

To which the questioner will stare blankly or change the subject:

How about those rosary beads?

These questions really do get directed to us Religious Brothers or so as I’m also learning to other members of the fraternity. It can easily leave a Brother feeling frustrated or misunderstood. I like to take it with a grain of salt and as an opportunity to celebrate the vocation of being a Religious Brother.

 

Life as a Religious Brother is indeed a full life. I have never been made to feel lesser than or that my vocation is not as worthy as that of my Brothers who are priests. I may not have the same functions as a priest but that does not mean that I don’t contribute to the life of the church, fraternity or society. I have other opportunities that priests do not have and can contribute to the life of the church not simply in a sacramental way.

 

The fullness of my life as a religious Brother comes with ever changing roles and responsibilities. Some days I may be in full service to my fraternity, other days I may be serving the greater community and still on other days I may be journeying with an individual. Whether I’m cleaning the toilets (which is not a favorite task) or preparing the chapel I try to serve with a joy-filled heart. Whether I’m preparing a retreat or presenting one I approach it with an awareness of who I am in relationship with those on the retreat. Whether I’m companioning someone in spiritual direction or praying with an individual the dignity of that person is my focus.

 

The fullness of my life includes the privilege of praying for so many people and also creating space to listen for God’s voice not only in my life but what God is calling us to do here and now. My prayer life is woven into the relationships I have with so many people whether that is family and friends, or those I journey with on retreats or through spiritual direction or those who simply stop me and ask for prayers for themselves or loved ones.

 

As you can see the fullness of life as Religious Brother comes with variety. This would be true for any Religious Brother you meet. Our charisms and ministries impact the way we serve the church and the world, but at the heart of any Religious Brother is a heart of fraternity, service and hospitality. Every religious male or female, ordained or not claim these characteristics which is worthy and good and they should. I would like to think you can see them specifically exhibited and lived out with a fullness in the life of a Religious Brother. I believe it is what makes us approachable and relatable to so many people from all walks of life.

When I began my studies in Spiritual Direction, once the fascination of me wearing a habit wore off, it was the fact that I understood the stories and welcomed my colleagues from all walks of life. This is the reality of my vocation as Brother something real as fraternity, service and hospitality was not exclusive rather it was inclusive. Brother is not just a title; it is an embodiment of who I am and how I live my life. It is an embodiment of what a Brother is as one who strengthens connections between people and of being a companion, of being present and serving others. As a Brother, the value of relationships is so important for they foster a fraternity beyond the walls of our friaries bringing fraternity to the community, to creation and the whole world. Hopefully a compassionate, strengthening and healing bond of God among us.

 

I am I called to be a priest? The answer is no. Do I have some skills that I could use as a priest? You bet. Many people do (both men and women), but we do not all become ordained priests. In discernment I listen and pay attention to what is stirring in me. This was true when I began my journey to the Friars and continued through my formation years to my Solemn Vows and continues today. In the listening, in the quiet, in the sitting with God the word Brother continues to surface. I believe I continue to learn new ways of being a Brother for our fraternity, ministry and for our world. A world in desperate need of Brothers and Sisters who will listen and will encourage others to also build a more fraternal world.

 

To go back to that question:

Why didn’t you go all the way?

 

I respond with:

I did go all the way and every time I put on my habit, it’s not about being acknowledge or standing out, it is about humbly living out my vocation as Brother. Each time I put on my habit I am reminded that I put on Christ. I am also reminded that Christ is a brother to all and calls me to do the same in the specific vocation of Religious Brother.

And it’s not how about those Rosary beads? It’s do you know where I hide my rosary beads? haha!

May 1 is St. Joseph the Worker Feast Day and Religious Brothers Day. St. Joseph serves as a witness of working for the kingdom of God in hidden and even unknown ways. In this year dedicated to St. Joseph, I humbly ask for your continued prayers for Religious Brothers from all walks of life.

Much peace and all good!

 

Top photo credit: Emily Morter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen – Be – Do: Vocation Sunday 2021

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                   – Br. Michael, ofm

The nearer you come to God in contemplation, the more you discover God as root of your action, author of your vocation, inspirer of your prophetic faculty, giver of your special talents. The further you penetrate the silence,

the more you feel yourself dwelt in by the Word.

– Carlo Carretto, Little Brothers of the Gospel

As we recognize Good Shepherd – Vocation Sunday the above quote speaks to me and my journey. Anyone who knows my story knows that it was not a lightning bolt moment which revealed a clear understanding of my vocation as a religious Brother. Those who journeyed with me knew that it was through much contemplation, lots of listening, consistent moments of quiet prayer, stories in scripture and purposeful dialogues which helped me discover another layer of my vocation.

I would say that from an early age I knew my core vocation was that of service. I knew I was called to work with people, both as individuals and in groups and teams to create encounters of life. To serve someone for me comes with a heart of hospitality and a desire for everyone to be part of the kingdom community. This gift of service was fostered through my growing years in our family business along with involvement in the local community and parish. It was also fostered by moments of quiet, time to create, time to sit with Christ and listen. I can think back to moments as a child of just needing to be quiet and as a teen of simply sitting in our church listening and even speaking with Jesus. I came to see that the vocation of service needed a balance of both doing and being. This has been a truth my whole life. Even when it is out of balance or sometimes skewed (as it is now in our current reality) I know that if I want to live centered in my vocation – my call to service, I need both contemplation and action.

Vocation Sunday is a day set aside by the Catholic Church to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. It is a noble cause that is celebrating 58 years. As we continue to pray and encourage women and men to discern going into the harvest in these specific vocations, we also pray for those who are already priests and religious. It is in the encouraging that healthy vocations to the priesthood and religious life begin. They begin in the family home; vocations are not dropped down from heaven. I was not predestined to this way of life; I had to discover it and wrestle with it and listen well. I had to see living examples of marriages at work not just lovely photos. I had to see priests loving their ministry and those struggling to minister. I had to encounter religious communities on fire for the gospel and pray with church communities striving to build the kingdom. I had to equip myself with skills and then hone these skills of service so as not to simply be a gong booming. I had to have strong supports such as good friends with varying backgrounds, a reliable spiritual director, people praying for me (even if I didn’t know it) and random encounters to help me make space to be and evaluate my doing. All of these aided me in seeing how my vocation of service was one layer of the call to a vocation as a religious Brother.

Yes, Vocation Sunday is an opportunity to pray for women and men who are part of religious communities and the priesthood and those discerning their call to these ways of life. It is also a Sunday to pray for families, for parishes and the larger community to continue to be heralds of the good news, witnesses of the resurrection, examples of the renewal at work and places which invite conversations and contemplation as both the young and old fulfill their vocations. It is here that the still small voice awakening someone to the depth of their vocation is heard.

I come back to the quote I began with; it spoke to me because it speaks of connection. Connection with God. We connect with God through our relationships which fosters vocations lived well; lived for the kingdom of God.

God is indeed the root of my actions. When my actions don’t reflect the love of God, I am out of balance with my vocation but God does not abandon me, rather God walks with me until my actions are aligned again.

God is the author of my vocation, writing with me the story that needs to be told through my life. As God continues to author my story I am entrusted with the stories of others and their stories foster my vocation of service and of being a religious Brother.

God does inspire prophetic faculties or else I would have no words to write here, nor ways to create prayers or space for prayer. God invites me time and again to trust that God is at work and equipping me.

God is indeed the giver of special talents. Each one of us has abilities and skills to make the kingdom more beautiful, more inviting, more aware and more spacious. I do not produce these talents within myself on my own, I have to trust and believe that they are seeds planted by God and entrusted to me to grow and foster.

In my vocation I trust that the Word – Jesus himself dwells within me. He is the core of my heart, the lamp unto my feet and the thrust of my vocation to serve. He is the still small voice which whispers each day, “I am with you always… come and follow me.”

Photo Credits:

Gabrielle Clare Marino

Peter Dlhy

Christopher Sardegna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter: In our Midst – Mary Magdalene

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                   – Br. Michael, ofm

 

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance…. Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” 

                                                                                          – John 20. 1,18

 

 

Click on the link below to go to an experience of one the Easter Sunday stories in a contemporary setting. The video was crafted and created by Otto Rieder, age 12.

 

St. Mary Magdalene – the Apostle to the Apostles, is our companion for this Easter Season. She is our companion as we rejoice in the good news of the resurrection. She, the one entrusted to share the good news of the resurrection of Jesus indeed walks with us helping us to see and hear good news in our life. She is our companion asking us to remember, return and recall the gifts of being an Easter people.

 

Come with me to the empty tomb,

Come and see what I have seen.

Come and know the truth I know

come and see: He lives! He lives!

 

Come with me to the empty tomb

Remember his stories and ways.

Remember his message of love so deep.

Remember the promise: He would rise!

 

Come with me to the empty tomb

Return with hope and great joy.

Return to your loved ones renewed.

Return with good news: Our Savior reigns!

 

Come with me to the empty tomb

Recall that he will be with us always.

Recall that his new life is ours too.

Recall the gift: Peace be with you!

 

Come with me to the empty tomb,

Come and see what I have seen.

Come and know Jesus Christ is alive.

Come and see! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

Saint Mary Magdalene

walk with us and pray for us.

Easter Blessings!

 

 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No new posts for the next couple of weeks.

 

 

Icon: “Turn Toward the Good” – Mary Magdalene

Divine Mercy Risen Jesus

by C. Ziprick – Soul Sibling Studios ©

Easter Litany

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Mount St. Francis invites you to pause and reflect on the message and meaning of Easter. The Resurrection of Jesus is such a profound mystery that we need time to ponder the depths of this marvelous work of the Lord. The Church sets aside 50 days to commemorate this glorious event. Let us rejoice and be glad! Alleluia, alleluia!

 

Holy Week: In Our Midst – Mary, Mother of Jesus

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– Br. Michael, ofm

And standing by the Cross of Jesus was his mother, and the sister of his mother, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary, the Magdalene. John 19.25

With Mary the mother of Jesus we remember those who are unjustly condemned and made out to be a scapegoat. We remember those who are ladened down with burdens heavy from this pandemic or illnesses or relationships or from abuses or fears. We remember those who are alone and afraid. We remember those who are stripped of their dignity. We remember those who die each day because of who they are and what they believe. With Mary we make our way to the cross of her Son remembering all those whose cross has been very heavy this Lent. With Mary we must stand with them to be signs of hope.

With Mary the mother of Jesus we are called to return to the journey of this season with a pondering heart. Reflecting on where we have journeyed and what has changed or shifted in us. Where has new life sprouted up in us? What sorrows have called us to return to the heart of our God with a desire for clarity and healing? This Holy Week with Mary and her companions we return to the cross. We bring all we are – our hurts, our joys, our hopes, our yearnings, our blessings and our pains entrusting them again to her Son; knowing he will transform us.

With Mary the mother of Jesus we recall those who have journeyed with us, not only in this season but in all the seasons of life. We recall those who have supported us when we are weak, those who have encouraged us when our cross has felt life-crushing, those who have remained by us when all others have deserted us. We recall that in the journey we also may have cried “God, why have you forsaken me?” Mary too must have felt this way when Jesus cried those words. Her son, taken from her and from life unjustly, leaving her feeling forsaken. This Holy Week let us recall those times of feeling abandoned and entrust them to Jesus. These sacred days call us to move from the feeling of abandonment into the awareness of eternal life. We are a people who with Mary walk with hope, stand by the cross with courage and trust in a love stronger than the pain of the cross.

Blessings during this Holy Week.

Blessed Mary, Mother of Jesus

walk with us and pray for us.

 

Icon: “Holding onto Hope”

Mother Mary near the Cross

by C. Ziprick – Soul Sibling Studios ©

 

 

Lent V: In Our Midst – St. Joseph

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– Br. Michael, ofm

Silence is a companion that we often forget about. It is regularly viewed in the negative as something awkward when there is nothing to say or there is a lull in action. However, silence is a companion which encourages us to go into our heart, to go to the depth of who we are. Silence invites us to listen not to the noise of life but rather to the voice of life. Silence can be a gift if we allow ourselves to enter into the sacred space it offers. What I have I learned over the past few years is that the gift of silence is where I hear the promptings for what I am being called to do in the next steps of the journey and where I hear truths which I often negate. Silence invites me into an awareness of God. Like the still small voice which Elijah encountered (1 Kings 19.11-13), when I am silent, I begin to hear differently. This then helps me to see differently and maybe even with a fullness. Silence can be a companion for the remaining days of this season of Lent if we allow it the space it needs. It is an invitation to be in the season and not simply do the actions of the season.

Lent provides the opportunity to allow silence to stir us to new realities and new life. A companion saint who knew the gift of silence is St. Joseph. There are no recorded words of his in scripture and it was in the silence of dreams where he encountered God and what God was calling him to do. When he slowed down enough to be, silence gifted him with the greatest task for which he was destined. We often leave Saint Joseph standing by the manger as the rest of life moves on. This is unfortunate. Let us invite Saint Joseph to be our companion this Lenten week, let us invite him to guide us as he guided Christ to listen with his heart and to be in tune with God. Silence invites us, like the icon before us, to be held to the heart of God.

Saint Joseph’s life says remember what God declared: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10) Where can you incorporate stillness and silence into this Lenten week?

St. Joseph invites us to return to the source of goodness and give praise for this goodness. “I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever” Psalm 89.1 states. The love of God is our inherent goodness which is continually offered to us. Over the journey of this Lent where have you experienced God’s goodness and steadfast love? Where have you shared it?

The life of St. Joseph recalls for us the invitation that with silence comes deep trust. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid…” (Matthew 1.20). Joseph listened and trusted, abandoning his fears into God; trusting that God was equipping him for his role in the story of salvation. Do you trust God with how you are being called to your role in the story of life? Why or why not?

Blessings on the reaming days of the Lenten journey.

St. Joseph walk with us and pray for us.

 

Icon: “Held to the Heart of God”

St. Joseph with the Child Jesus

by C. Ziprick – Soul Sibling Studios ©

 

 

Outdoor Way of the Cross

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Many people have come in pilgrimage over the years to pray the Way of the Cross during Holy Week, especially on Good Friday. We have produced a virtual Way of the Cross to use at any time during Lent and Holy Week. Please see the link below.

Individuals and small groups who wish to come to the Mount during the Triduum (Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday) are advised that, following guidelines from Alberta Health to restrict all indoor social gatherings, the building will not be open and therefore public washrooms will not be available. If you do come to pray outside, please dress appropriately, especially wearing proper footwear. The trails are icy and snow covered in places.

We wish you a prayerful and safe Holy Week.

We wish you a prayerful and safe Holy Week.

Lent IV: In Our Midst – St. Patrick

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Br. Michael, ofm

The parish church I grew up in has a statue of St. Patrick. I was fascinated by this statue. A bishop standing with his staff looking right at you (his eyes seem to follow you), with a snake squirming at his feet. I was fascinated by his green garment, golden shoes and mitre (headgear for bishops). This statue portrayed St. Patrick as strong and heroic and yet approachable. It is because of this statue that I have had a life long fascination with St. Patrick, his feast day and Ireland (and whenever I’m home I do check in on the statue). St. Patrick is a good saint for our Lenten journey for he reminds us about bravery, trust and binding ourselves to Christ.

St. Patrick’s story is quite the adventure from a kidnapping, to slavery, from prayer, to ordination, from becoming bishop and returning to Ireland. There is so much to go into but I want to focus on the three qualities mentioned above that can encourage us in our Lenten days ahead. They seem to be the base of his prayer known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate. If you are familiar with the song “This Day God Gives Me” you are familiar with the premise of his beautiful prayer.

“I arise today through a mighty strength,” St. Patrick prays. He is saying remember it is the Triune God who is at work in you. It is God who is with you in the valleys low and mountains high. It takes a mighty strength to enter into each day as a witness of God’s love, bearing the presence of Christ and being a vessel of the Holy Spirit. This is the bravery required to face the chaos of the world, to arise knowing that the mighty strength is not our own but God with us. This is being brave enough to know that “once you were in darkness, “but now in the Lord you are light” (Ephesians 5.8).

St. Patrick knows all about what it is to return and with that to trust. He returned to Ireland, to the place where he had been held captive because he trusted God was calling him back. God was calling him to be a witness of the gospel and to light the fire of God’s love in the people. I believe he returned to truths that he knew were beyond the trappings of the world and even the church to deep truths of how God desires nothing more than to be our Anam Cara (Celtic for “soul friend”). St. Patrick placed his trust in God the Creator of all, in Jesus the Beloved and in the life-giving Spirit to guide him. He asks us to do the same on our Lenten journey and life journey. He asks to be trust that God is indeed our Anam Cara.

St. Patrick’s Prayer has some of the most beautiful lines of prayer ever penned. He prays, “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me” and so on. St. Patrick asks us to recall that our Savior who was born, lived, died and rose from the dead is with us now. Christ dwells here and now and not just in some village in Judea thousands of years ago. The lines of this prayer have been assurance for countless people. I know for myself as I have navigated moments of fear and worry, I have asked Christ to be present. In moments of gratitude and rejoicing, I have acknowledged Christ present. This is binding myself to Christ. I fasten myself to Christ, because as Psalm 23 says, “the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” I would also like to think that in the journey of life when I feel alone or uncertain or unaware that Christ binds himself to me. Not in the same way that I bind myself to him, rather in the fulfilment of his promise to be with us until the end of the ages (Matthew 28).

As we journey in this Fourth Week of Lent, let us ask St. Patrick to be our companion. A true companion, not just a fascinating statue like the one from my childhood, rather a guide who awakens us to the closeness of our Triune God. A companion who also awakens us to how creation shows forth the beauty of our God (the shamrock comes to mind). St. Patrick says to us be brave in your daily living, trust that God is with you and bind yourself to the One who is life eternal.

Blessings on the Lenten journey.

St. Patrick walk with us and pray for us.

 

Icon: St. Patrick

by C. Ziprick – Soul Sibling Studios ©

Lent III: In Our Midst – Saint Oscar Romero

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Br. Michael, ofm

When I was a teenager, I attended several Youth Conferences or Rallies sponsored by the Archdiocese. Each one had a theme with speakers, sessions and activities based on that theme. As I recall one of the themes was Micah 6.8, “The Lord requires you to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.” We were awakened to harsh realities that youth from around the world were experiencing. We were also introduced to people that had or were doing something about it. In an odd activity for a youth conference, they had us gather in our small groups and watch a movie. This was not the norm for these types of events. I believe the movie we watched had just been released in the preceding year. I remember watching in awe the brutal reality of people being persecuted by their own government. I was in shock by the way the church was tormented and innocent people killed. Even as the movie ended and the main character was killed, there was not a sense of hopelessness rather one of promise, of a better way, of doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God.

The movie we watched was called Romero. It is based on the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, El Salvador, who was martyred well celebrating Mass in March of 1980. The movie was made just some 9 years later. This powerful movie introduced me to a man who has challenged me to consider how I serve those in need, how I defend truth, what is justice and how do I sacrifice so others may have life. (If you have not seen the movie it is worth watching.)

I think of Saint Oscar Romero each Lent. He seems to be a good saint for the Lenten journey and sneaks in and says “how are you doing? do you hear the cry of the poor? will you risk a change of heart like I did? will you walk humbly with our God today?” These are all good questions for this season.  This season of wake-up calls and reality checks on my living. It’s also not only during Lent that he seems to whisper in my heart. At other times in the year, I can seem to hear his words trying to awaken me to the plight of so many people. At times I feel paralyzed with what I should do and say and yet I try to find simple ways to rise up with God’s people calling for justice. Even learning about the plight of others is a starting point.

Oscar Romero is a good companion for our Lenten journey, for he too had a conversion of heart as the bishop of San Salvador. His conversion caused him to rise up and be one with his people. As this Third Week of Lent unfolds and we mark the one-year point of Covid-19 pandemic, Oscar Romero stands next to us. He asks us to be present to those suffering. He asks us to do something for the good of all people. He asks us to turn to the Crucified One and know he is our strength. I am always grateful for that movie as part of the youth conference. Today I am grateful that the voice and wisdom of Saint Oscar Romero challenges me to look at my Lenten actions and also my living beyond this season.

Saint Oscar Romero says remember “Let us not tire of preaching love, it is the force that will overcome the world. Let us not tire of preaching love… love must win out; it is the only thing that can.” This is still the call for justice, kindness and walking humbly with our God in our time. Let us preach love in word and deed in the Lenten days ahead.

Lent is a time to return to our baptismal call of priest, prophet and king. Oscar Romero puts it this way: “You must be God’s microphone, each one of you must be a messenger, a prophet.” This is a clear message that we each have a role to play in building the kingdom of God, let us return to our true calling.

“The church will always exist as long as there is one baptized person. And that one baptized person who is left in the world is responsible before the world for holding aloft the banner of the Lord’s truth and his divine justice.” With this thought Oscar Romero asks us to recall the dignity and the challenge of our baptism. Lent is a time to be renewed but also a time to step up for justice.

As we journey in this Third Week of Lent, let us ask St. Oscar Romero to be our companion. Let us rise up and be a church of true justice, of loving kindness and humility to make known the generosity and mercy of our God.

Blessings on the Lenten journey.

St. Oscar Romero walk with us and pray for us.

 

 

Icon: St. Oscar Romero

by C. Ziprick – Soul Sibling Studios ©