As a child I always felt that spring was the perfect season for Easter. When I was dressing up in smart patent leather shoes, white gloves and a pastel dress that made twirling worthwhile, it just seemed right that the flower boxes should be blooming with pastel flowers and forsythia bushes bursting with yellow blossoms.
As we made our way to Easter Mass, the newly green lawns and freshly budded trees were a lovely backdrop to the Easter parade of parishioners decked out in new finery.
Spring, I thought, was like Easter clothes for the earth.
What I didn’t understand until years later was the significance of new clothes as an Easter symbol of new life.
In the ancient Church, it was customary for those newly baptized into the Church, usually adults, to wear white clothes to symbolize their new life in Christ. We still see this symbolism today when a white bib is placed on a baby being baptized and the white pall placed over a casket during a funeral. The pall recalls the white clothes of Baptism and Jesus’ triumph over death through his Resurrection.
From the first white clothes of the newly baptized, it became the custom in many places to dress in new clothes and walk in procession as a sign of respect for the sacredness of the day. As hundreds of years passed, the focus was often misplaced on the new, and often expensive, clothes and fashionable bonnets for women.
The famous New York City Easter Parade, which started in 1880, is an example of a parade that became famous mostly as a means of showing off Easter finery. At one point, more than a million people came to view the pageant which began to lose its religious significance.
As we make our final preparations for the celebration of Easter, the many symbols of new life so popular today provide a wonderful opportunity for simple lessons on the real meaning of Easter.
Coloring Easter eggs, donning new clothes, admiring the lilies and spring flowers that decorate the Church, even eating chocolate bunny rabbits, can serve as lessons on the new and abundant life that is ours as a result of the Passion of Jesus. We just need to take the time to engage our children in conversation.
Easter is the perfect time to talk with children about the true meaning of joy, and to help them understand that real joy is not something that comes from the things we buy, but from the gifts of God.
Pope Francis can help us put it into words: “The Christian identity card is joy, the Gospel’s joy, the joy of having been chosen by Jesus, saved by Jesus, regenerated by Jesus; the joy of that hope that Jesus is waiting for us, the joy that - even with the crosses and sufferings we bear in this life – is expressed in another way, which is peace in the certainty that Jesus accompanies us, is with us."
The Holy Father’s prayer for joy can also be our prayer, asking that the Lord “graces us with amazement in his presence, in the presence of the many spiritual treasures he has given us; and with this amazement, may he give us joy, the joy of our lives - and of having our hearts at peace even when faced with many difficulties. And may he protect us from seeking happiness in so many things that ultimately sadden us: they promise much, but they will not give us anything! Remember well: a Christian is a man, and a woman, of joy, joy in the Lord; a man and a woman of wonder ."
(Pope Francis’ words are from a 2016 homily at Mass Monday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta guesthouse.)
Mary Regina Morrell is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.Lectionary: 54
When we gaze at the stars, we behold a wonder like no other. The size of the galaxies and stars is unfathomable. We on Earth are but dust in relation to the cosmos.
Reflecting on this gives us a small glimpse into the awesome power of God "who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its produce, who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it: . . ." (Isaiah 42:5). With simple speech God spoke everything into existence. And bearing his imprint, the "heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1).
As powerful as this act of creation was, it pales in comparison to the true power of the universe: Love.
The Lord of the Universe created us with free will. What a great risk! C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity: "Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently He thought it worth the risk." People use their freedom for diabolic things every day. But when we exercise our will for the sake of love, we exercise a power greater than the creation of the universe.
This might all sound very lofty and heroic, but let us remember that love is often manifest in the small things—a kind gesture, a warm smile, a firm handshake, holding the door for someone, or saying thank you. These are all examples of the small ways that love wins over evil. When we begin the practice of love in the little things, we develop the fortitude to practice love in the big things.
This is, after all, the example God gives us in becoming human. The Lord of the Universe became a helpless baby as part of God’s great plan to save humanity. He then proceeded to live an ordinary human life. It was in Christ’s final hours—through his Passion and Death, and by his Resurrection—that the Father’s great love was so powerfully revealed.
In Romans 12:9-21, St. Paul describes the marks of a true Christian. Verse 21 reminds us: "Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good." We really can make a difference in the world. When our lives manifest love and goodness, we exercise the greatest power in the universe.
Lectionary: 57
As finicky as they can be in certain moments, a GPS is a wonderful tool, one that has essentially given us a generation of people who would scratch their heads at the concept of an atlas. Simply plug in a destination address and begin driving. Helpful visual cues and a friendly voice guide us along the way. After following all the instructions point by point, we arrive at our destination. It pays to be a good listener!
There certainly is a leap of faith in allowing the GPS to guide us along our way since nothing manmade is ever perfect. Yet, we put our trust in the little device and follow the driving instructions. Rather than feeling limited by the exact instructions, we find comfort in believing that the GPS will lead us to our final destination.
In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Jesus tells us that if we love him, we will obey his teaching. So often the biggest complaint about the faith is all the “rules” that need to be followed or that it requires a change in how we live our lives. Following the commandments and living a life of virtue are not meant to be constricting. They are meant to guide us along our way, similar to the GPS but better. God doesn’t make mistakes.
When we make decisions in accord with Jesus’ teaching, we are choosing to trust that these instructions for a life of holiness will get us to where we are going. Doing so is liberating because it helps us choose what is right. Choice is surely an aspect of freedom, but it is a double-edged sword. We can certainly choose the wrong way. We are often faced with so many options that it can be hard to choose. But when we have the teachings of Jesus to help us in our life choices, we walk in freedom.
On our journeys, the GPS adds to our sense of freedom. When we follow the instructions, we gain peace of mind that we are heading in the right direction. We might sometimes take for granted the reward of arriving at our destination, but we are always happy with the directions so we can get there safely and easily.
So it is in our walk of faith. Being obedient to the Lord gives us a sense of peace that we are heading in the right direction. God ensured we have a choice. Are we going to steer off the road into a ditch, or are we going to remain on the Way?
Thomas Gette is a family man with a passion for the domestic Church. He holds master’s degrees from both Franciscan University and the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium.Lectionary: 42
by Thomas Gette
The fire that engulfed the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris on Monday of Holy Week will forever be imprinted on our minds. The world watched in disbelief as this magnificent house of God that took nearly 200 years to build was being destroyed in a single day.
Believer and non-believer alike were struck speechless. Many expressed feelings as if the fire ominously symbolized that the Church and the world were on the eve of apocalyptic destruction. There was darkness, despair, fear, anger, and concern. The sight may have brought to mind the words from John 2:19: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
Now that we are on the other side of Holy Week, with the Alleluias of Easter echoing once again in the Church, we have entered the liturgical season that gives meaning to all the darkness: Jesus, the Light of the World, conquered death and darkness and is risen from the dead!
It was faith in the Resurrection of Christ that inspired the construction of Notre-Dame, and it is that same faith, strengthened and purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit, that will pull us through this dark moment in history.
Even more importantly, it is that same faith that can pull us through the dark moments of our daily lives. Christ’s victory over death stands for us as the sign of God’s power over everything in our lives. Jesus is not just an inspirational historical figure; Jesus is the Son of the Living God who can bring life and meaning to anything and everything we are experiencing.
Lent and Holy Week are reminders that we will often go through times of struggle and suffering, but Easter gives us the hope that God will always overcome and always lead us to joy.
Let us surrender the struggles and suffering to God, and pray with hope that Jesus will bring new life to whatever it is we are facing and give us the strength to embrace a change we may need to make in our lives.
Thomas Gette is a family man with a passion for the domestic Church. He holds master’s degrees from both Franciscan University and the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium.
The Church’s liturgical year continues with the celebration of Lent and Holy Week, the time during which Catholics throughout the world honor the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and the giving of alms. Through the suggestions and resources listed below, RCL Benziger is pleased to partner with you in leading children, youth, and families to a prayerful, meaningful experience of the Lenten journey.
1. Remember to refer to the liturgical year section in the back of your religion textbooks for specific lessons on Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, and Holy Week. Remember, too, that your textbooks contain an outline of the Stations of the Cross and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.
2. Help your students continue to learn about and draw inspiration from the stories of the saints whose memorials the Church celebrates this Lenten season. Visit SaintsResource.com for information on these saints. Also included is a listing of where the stories of these saints are told in Be My Disciples and Blest Are We.
3. The Church will celebrate two solemnities during the season of Lent in 2019. They are the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.
March 19: The Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Prepare ahead of time to celebrate on March 19 the tradition of the Blessing of Saint Joseph’s Table. This custom offers a wonderful opportunity for children and youth to offer gifts of food for the poor. The order of the blessing may be found in both Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers (revised edition, copyright 2007, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) and the Book of Blessings (prepared by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, and copyright 1989 by The Order of Saint Benedict, Inc.).
For a classroom-friendly reproducible outline of this blessing, go to Saint Joseph’s Table.
March 25: The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Take time today to proclaim all or part of Luke 1:26-38, the Gospel reading assigned to this solemnity. In addition, consider praying the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary (which include the Annunciation), the Angelus, the Litany of Loreto (or Litany of Mary) or the Hail Mary.
4. Your religion textbook contains chapter prayers and liturgical lessons focusing on Lent and its themes of mercy, forgiveness, the poor (almsgiving), and the Cross. Explore these prayers ahead of time as you prepare for Lent. In addition, incorporate the following classroom prayer celebrations.
Pre-Lent/All: Burying the Alleluia
Celebrate this prayer just before Ash Wednesday. Students will have the opportunity to say farewell to the Alleluia, highlighting for them that it will not be spoken or sung in the liturgies of the Church until we celebrate the joyful season of Easter. This prayer is appropriate for all grade levels, and would also be appropriate for an all-school or all-religious education class or family pre-Lent gathering.
Lent/Primary: I Will!
This prayer, adapted from a Be My Disciples classroom prayer suggestion, gives primary-grade students the opportunity to think about how they will work to better live as children of God during the Lenten season.
Lent/Upper Elementary and Junior High: Take Up Your Cross
This prayer is also adapted from a Be My Disciples classroom prayer, and will help students reflect on how they will follow Jesus more closely during the season of Lent.
Holy Week/All/Multicultural: Alfombras
Based on a Holy Week tradition celebrated in Guatemala, this prayer incorporates art, song, and procession. It may be prepared and celebrated in individual classrooms, or prepared in individual classrooms and celebrated as an all-school or all-religious education class or family Holy Week celebration.
5. There are many age- and grade-appropriate classroom activities available to highlight the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Click on the following four resources for downloadable activity pages for children and youth.
Lent: Praying and Repenting During Lent
This activity will help children reflect on their faith life and make a commitment to strengthen their faith life during Lent.
Lent: Make a Book to Help You Follow Jesus
Activities include a page for primary-age children (“Follow Jesus”) and an adaptation of the activity for upper-grade children (“Make a Discipleship Book for Lent”).
Lent: I Make a Forgiveness Card
In this activity, primary-age children will make a card to ask for forgiveness from someone in their family.
Lent: Exploring the Scrutinies
On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, the Church celebrates the Scrutinies with the elect, those to be baptized at the Easter Vigil.
This activity invites young people to read and reflect on the Gospel stories proclaimed on the Scrutiny Sundays: The Woman at the Well, The Man Born Blind, and The Raising of Lazarus.
Prayer, fasting, and the giving of alms—may the stories, songs, prayers, activities, and disciplines of Lent lead us ever closer to Christ, whose constant invitation is to Be My Disciples.
From January 18 through January 25, Christians throughout the world will join in a very special week of prayer called the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This week of prayer was established in 1908, and the dates were chosen so that the week ends on the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. The Week of Prayer actually consists of eight days—an octave—which always designates a very special time of prayer and celebration in the life of the Church.
In Companion to the Calendar (Liturgy Training Publications, 1993), Mary Ellen Hynes explains: “. . . Christians have sometimes forgotten that we are all one body with Christ as our head. We think of ourselves instead as Eastern or Western, Protestant or Catholic. . . . [P]rayer is still needed so that the body of Christ on earth can be strong and united. That will help the people of the world hear the voice of Christ speaking clearly. The church prays for Christian unity all during the year. But during [this] week we pray with special concern. We ask that all Christians might be able to work together.”
Each year, representatives of a council of churches from a particular region of the world—including Catholic bishops and leaders from that region–choose the Scripture focus and develop materials for worldwide use during the Week of Prayer. This year’s focus, “Justice and only justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:18-20), was chosen by the Christian churches in Indonesia. Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world, is only 10% Christian. It is estimated that only 12% of Indonesian Christians are Catholic.
Indonesia itself is founded on five principles called Pancasilla. These principles are:
1. Belief in the one and only God
2. Just and civilized humanity
3. The unity of Indonesia
4. Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations among representatives
5. Social justice for all people of Indonesia Indonesia’s motto is Bhinneka Tuggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).
Indonesians live by the principle of gotong royong, which means to live in solidarity and by collaboration—sharing in all aspects of life, work, grief and festivities, and regarding all Indonesians as their brothers and sisters.
Despite this, corruption and natural disaster have recently greatly impacted economic growth in Indonesia and harmony among its people. That is why the Indonesian Council of Churches chose the theme, “Justice and only justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:18-20).
This year, plan to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with your students and their families. Our body of resources for this special week of prayer include tips for celebrating the week in your classroom, an activity for families, a prayer card, and a prayer service that can be used in the classroom, in the school, or in the parish religious education program.
Mary Sellars Malloy recently retired from her position as project manager for RCL Benziger. She continues giving presentations and leading parish missions and retreats throughout the country. Her hope is to encourage Catholics of all ages to appreciate and to live their faith.
One of my favorite moments of the Church year is the procession to the font at the Easter Vigil Mass. No matter what setting of the Litany of the Saints you may sing at your parish, there is something wonderful about making our way to the font with those to be baptized as we call upon the saints and angels in song. It is at that point in our Church year when I most physically and spiritually feel that I am part of the Communion of Saints—the communion of pilgrims on Earth, the dead who are being purified, and the blessed in Heaven (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 962). I am always filled with joy as I process with those who are going to enter into this holy communion through the Sacrament of Baptism.
We begin the month of November by celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints and All Souls’ Day. We dress our classroom and family prayer tables with pictures of loved ones who have died, images of favorite saints, candles, and the cross. Many Hispanic families add flowers and skull- and skeleton-shaped candies to their family altars in celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is a time for family members to offer memories of and prayers for the deceased. It is a time to pray our own litanies.
On October 14 of this year, Pope Francis canonized seven women and men: Pope Paul VI, Óscar Romero, Francesco Spinelli, Vincenzo Romano, Maria Kasper, Nazaria Ignacia, and Nunzio Sulprizio. Their childhoods, education, countries of origin, ministries, ages, and life experiences differ greatly. Yet all are now recognized as saints of the Church. Their stories have now become a part of our collection of saints’ stories at SaintsResource.com, and those stories encourage us to remain strong in faith and hope, to never give up, and to always follow Christ’s way of love.
As we are reminded in the Be My Disciples Grade 5 lesson on All Saints:
[The saints are] holy men and women [who] are models of discipleship. Some are known for their lives of heroic virtue. Other saints are known for the great sacrifices they made for their faith. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the greatest of all the saints.
The saints come from every time, every culture, every race, and from every nation on Earth. They were young and old, poor and wealthy. Some were great scholars, while others never learned to read. Some saints were from royal families; others were peasants. Many of these saints have special feast days on the Church calendar to honor their unique contributions to the Church. When we pray in the Apostles’ Creed that we believe in the Communion of Saints, we profess our belief that we are united as people of faith.
And so, as we begin this month of November, let us lift our voices in prayer and song. Let us call upon the saints—all the faithful followers of Jesus—to pray for us!
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Saint Michael, pray for us.
Holy angels of God, pray for us.
Pope Saint Paul VI, pray for us.
Saint Óscar Romero, pray for us.
Saint Francesco Spinelli, pray for us.
Saint Vincenzo Romano, pray for us.
Saint Maria Kasper, pray for us.
Saint Nazaria Ignacia, pray for us.
Saint Nunzio Sulprizio, pray for us.
All holy women and men, pray for us.
Mary Sellars Malloy recently retired from her position as project manager for RCL Benziger. She continues giving presentations and leading parish missions and retreats throughout the country. Her hope is to encourage Catholics of all ages to appreciate and to live their faith.
December 2 is the beginning of the season of Advent and the beginning of the new liturgical year. Now is a great time to review the liturgical year section in the back of your Be My Disciples or Blest Are We student, catechist, and teacher editions.
Plan ahead to post a new liturgical year calendar, and celebrate its posting with a Prayer for the New Church Year. Mark upcoming solemnities and feasts with special stickers, push pins, or symbols. Take time to review with your class or family the seasons of the liturgical year and their colors, symbols, feasts, and focuses. The material in the back of your book will help you lead this discussion.
To encourage families to celebrate Advent in the home, prepare for each family a copy of Rita Burns Senseman’s article, Celebrating Advent at Home: Purple Is for Advent. This article offers an explanation of the season of Advent and practical ways for families to celebrate Advent in the home.
Place the Advent wreath on your classroom prayer table, and celebrate with the children and youth the Blessing of the Advent Wreath. You may wish to copy and send this home as an Advent prayer resource for families.
Tell the stories of the women and men who, like John the Baptist, helped prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. Create a classroom Jesse Tree, read the Scripture stories, and create ornaments celebrating the ancestry of Jesus. The Jesse Tree is another family-friendly resource you may wish to copy and send home with children and youth.
Celebrate in the classroom or encourage families to pray the O Antiphons each day from December 17 to December 23. The O Antiphons of Advent for Grades 1-4 and The O Antiphons of Advent for Grades 5-8 provide some background on the O Antiphons, a prayer, a verse of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and patterns for making simple O Antiphon ornaments.
Prepare children and youth to hear the Sunday readings of the Advent season by using the Gospel Reflection and Classroom Sessions for each Sunday of Advent, available at RCLBLectionary.com. The Classroom Sessions offer ideas for children and youth in primary, intermediate, and junior high grades, as well as background for the religion teacher and catechist. Encourage families to continue the discussion of the Sunday readings by sending home the Question of the Week, also available at RCLBLectionary.com. Two simple questions, one for adults and one for children, can foster lively and faith-filled conversation.
Don’t forget to celebrate the many saints whose solemnities and feasts are celebrated this Advent season. Many of their stories can be found in your textbook or at SaintsResource.com.
December 3: Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
Saint Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits, longed to preach the Good News to the Chinese, but died before ever reaching China. He is the patron saint of foreign missions.
Today pray for our sisters and brothers in China, and for all missionaries who work to bring the Good News to China and to every corner of the world.
December 6: Saint Nicholas, Bishop
Saint Nicholas is one of the best known and best loved of the Saints. On his feast day, tangerines are often given as a symbol of the gold he gave in order to save three daughters whose father was going to sell them into slavery. Candy canes are also offered as a reminder of Bishop Nicholas’ crosier, or bishop’s staff. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children.
Today pray for all children who are victims of abuse and violence. In honor of Saint Nicholas’ generosity, make a special effort to give care, kindness, and time to those around you.
December 7: Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Saint Ambrose was chosen by the people to become the bishop of Milan even though he was a catechumen, an unbaptized person. He was a friend of Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, and he baptized Saint Augustine.
Today pray for all catechumens who are preparing to be initiated into the Catholic faith through Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.
December 8: The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On this day the Church celebrates the dogma that Mary was kept free from Original Sin from the first moment of her conception. Spain celebrates this solemnity with a tradition called Los Seises (the Dance of the Six). As hymns of the solemnity are sung, six boys dance before the Blessed Sacrament. In Paraguay, Our Lady of the Miracles is celebrated. Invite the children and youth to research these two traditions celebrated on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
Today pray all or part of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The litany is available at usccb.org (Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary).
December 11: Saint Damasus I, Pope
As pope, Saint Damasus made the decision to make Latin the official language of the western Church. He gave to Saint Jerome the task of translating the Bible from Hebrew and Greek to Latin. This translation was called the Vulgate.
Today pray all or part of one of the traditional prayers of the Catholic faith (such as the Sign of the Cross, the Glory Be, the Hail Mary, or the Our Father) in Latin. Pray for Pope Francis, that the Holy Spirit will guide him and all Church leaders to make good decisions for the Church throughout the world.
December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas
This feast is celebrated as a solemnity in Mexico and in many Hispanic countries. Another name for Our Lady of Guadalupe is La Morenita (the little dark one), for Mary appeared to Juan Diego as an Aztec princess, with dark hair and olive skin. In doing so, she restored dignity to the Aztec people after they had suffered many years of cruelty and poverty.
Today copy the Our Lady of Guadalupe prayer for the children and youth and pray it together.
December 13: Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
Saint Lucy’s only desire was to serve God and to care for the poor. Her name means light. In Sweden it is custom for the oldest daughter in the family to don a white robe and to place a wreath of lighted candles on her head. The children in the family join her in serving breakfast to their parents.
Today pray for families, especially parents, the first teachers of faith to their children. Sing a hymn or refrain celebrating the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World.
December 14: Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Saint John of the Cross was a mystic who deeply experienced the spiritual presence of God in his life. He writes of the “dark night of the soul,” an expression still used today to describe people’s doubts and challenges in their faith.
Today pray for all those who are struggling with their faith. Pray that they will see and recognize God at work, even in the darkest times of their lives.
December 21: Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Saint Peter Canisius was a Jesuit who spent his life in prayer, study, reflection, writing, and service to the poor. His concern for teaching the faith to the Germans led him to write three catechisms for adults and a simple catechism for children. He is often called the second apostle of Germany.
Today, take time to pray and reflect on the Apostles’ Creed, which states the main beliefs of the Catholic faith. Pray for the Catholic Church in Germany. And pray to be an apostle who shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.
Additional seasonal prayer resources and suggestions are available to you at BeMyDisciples.com, through your login on Flourish, and RCLBLectionary.com.
Plan now to celebrate the start of the new liturgical year AND the beginning of the season of Advent with prayer, story, symbol, and song!
It is just about that time again. Soon it will be Lent, and it will be time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. I do not know about anyone else, but when I reflect on my attempts to grow spiritually during Lent, I probably have had more misses than hits.
As a child, I would always try to convince my parents that I would fast by giving up watermelon. Unfortunately, my parents were quite aware that watermelon was not readily available in Wisconsin during the late winter and early spring months. They also knew that I did not like watermelon.
One year I decided to give up money! That lasted until my grandfather gave me a shiny silver dollar. When my mother asked what happened to my promise to give up money, I informed her that my fast did not include “big money.”
As an adult, I dutifully abstained from eating meat on Friday. I would give up beef, pork and poultry for seafood and, of course, the Milwaukee fish fry! I was very excited when I finally reached the age where I was no longer obligated to fast. After all, it was such a sacrifice!
My attempts at improving my prayer life have been a series of “ups and downs.” Praying at bedtime resulted in my tired mind wandering. Morning prayer: who has the time? Rote prayer: boring! However, the prayer style that I was most faithful to started with asking God to help me give me what I wanted, or forgive me. I knew that prayer was meant to be a conversation, but much of my prayer was very one-sided – my side!
Almsgiving has always been easier for me. As children, we learned to save our treasures in “mite boxes.” I can still remember how excited I was to bring my little box forward during the presentation of gifts on Easter Sunday. I was confident that my contribution would save all the poor people in the world. I still get excited being able to share my wealth with others.
Don’t get me wrong; almsgiving is not always easy. When a food drive comes up, I can easily use it as an opportunity to rid the pantry of food that is far from our favorite. When I hear the collection bells at Christmas or see veterans selling poppies, I have found it easy to avoid eye contact and just keep walking. Moreover, of course, I know the church understands when I do not put anything in the collection basket because all I have is “big money.”
This year I have decided to take a different approach to my Lenten practices. This year I intend to focus on:
L – listening
Some people tell me that I am a good listener. However, I am not sure that my family or God would necessarily agree. This Lent, I intend to begin my prayer by being silent and listening for God’s voice. I also intend to truly listen to my family, instead of trying to multitask when they are speaking. (Did you know the brain is not wired to multitask?) Is there any one to whom you need to really listen?
E – engagement
I am usually generous with my treasure but am much more reluctant to give of my time and my talent. This Lent, I intend to engage in one project for the betterment of others. As of yet, I do not know what that project will be, but I am sure that God will lead me where He wants me to go. Is there somewhere or somehow that you are being called to more fully engage?
N – nurturing
There are two people that I intend to nurture more fully this Lent. One is our toddler granddaughter Olivia. I want to be more present to her during this important developmental time of her life. I am the other person whom I need to nurture. With multiple serious health issues, I need to provide myself with the self-nurturing that is needed. Who needs your nurturing?
T – trusting
Finally, I intend to trust more fully. This is not easy for me. So, I will focus on deepening my trust in God. By listening and engaging in His plan for me, I hope that I will grow in trust of Him, others and myself. Whom do you need to trust?
Hopefully, my words will give you something to reflect upon as you enter this holy, challenging season of Lent. Maybe we can share our Lenten success stories sometime!
Lenten blessings,
Dr. Kathleen Beuscher, Ed.D.
Dr. Beuscher received her Doctor of Education degree from Cardinal Stritch University. Her dissertation was on the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Kathleen was involved in parish catechesis for over 30 years within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Kathleen currently serves as a Consultant for RCL Benziger, along with her husband, Jim.
There they were, practically paralyzed with fear. Over the past three years, they talked and traveled with the greatest of teachers. They witnessed miracles, learned life’s deepest truths from him, and grew spiritually sharper and more formidable. Yet their current circumstances reduced them to cowering in the upper room, unable to move and barely able to believe.
These disciples, these followers of Jesus, knew that their leader was brutally murdered in arguably the most gruesome and painful method of execution ever created. They had heard rumors they could also be sentenced to this same form of brutality.
So, despite the fact that Christ had promised the Holy Spirit would be sent to them, (read John 14:26 and again in John 16:7), all they knew at that moment was anxiety and confusion. The only semblance of a plan for the future was to remain hidden away from others. It seems they were too filled with terror to know what else to do.
“And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit... ” (Acts 2:2-4a). Their lives would never be the same as the gift of the Spirit gave birth to the Church.
The power of the Holy Spirit had come upon them. This power was made manifest with new insights into the events and teachings of Jesus. Instead of feeling frightened, they had been changed with a newfound courage.
Having been seized by the power of the Spirit, they now had been fully transformed by the Holy Spirit. The disciples did not attempt to discreetly escape from the house and inconspicuously blend in with the crowds. On the contrary, with boldness and defiance they stormed out and announced their presence by pronouncing the Good News in different tongues. They did not quietly and tentatively whisper about the life of Jesus; they loudly and prophetically professed the Good News to any and all who would listen.
It is because the disciples embraced their vocation that 3,000 people accepted their message and were added to the faith that day. But what if the Holy Spirit had not come upon them? Would you and I have ever heard about Christ? Would you and I even be Christians today?
In a similar way to what those disciples of the past did, we, as disciples of the present, are called to respond to the Holy Spirit in our lives. Through our Baptism and Confirmation, we have received this same gift of the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to pass on the faith now, just as the disciples did then.
Even though there may be times we feel too weak and worried, too unprepared and unqualified, we are still called to be a Christian. The word Christian means to act as one who follows Christ; for it is when we trust in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we discover the gifts we need to exit our upper rooms and enter into the world. After all, if we share our Catholic faith with those around us today, the Good News can be shared with future believers – the next generation of disciples.
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Scott Mussari is the Director of Faith Formation at Saint Columban Church in Loveland, Ohio, and can be reached at smussari@stcolumban.org.