Second Sunday of Lent

February is the month dedicated to the Holy Family

March is the month dedicated to Saint Joseph

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 19 The Discipline of Psalmody - Ch 25 Serious Faults

My vows to the Lord I will pay.

HOLY FAMILY, OUR SUPPORT IN LIFE AND OUR HOPE IN DEATH,

SAINT JOSEPH, PROTECTOR OF THE HOLY CHURCH,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

(Romans 8:31b)

Welcome to the Second Sunday of Lent, in February, the month dedicated to the Holy Family, in a Leap Year that welcomes at end of this week, the month of March, dedicated to Saint Joseph. We are moving along, faithful readers. How are you doing so far in these 40 days of Lent? 

In today's Gospel, we are presented with the Transfiguration when Jesus, with Peter, James, and John in tow, went up a high mountain to be apart by themselves. There, Jesus was transfigured before them; His clothes became dazzling white. With this scene over the past days, I have been thinking of how God has called me over the years, how He has, in a sense, transfigured me to take a new direction in life, to change or be converted in one way or another over the years, essentially since the time He formed me in the womb and knew me, when He dedicated me before I was born (see Jer 1:5). Then after I was born, when my parents gave me the greatest gift they ever gave me, namely, they had me baptized when I was just 20 days old. It was then that I became a child of God, a member of the Body of Christ, the Church, a member of the family of faith. Another way I have looked at it is when were the times when Grace has knocked on my door, and with His grace, I have opened the door and responded to the Lord's call: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him" (Mk 9:7). In any case, grace abounds and thankfully, there have been many times in my life when I opened the door and let Grace in. And there have been enough times too, when I have not let Grace in, and gone on my merry way. These days may be days when you and I together, as beloved children of God, reflect on how God has called us, and continues to call us to moments of transfiguration, to change us from one degree of glory to another (see 2 Cor 3:18); moments to grow closer to the Lord, and to pick up our cross and follow Him. As He says: Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lost it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Mt 16:24-25). Grace abounds; open the door. Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done. I believe, help my unbelief. 

Many of our voices this week come from Mother Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821), in T. Hoopes, "Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Explains How to Pray, Fast, and Give," Seton Reflections, February 18, 2024.

God is with us-and if sufferings abound in us, His Consolations also greatly abound, and far exceed all utterance.

My own troubles will teach me I hope how to comfort others.

Let your chief study be to acquaint yourself with God because there is nothing greater than God, and because it is only knowledge which can fill the heart with a peace and joy, which nothing can disturb.

The nearer a soul is truly united to God, the more its sensibilities are increased to every being of His Creation; much more to those whom it is bound to love by the tenderest and most endearing ties.

The first I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in a manner He wills it; and thirdly to do it because it is His will.

So, our "wholly American" saint asks us these questions, more to ponder as we journey through these 40 days. 

Does the life of our Jesus animate us?

Do we indeed give Him the true service of the heart without which whatever we give has no value?

And the last voice comes from Saint Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850), especially as we heed to Our Father's words, and listen to His beloved Son. Here, I am! (Gen 22:1). 

Not the intellect, but God. Not the will, but God. Not the soul, but God ... Not the goods of the world, but God. Not honors, but God ... God always and in everything.

United in faith and prayer, we are. Keep going, faithful readers.

SAINT ETHELBERT,

BLESSED MARIA ADEODATA PISANI,

SAINT WALBURGA,

SAINT ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA,

SAINT GREGORY OF NAREK,

BLESSED MARIA CARIDAD BRADER,

SAINT OSWALD,

SAINT DUNSTAN,

SAINT ETHELWOLD,

SAINT DAVID,

SAINT CHAD,

BLESSED CHARLES THE GOOD OF DENMARK,

SAINT DONATIAN,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: They are popping up everywhere. In the presence of all His people.

© Gertrude Feick 2024