Prayer for Peace

Yesterday the United States and Israeli forces attacked Iran. The Maryknoll Mission Office sent out this prayer. May we pray for all involved in this attack. Let us bring peace and compassion to all who we come in contact with.

For families in Iran living in fear, and for all who live under the evil rain of bombardment, may they find safe refuge.
Lord, hear our prayer.

For world leaders, that they stop the bombs and choose diplomacy over destruction and dialogue over retaliation.
Lord, hear our prayer.

For all those who are poor and vulnerable, who bear the heaviest burdens of war, may their cries transform our hearts.
Lord, hear our prayer.

For the courage to see the face of God in our neighbors and to build a culture of genuine encounter.
Lord, hear our prayer.

For a lasting peace based on justice, mercy, and the sacred dignity of every life.
Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.

First Sunday of Lent

On this First Sunday of Lent, the central readings focus on sin and temptation. We hear the familiar stories of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and Jesus’ temptation in the desert. These readings can inspire the penitential attitude of remorse that we are asked to cultivate during Lent.

Adam and Eve, when given the choice to choose between innocence and evil chose evil and sin entered the world. On Ash Wednesday many people heard the phrase, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” The invitation was sealed with the sign of the cross of the ashes placed on our foreheads. This is the practice we are invited to embrace this lent – to choose good over evil. We are invited to embrace a right relationship with God and recognize the effects of our sinfulness and accept restoration with God.

Jesus faced his temptations with courage and strength. He did not bend to Satan’s invitations but stayed faithful to His Father. Jesus never wavered in his love for the Father. His fidelity to the Father is what sustained him during his forty days in the desert. The Father’s love for him gave him the strength and perseverance to stay true to his beliefs.

Throughout our lives, we face the same basic temptations and must guard against fixating on the wrong goods at the wrong time or to the wrong extent. Lent can be an opportunity to pause and recognize both the ripple effects of our sins, for which we can seek atonement, and the deceptive nature of temptation so that we can strive to avoid sin anew.  

May this Lent be filled with many blessings and much hope.

Lent

 

Pope Leo XIV’s Lenten message: Abstain from harsh words and rash judgement

Titled, "Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion," the papal message asked Catholics to come together as a community to listen to the word of God and to the vulnerable.

The pope also invited the faithful to engage in a "very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor."

"Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves."

Instead, he asked, "let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace."

Lent is a time to "place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life," the pope wrote. 

The season of Lent begins on Wednesday, February 18^th. The Church prescribes “3 Pillars” to assist us during Lent:

1.    Prayer – helps heal our relationship with God

2.    Fasting – helps heal our relationship with ourselves

3.    Almsgiving – helps heal our relationship with others

As Lent begins let us take time to focus on our relationships – with God, with myself, with others. May these days be filled with many blessings.

Be the Light

You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?  It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.  Mt 5:13-16

When I was in the eighth grade I remember singing a song with the refrain, “we’re called to be that city, we’re called to be that city, we’re called to be that city, we’re called to be that land.” In many ways it modeled today’s Gospel. The song speaks of being light for the kingdom of God. Whenever I hear this Gospel, I often think about this song and my classmates from that time. I remember our teacher saying that we are called to be a light for others and that we must not hide our light under a bushel basket. We needed to be sure that we kept our light burning brightly for all to see. An interesting concept for thirteen-year-olds.

Right now, our world is in desperate need of light. We need to allow our individual light to shine brightly and in doing so sustain the light for others. Living in challenging times it is not always easy to keep your light shining. We need to remember that all we do is for the glory of God and that we need to be the light for others.

World Day for Consecrated Life

February 2^nd is celebrated as World Day for Consecrated Life. In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day for women and men in consecrated life. This global celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples.

Let us pray for all who have embraced consecrated life.

God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s kingdom as sisters, brothers, religious priests, consecrated virgins, and hermits, as well as members of Secular Institutes. Renew their knowledge and love of you and send your Holy Spirit to help them respond generously and courageously to your will. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (U.S. Bishop's Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations) 

Celebrate

In today’s gospel, we continue to reflect on what it means to journey, a theme that connects us to the recent Christmas season and pushes us forward into this new year’s journey of discipleship. Over the past few weeks, we have seen this theme in many of our scripture readings. Today we hear the call of the first disciples, those who left all to follow Jesus. Jesus beckons us to follow him completely. He sacrificed all for us. Will we do the same for him? Let us choose to walk in the light and follow Jesus.

This week we celebrate Catholic Schools Week. Catholic Schools Week 2026 will be celebrated from January 25–31, 2026, with the national theme "Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community," focusing on faith, community, students, nation, vocations, faculty, and families through special Masses, events, and activities nationwide, highlighting the value of Catholic education.

St. Angela Merici was born in Desanzano, Italy in 1474. When she was young, she lost both her parents and her beloved sister, Giana Maria. Angela found herself irresistibly drawn to join the Franciscan Third Order.

Her vision was to serve the needs of the rich and poor alike. Her love and sensitivity to human needs won her the title, “Madre Angela,” from the people of Brescia, Italy. She based her work on a deep understanding of God’s love for all, respect for the innate dignity of each person and their potential in the eyes of God. Her vision for community encompassed the practical support of each individual, recognition of the gifts of all and power of gathering as a loving community.

On November 25^th in 1535, Angela established the Company of St. Ursula, named for its patron saint, Saint Ursula, a martyr. She was the first woman in the history of the Church to draw up a Rule of life for women who wanted to lead a religious life outside the cloister.

Canonized in 1807 by Pope Pius VII, her feast day is January 27th. The attached video was made by one of our sisters in Indonesia. Enjoy learning a little bit about St. Angela. 

Baptism of the Lord

Today we commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. We are invited to fulfill our baptismal promises and live our lives as those who have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s gospel, we see how Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. This is a momentous event as Jesus hears the voice, “This is my beloved son; with whom I am well pleased.” What a wonderful sign of God’s abundant love. Everyone who was there must have been flabbergasted. This voice from the heavens must have astonished those present. It was a true sign of God’s abundant love for Jesus.

Baptism is a beautiful event. A special moment. He made the choice to go to John and embrace baptism. Jesus embraced baptism as he began his ministry. Baptism is a miracle that transforms and empowers one to be courageous.

All of us who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit must live as people full of the graces of God; although we have weaknesses and flaws, we must always act as we are moved by the Holy Spirit.

To live as people baptized in the Spirit of Jesus is to live sincerely as brothers and sisters of all, loving God and neighbor, being honest and merciful, and sowing peace and hope in this world full of selfishness, greed, disputes, and discord. We are called to reach out in peace to others and to be models of Jesus’ love and mercy. We are God’s beloved, and we are called to live out of that reality. Today let us take time to think about being God’s beloved. What does this mean for me? How am I called to share God’s love with all those I encounter?