Again Week 2 - Gods Will in Our Weakness Youtube

Provisions for the Journeying to Jerusalem

Brief reflections on the week'due south Scripture readings,

LENT WEEK 3, 2022.

Sunday, March xx : An angel of the LORD appeared to Moses in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on burn down, was not consumed….God chosen out to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!" (Ex three:1-8a, thirteen-15)

A talking, burning bush. I see Moses rubbing his eyes and wondering if he'd been out in the desert estrus too long that day! Merely he doesn't run away. He explores. He wants to larn more. And even when he hears God announce his majesty, though filled with fright, Moses remains.

Today's Provision: Don't run away. Remain with God. Can you imagine such a dramatic see? Nosotros have free will, just I think, similar Moses today (and Mary subsequently this week), it would exist virtually impossible to run away from such a direct experience of God; you'd exist changed forever. Simply now comes the difficult function: remaining with God. We hear in Exodus that Moses had ongoing dialogues with God, but fifty-fifty he was tempted to give upwardly. For near of us, if we are blessed to hear just a word spoken, it is cursory and fleeting. I think of the book, Come Be My Lite, the letters of St. Teresa of Calcutta and how she struggled so to remain faithful to that showtime quiet call she received. If nosotros are open to listen, God speaks to united states, though usually in much subtler ways than a talking, burning bush! If today, yous hear God's voice, harden not your heart. Quell your fearfulness. Listen. Don't run abroad. Remain with God.

Monday, March 21 : "Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?" (Ps 42)

"Okay, permit'due south look at THIS week'southward calendar. When can I squeeze in time to behold the face up of God? Monday and Tuesday are booked solid. Midweek, I might exist able to fit it in between the iv zoom calls and soccer practice, but then we exit early on for the weekend get-away….maybe next week?" Sound familiar? What we overlook, though, is those iii words from the first phrase: "the living God." God'southward face is not confined to holy places or when we sit in prayer. Information technology is in nature, in the face of others, even in the face we look at in the mirror each forenoon (I'm worried God is not getting plenty sleep😉). In fact, the only way nosotros tin can, as Paul bids us, "pray always," is to be aware of God'south presence in all things. Look for and observe God everywhere, especially in places where you least expect God to show up—like in the states!

Today's Provision: Apply your senses to behold the Living God! If you take the souvenir of hearing, mind for sounds in nature, the audio of laughter, the cry of someone in need—yous are hearing the Living God. If you have the gift of sight, await deeply into the eyes of those you dearest, into the faces of those who run into throughout the day — behold your God. Smell flowers, the aroma of coffee; treat yourself to something that tastes extra proficient. Feel the warmth of the sun or the absurd breeze on your peel. God is everywhere and in everything. Quench your thirst!

Tuesday, March 22 : " When that servant had left, he found i of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what yous owe.'" (Mt 18:21-35)

I have written on this parable so many times in the past 12 years, I thought there would be zero new, but the Spirit comes through however once more! We've speculated on a few things virtually this unforgiving servant. Maybe he's embarrassed at having been forgiven by the rex in front of everyone, so he takes out his embarrassment on someone he sees equally contributing to his trouble. Or maybe he is wiggle. Maybe he doesn't meet the king'due south forgiveness as a souvenir of mercy. Or peradventure he'due south a wiggle! Or but maybe…he's not able to forgive himself.

Today's Provision: Forgive yourself—from your eye. This was difficult for me until I realized it was my ego getting in the manner. Sure, I could take God's forgiveness. Early on on, information technology was a cognitive acceptance because that was what I was told would happen when I went to the sacrament of penance. I still felt lousy. Later on, I was able to accept information technology in my heart equally I came to know a loving, merciful God. That felt more real. Merely self-forgiveness? The "shoulds" remained: "Y'all should know better than that!" You lot should exist better than that!" Then God posed the question to me: "Why? Why do you think yous should know or be better than any other human being? That's what I'm here for—to assist yous!" Allow God forgive you, then forgive yourself. Forgiving others becomes so much easier when y'all meet them as human -- like yous!

Wed, March 23 : ". ..accept intendance and be earnestly on your baby-sit not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor allow them slip from your retentiveness as long as y'all live." (Dt iv:1, 5-9)

Our parents are buried at Arlington Cemetery, in a columbarium lined with the names of veterans who, like our dad, served in World War II. These brave men and women fought for a cause greater than themselves. Our dad would pray that the world would never forget the horrors of war so equally not to make the same mistakes again. Let usa pray and work in earnest that we, as global citizens, will piece of work towards peace and reconciliation.

Today's Provision: Be merciful. Soapbox time: I am so chagrined to hear about people vandalizing Russian-owned businesses and churches these days, only equally I was appalled to hear people doing the same thing to those of Asian descent during the COVID outbreak. For God's sake! Sad -- hither'southward a "should "— simply not one tied to our egos! We should be improve than this! Nosotros must be better than this! What good does it do to answer violence with violence? How does this help anything? Don't y'all think the people we somehow try to "blame" for what is happening in Ukraine might demand our support and mercy all the more? As was in the past, it can be the punishments victors impose on the vanquished that leads to more war in the future. Let's love one some other equally the Lord instructs usa. Be merciful. Treat all y'all come across with love and respect, especially those who are suffering and about in need of our mercy.

Thursday, March 24 : " They walked in the hardness of their hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me." (Jer vii:23-28)

There is a theory of moral theology called "The Fundamental Option." The bones premise: "To have some ... fundamental orientation of life is not the exception but rather the rule; most people have a more or less definite orientation ... which constitutes a form of life for them. It provides an organizing norm to which their particular activities are related." At its simplest, information technology'south similar to St. Augustine's question: Exercise yous reside in the "Urban center of God" or the "City of Man?" There's fence about this theory—it is not predestination, but the habits and viewpoints we autumn into throughout the grade of our lives. Are nosotros people of hope, regardless of what befalls, with our faces looking at God? Or, do we turn our backs on God through grave sin or despair? Regardless of wherever we are right now, God ever provides a way for us to turn around and return to him.

Today's Provision: Keep your optics and center focused on God. I imagine the central pick equally a kind of continuum on which I move dorsum and forth. My focus is on God, but through everyday sins and good works, I motility farther away from or closer to God; but my orientation remains towards God. Conversely, I might seem to others (and myself) to be close to God, pious and holy, and nonetheless my motivation is pride or self-involvement — my back is turned from God and I'm focused on me. Each night, it's a adept thought to see where you are on the continuum, just it's besides of import to enquire yourself: Am I facing God or take I hardened my heart and turned my back?

Friday, March 25 : Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings y'all sought not; so said I, "Behold … I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." (Ps forty; Lk i:26-38)

The sacrifices the psalmist refers to are those things prescribed in detail in the Pentateuch, primarily grain and beast sacrifices. Yet, the cede Mary makes, her ears open to obedience, price far more the blood of bulls and goats. Mary sacrifices her understanding and her reason to follow God'southward phone call, as incommunicable as it seems. She risks losing Joseph, facing shame — or worse. Her sacrifice continues to play out in the temple when Jesus is consecrated, when he is lost; when Jesus leaves her backside and turns away from her to preach; and, of course, at the foot of the cross.

Today's Provision: Can you pray the prayer of Mary? "Let it be done to me according to your will." Homo, that'due south a tough prayer to offer. It requires us proverb "Yes!" every day to God's telephone call. Pray to Mary for the forcefulness to accept God's volition for you and to be open up to God's voice in your everyday life.

Saturday, March 26 : "For it is dearest that I want, not cede, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. " (Hos 6:1-half-dozen)) "It is mercy I desire." (Ps 51)

Our theme this Lent is mercy, both accepting God's mercy for ourselves and sharing that mercy with others. But as nosotros considered on Tuesday, accepting and sharing mercy can indeed be a sacrifice… a sacrifice of our egos.

Today'due south Provision: Where am I getting in my own fashion? Take time to reverberate where your ego might be keeping yous from feeling and showing God's compassion and mercy. Brand a "sacrifice"—get out the fashion!

We hope you savor " Come and See! " and we welcome your input. Please contact Elaine Ireland at ehireland@loyola.edu with questions, comments, and responses.