Matt: 24:12 Because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many will ... grow cold.
This year
with increase in polarity in the world our church, the sex abuse scandal within
the church threatening our faith; what must we do to help prevent this coldness of heart in our
lives and in the lives of those brethren we encounter daily. What do we have to
offer? In Pope Francis' address last year, he noted that the Catholic
church offers each year the Season of Lent as a ‘sacramental sign’ of
conversion. Lent summons us and enables
us to come back to the Lord wholeheartedly in every aspect of our lives. 
Romans. 12:1-2 I urge you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourself to
this age but be yourself transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may
discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans. 14:13
Then let us no longer judge one another, but rather resolve never
to put a stumbling block or hindrance in
the way of another.
Mark. 7: 7-9 In this quote, Mark points out that those
who turn away from the commands of God and become attuned to purely human
teachings (divisive and abusive politics, intolerances, ambiguity, polarity,
etc) can no longer hear the voice of God.
Joel:2:12-14 Even now declares the Lord 'Return to me
with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.'
Luke 6:38 Give and gifts will be given to you in good
measure, packed together, shook down and overflowing, and well poured into your
lap. O yeah, by the way, these must also
by shared wholeheartedly.
Matthew 25:40 Amen, I say to you whatever you do for one
of these least of my brethren you do unto me. Again, this includes: the
poor, the sick, the immigrant, the elderly, the marginalized, the
adversary, those who are lowly and
disdained by many etc.
Saint Mother Therese It is not how much we do but rather with how
much love we put into the action that we do.
If we concentrate on some of
these thoughts and actions in Lent, perhaps we will avoid the coldness of heart
and maybe help others to have warm hearts by reaching out with love.
Sr. Joan Gripshover, OSB
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ReplyDeleteDear sister, these are holy words, thank you. There is too much blaming of one another and not enough blaming ourselves. For the sisters, there is too much suffering without the outreach in joy to the ones refused, to build a new avenue of love, to be humble and ask them to share with us something of the goodness we have in our charism, and to learn from them and share with them, to add a richness to our world. We don't like what they are because of our education. Can we overcome that? Have we gone cap in hand to the place we thought low? We do not want to do that. How many there are there, and how good some of them are. Why can't we be humble and walk over there and say that we love them? Happy lent good prayers good reading good learning happy Easter OSB God bless you, amen.
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