Pope Francis has now passed his
first year mark as our Holy Father. How
time flies! How have you responded to
his invitations in this year?
Have you renewed your own commitment
to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
As a member of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, the Pope reminds us
all that Jesus is the very reason for our being. Our relationship to Him is in the Church. Have your likewise renewed your commitment to
live your Faith in communion with your brothers and sisters in Christ, your
fellow Church members? Sadly, news
reports are indicating that the Pope’s invitation has not translated into
increase numbers in church.
Have you renewed your sense of Joy
in the Gospel? In his first Apostolic
Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, and in his warm smile given to everyone he
meets, the Pope has reminded us that Joy in the Gospel is the hallmark of
Christian Life. Our Joy has to be real
and evident, or no one will believe us when we speak to them of Jesus Christ.
Have you renewed your willingness to
go out to the outskirts, to move beyond your comfort zone, in your sharing of
what God has given to you? The clarion
call of Pope Francis, even from the name he chose to be known by as Pope, is to
be mindful of the poor and to be aware of the effects of all we do on those who
are on the margins of society.
Jesus and His Church, Joy in the Gospel and a
living relationship with the Poor are the hallmarks of Pope Francis’ invitation
to the Church and the world today. How
do you respond?
The Transfiguration of Jesus points
to the glory that is to be revealed in Christ and in our human nature. We are called to be aware of the power of the
Gospel and the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery – the suffering, death, and
Resurrection of Jesus – to begin the transformation now and to strengthen us to
live our Faith in the world today. Where
do you see hints of Glory?
How are you doing with fasting this
Lent? Here are some invitations for you
to consider: Give up watching T.V. and
use of your electronic gadgets for the whole of Lent or for one day or part of
a day. Give up complaining about the one
person or situation you complain most about, and see the cause of your complaint
as a gift from God to free you from yourself and to strengthen you in a
virtue. Take time away from something
that preoccupies you and invite someone to join you to take a walk or to do
some activity that you have been putting off; share your time with someone who
deserves more of your time. Set aside
some activity that you have been doing and replace it with reading a spiritual
book or listening to a book on CD. Turn
off the car radio and spend the time reflecting on a spiritual theme such as
prayer, glory, suffering, sacrifice or God’s Love. Choose to be a person of joy in the face of
difficulty.
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