Parish of St Francis Lent 2016

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1 Parish of St Francis Lent 2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy Does the mere mention of Lent reduce you to a feeling of despondency? It should in fact, if we truly embrace its spirit, be a season of great hope. The word Lent is from the Old English: Lencten meaning: lengthening, a word used for Springtime; it therefore refers to the lengthening days and time of new growth and is highly appropriate for this time of spiritual rebirth. Lent offers each of us the opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need. I invite you to embark on this Lenten journey by slowly reading Pope Francis Message for Lent and then to use a series of reflections inspired by the Sunday Gospel s for Year C, with some spiritual and practical reflections and passages drawn from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I hope they will help us be drawn deeper into the true purpose of Lent and the Jubilee of Mercy and therefore open to the abundant graces God offers us in his loving mercy. As we start Lent we are reminded that it is not an end in itself but we must always keep the goal in sight, Lent is to Easter what our earthly journey is to our heavenly homeland. Canon Luke Ash Wednesday During these first few days of Lent slowly read through and ponder Pope Francis Lent Message for this Jubilee Year: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice (Mt 9:13). The works of mercy on the road of the Jubilee 1. Mary, the image of a Church which evangelizes because she is evangelized. In the Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, I asked that the season of Lent in this Jubilee Year be lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God s mercy (Misericordiae Vultus, MV 17). By calling for an attentive listening to the word of God and encouraging the initiative 24 Hours for the Lord, I sought to stress the primacy of prayerful listening to God s word, especially his prophetic word. The mercy of God is a proclamation made to the world, a proclamation which each Christian is called to experience at first hand. For this reason, during the season of Lent I will send out Missionaries of Mercy as a concrete sign to everyone of God s closeness and forgiveness. After receiving the Good News told to her by the Archangel Gabriel, Mary, in her Magnificat, prophetically sings of the mercy whereby God chose her. The Virgin of Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph, thus becomes the perfect icon of the Church which evangelizes, for she was, and continues to be, evangelized by the Holy Spirit, who made her virginal womb fruitful. In the prophetic tradition, mercy is strictly related even on the etymological level to the maternal womb (rahamim) and to a generous, faithful and compassionate goodness (hesed) shown within marriage and family relationships. 2. God s covenant with humanity: a history of mercy The mystery of divine mercy is revealed in the history of the covenant between God and his people Israel. God shows himself ever rich in mercy, ever ready to treat his people with deep tenderness and compassion, especially at those tragic moments when infidelity ruptures the bond of the covenant, which then needs to be ratified more firmly in justice and truth. Here is a true love story, in which God plays the role of the betrayed father and husband, while Israel plays the unfaithful child and bride. These domestic images, as in the case of Hosea (Hos 1-2) show to what extent God wishes to bind himself to his people. This love story culminates in the incarnation of God s Son. In Christ, the Father pours forth his boundless mercy even to making him mercy incarnate (MV 8). As a man, Jesus of Nazareth is a true son of Israel; he embodies that perfect hearing required of every Jew by the Shema, which today too is the heart of God s covenant with Israel: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might (Dt 6:4-5). As the Son of God, he is the Bridegroom who does everything to win over the love of his bride, to whom he is bound by an unconditional love which becomes visible in the eternal wedding feast. This is the very heart of the apostolic kerygma, in which divine mercy holds a central and fundamental place. It is the beauty of the saving love of God made manifest in Jesus Christ who died and rose from the dead (Evangelii Gaudium 36), that first proclamation which we must hear again and again in different ways, the one which we must announce one way or another throughout the process of catechesis, at every level and moment (ibid., 164). Mercy expresses God s way of reaching out to the sinner, offering him a new chance to look at himself, convert, and believe (MV 21), thus restoring his relationship with him. In Jesus crucified, God shows his desire to draw near to sinners, however far they may have strayed from him. In this way he hopes to soften the hardened heart of his Bride. 3. The works of mercy God s mercy transforms human hearts; it enables us, through the experience of a faithful love, to become

2 merciful in turn. In an ever new miracle, divine mercy shines forth in our lives, inspiring each of us to love our neighbour and to devote ourselves to what the Church s tradition calls the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. These works remind us that faith finds expression in concrete everyday actions meant to help our neighbours in body and spirit: by feeding, visiting, comforting and instructing them. On such things will we be judged. For this reason, I expressed my hope that the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy; this will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty, and to enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God s mercy (ibid., 15). For in the poor, the flesh of Christ becomes visible in the flesh of the tortured, the crushed, the scourged, the malnourished, and the exiled to be acknowledged, touched, and cared for by us (ibid.). It is the unprecedented and scandalous mystery of the extension in time of the suffering of the Innocent Lamb, the burning bush of gratuitous love. Before this love, we can, like Moses, take off our sandals (cf. Ex 3:5), especially when the poor are our brothers or sisters in Christ who are suffering for their faith. In the light of this love, which is strong as death (cf. Song 8:6), the real poor are revealed as those who refuse to see themselves as such. They consider themselves rich, but they are actually the poorest of the poor. This is because they are slaves to sin, which leads them to use wealth and power not for the service of God and others, but to stifle within their hearts the profound sense that they too are only poor beggars. The greater their power and wealth, the more this blindness and deception can grow. It can even reach the point of being blind to Lazarus begging at their doorstep (cf. Lk 16:20-21). Lazarus, the poor man, is a figure of Christ, who through the poor pleads for our conversion. As such, he represents the possibility of conversion which God offers us and which we may well fail to see. Such blindness is often accompanied by the proud illusion of our own omnipotence, which reflects in a sinister way the diabolical you will be like God (Gen 3:5) which is the root of all sin. This illusion can likewise take social and political forms, as shown by the totalitarian systems of the twentieth century, and, in our own day, by the ideologies of monopolizing thought and technoscience, which would make God irrelevant and reduce man to raw material to be exploited. This illusion can also be seen in the sinful structures linked to a model of false development based on the idolatry of money, which leads to lack of concern for the fate of the poor on the part of wealthier individuals and societies; they close their doors, refusing even to see the poor. For all of us, then, the season of Lent in this Jubilee Year is a favourable time to overcome our existential alienation by listening to God s word and by practising the works of mercy. In the corporal works of mercy we touch the flesh of Christ in our brothers and sisters who need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, visited; in the spiritual works of mercy counsel, instruction, forgiveness, admonishment and prayer we touch more directly our own sinfulness. The corporal and spiritual works of mercy must never be separated. By touching the flesh of the crucified Jesus in the suffering, sinners can receive the gift of realizing that they too are poor and in need. By taking this path, the proud, the powerful and the wealthy spoken of in the Magnificat can also be embraced and undeservedly loved by the crucified Lord who died and rose for them. This love alone is the answer to that yearning for infinite happiness and love that we think we can satisfy with the idols of knowledge, power and riches. Yet the danger always remains that by a constant refusal to open the doors of their hearts to Christ who knocks on them in the poor, the proud, rich and powerful will end up condemning themselves and plunging into the eternal abyss of solitude which is Hell. The pointed words of Abraham apply to them and to all of us: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them (Lk 16:29). Such attentive listening will best prepare us to celebrate the final victory over sin and death of the Bridegroom, now risen, who desires to purify his Betrothed in expectation of his coming. Let us not waste this season of Lent, so favourable a time for conversion! We ask this through the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, who, encountering the greatness of God s mercy freely bestowed upon her, was the first to acknowledge her lowliness (Lk 1:48) and to call herself the Lord s humble servant ( Lk 1:38). POPE FRANCIS Week 1 Jesus in the Desert Luke 4:1-13 Each Lent, on this first Sunday, we hear a different Gospel account of Jesus being tempted in the desert. The temptations that Jesus experienced also describe the temptations of the early Christian community, as well as the temptations we are often confronted with today. The temptations can be summarised in three categories: temptation of bread: material provisions, comfort; temptation of power: independence, selfsufficiency, superiority and temptation of pride: testing the fidelity of others, testing God. There is a dual challenge for each of us on this first Sunday of Lent: firstly to understand what Jesus temptations mean in our lives (our relationships, our work, our actions in the world, and how we see ourselves); secondly, to find the courage to respond to temptations as Jesus did. Lent is a time to reflect and act on these challenges, trusting that our generous God always strengthens us when we try to be more and more open to living as Jesus did. Especially this year, as we celebrate the Year of Mercy, our Lenten season is a gift from the Church and a challenge, a time to respond in commitment, in mercy, in care to ourselves and to

3 others, as we live beyond and above the temptations of comfort, power, and pride. Let us ask the Lord to always say to us, in times of temptation, as he did with the disciples, with patience: Stop. Do not worry. Lift up your eyes; look to the horizon. Do not close yourself in; move forward. His Word will save us from falling into sin in moments of temptation. Pope Francis, Homily, February 18, 2014 Symbols of the Season: The Desert The desert is a strange and splendid place. It evokes in people diverse feelings. Deserts can be beautiful and barren; they can speak of trials, sufferings, and ordeals. Within Scripture and our tradition, they have also been silent places, in their starkness providing time for quiet reflection and new discoveries of God. During this Lenten season, are we ready to welcome the desert experiences that might surround us, realising that God is there, that deep growth in our faith is possible there? How does it make me feel to know that Our Lord experience the same temptations that I sometimes do? What is a temptation in my life that I should try to address this Lent? During this first Lenten week, look each day for a quiet moment. Turn off your phone or stop for a moment before bedtime. As you think about mercy, the care of Jesus for each person, what is Jesus calling you to do this week? * Look at the places where you have influence or power. How might you use your power to serve or support those who are in need? * Make a Lenten resolution to give alms or time in the service of mercy of caring for another Lead us not into temptation implies a decision of the heart: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also... No one can serve two masters. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. In this assent to the Holy Spirit the Father gives us strength. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2848 Compassionate and Powerful God, you have always guarded your people from the power of evil. You teach us to rely upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we enter this Lenten season of mercy; of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Make me more aware of how close you are when I struggle to do what is right and just. Fill me with your grace, that I might be strengthened to walk in the footsteps of Christ. Week 2 The Call to Transformation Luke 9:28-36 The three synoptic Gospels each tell the story of Jesus transfiguration. This miracle is unique among the others in the Gospels in that the miracle happens to Jesus himself. Luke tells us that Jesus goes up the mountain to pray, and it is during prayer that he is transfigured. The Transfiguration is one of the five major milestones in the Gospel narrative of the life of Jesus, the others being Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. Pope St John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, which include the Transfiguration. This Gospel story is also about the disciples and ourselves. This passage, as well as the first reading, describes encounters with God. These encounters happen to people who are confused, afraid and in the dark. Yet experiencing God s presence with us can change us. readies us and calls us to change. There is an old saying, If you don t want to change, then don t pray. We all need to go apart, to ascend the mountain in a space of silence, to find ourselves and better perceive the voice of the Lord. This we do in prayer. But we cannot stay there! Encounter with God in prayer inspires us anew to descend the mountain 'and return to the plain where we meet many brothers weighed down by fatigue, sickness, injustice, ignorance, poverty, both material and spiritual. Pope Francis, March 16, 2014 Symbols of the Season: The Cloud The cloud that overshadows the mountain of the Transfiguration is an important image of God s presence; it is also found in today s first reading and throughout the Old Testament. As you watch the clouds and their many forms this week, think about the myriad ways God is always with you. Lent is our mountaintop that we go to in prayer to be transformed. What needs to be transformed in me this Lent? What in my life needs to be touched by the light of Christ? Do I miss God in my life because I m too busy, afraid, or don't understand God s simplicity and closeness? What has been a mountaintop experience that has given strength to continue my journey in faith? Do you know someone who is experiencing pain right now? What could you do this week to give that person a transfiguring, hopeful experience? *As a Christian, are there topics you need to learn more about? Such as care for creation, immigration, the plight of the homeless? *The apostles probably retained a picture in their mind of this transfiguring event for the rest of their lives. Ponder some snapshots from experiences in your life. Relive the memories; recall God s blessings that came to you during those events. The prayer of faith consists not only in saying Lord, Lord, but in disposing the heart to do the will of the Father. Jesus calls his disciples to bring into their prayer this concern for cooperating with the divine plan. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 261 Light from Light, true God from true God, you show us your face in the beauty of creation and the human spirit. You were transfigured, reminding the

4 apostles of who you are. You call us to be transfigured into your image. May all those I encounter this week find you in me. May I hear your voice in their needs and hopes. Nudge me, gently but firmly, to respond with your compassion and mercy. Week 3 Called to Repentance Luke 13:1-9 The beginning verses of today s Gospel mention two events that we know little about, a disaster of natural causes and one of human causes. At the time, people believed that disaster was a sign of God s curse because of sin. The people were probably thinking: Those people were sinners. Since I have not experienced these troubles, why do I need to repent? Jesus asserts emphatically that disasters are not the result of sin, that bad things do happen to good people. Jesus offers no concrete answer about why these events happened. Instead he challenges the people to learn from the tragedies so that they might be prepared, so that they live a life worthy of the title People of God. In the parable of the fig tree, Jesus reminds us that our challenge (especially during Lent) is to allow Jesus to cultivate us and fertilise us so that we recognize the areas in our lives that need repentance and can begin bearing even more fruit. During this Lent, then, brothers and sisters, let us all ask the Lord: Fac cor nostrum secundum cor tuum : Make our hearts like yours (Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). In this way we will receive a heart which is firm and merciful, attentive and generous, a heart which is not closed, indifferent, or prey to the globalization of indifference. Pope Francis, Lenten Message, 2015 Symbols of the Season: Purple The colour purple abounds during Lent. As with all symbols, it has many meanings. Purple is often associated with grief and pain; thus it anticipates the suffering of the Crucifixion. At the same time, purple (historically an expensive dye for cloth) was used only by and for royalty; therefore, it celebrates the Kingship of Christ, his resurrection, and his sovereignty. Additionally, purple is traditionally a symbol of penance and repentance. Its use during Lent is to evoke a mood of simplicity and austerity. We re reminded that it can be unnecessary and detracting to add other items and symbols: the colour itself is the symbol How has the support and care of others helped me to bear fruit? When has God brought me through an unfruitful time in my life and made me fruitful again? Do I get caught up in speculation about the why of tragedies? Do I blame God for suffering? Fast from jealousy or shame; feast on God s love. * Have you made a Lenten resolution to change something in your life? Carry a pebble in your pocket this week to remind you that, with God s help, God s cultivating and fertilizing, you can do it. *Pay attention to three tragedies reported in the media. Spend five minutes in prayer for the victims of the tragedies. Is there something you could do to reach out to them in mercy and care? Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel. Christ s call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. This second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole Church who, clasping sinners to her bosom, [is] at once holy and always in need of purification, [and] follows constantly the path of penance and renewal. This endeavour of conversion is not just a human work. It is the movement of a contrite heart, drawn and moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first. Catechism of the Catholic Church, Generous and Forgiving God, you are like a creative gardener who invites me to grow, encouraging and supporting me in my daily efforts. Surround me with your strength as I try weed out the obstacles and become all you ve created me to be. Week 4 The Forgiving Father Luke 15: 1-3, Last week s Gospel message was repent or perish; this week s is repent and feast. Today s passage is probably one of the most familiar Scripture passages to us. Often with this parable, we concentrate on the prodigal son or the jealous older son. Yet, the really breathtaking story is the parent who waits patiently and persistently at the gate, watching down the path for the one who is gone, who runs to greet that lost one when he returns (an appalling action at that time, for a person of authority would never run). The forgiving father is lavish in offering, what many would see as undeserved, forgiveness. In reality, at that time any law-abiding Jewish father would have pronounced his son dead when he left the faith and would not allow his return to the household in any capacity. ( Feeding the pigs was a colloquialism of the time that meant no longer observing Jewish ways or laws, in today s language, left the Church. ) In some ways, it s a wonder that people didn t reject Jesus at this point; he was preaching a love and forgiveness that was the opposite of the laws and attitudes of the time.

5 God waits and also God forgives. He is the God of mercy: he does not tire of forgiving us. It is we who are tired of asking for forgiveness, but he never gets tired. Seventy times seven; go forward with forgiveness. Pope Francis, Homily, March 28, 2014 Symbols of the Season: Water We tend to think of water as an Easter symbol, which it definitely is. At the same time, one of the main focuses of Lent is baptism, for the catechumens (candidates for baptism) and for ourselves as we, during Lent, renew the many ways we are living our baptismal promises. The water of baptism symbolises forgiveness and cleansing of our past failings and sins; it is a promise of and the realization of new life. Who do I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness? Can I forgive myself for my failings? Do I put limits on my forgiveness? Are we open to the grace of God that enables us, like Him, to forgive unconditionally? We believe that Jesus told us this parable to teach us that the father was a symbol of the unconditional forgiveness of God. Might he have been saying that we too are called to be kike the Father? Experience the healing power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confessing our sins with honesty and humility helps transform our hearts to more closely follow Christ s call to compassion, mercy, and sacrificial love. * Take one step toward forgiving and reconciling a hurting relationship this week. * Lavish God s love and mercy on someone who is hungry for food, companionship, or acceptance. It is impossible to keep the Lord s commandment by imitating the divine model from outside; there has to be a vital participation, coming from the depths of the heart, in the holiness and the mercy and the love of our God. Only the Spirit by whom we live can make ours the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Then the unity of forgiveness becomes possible and we find ourselves forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave us. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2842 God of lavish forgiveness, you never abandon me but constantly love, forgive, and cherish me. Open me and strengthen me, so that I will always share that same love and forgiveness with those in my life. Week 5 Encountering Jesus John 8:1-11 Today s Gospel shows us an encounter between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees as well as an encounter between Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. In essence, this Gospel is not about the woman or about her sin. It is about an encounter with Jesus. Encountering Jesus always reveals the truth, the truth about our goodness as well as the truth about our need for conversion, our need to let go of our sin and failings and live a life of discipleship. Encountering Jesus has the potential to bring about two changes: those who are quick to condemn turn away from that practice: they went away and the one condemned is no longer condemned: neither do I condemn you. Encountering Jesus, and our conversion because of it, has both a dying and rising. We not only recognise our sinfulness, but we also are empowered to begin a new life, a life of relationship with Christ, a life of living according to Jesus values and compassionate mercy. In the poor and outcast we see Christ s face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ. Our efforts are also directed to ending violations of human dignity, discrimination, and abuse in the world... Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity, and sharing. Pope Francis, Lenten Message 2014 Symbols of the Season: Fasting Fasting, one of the Lenten practices, is often observed as fasting from food. It is not because our bodies need to be punished (or that we need to go on a diet). We fast to allow our physical hunger to remind us of our spiritual hunger, our need for God. We fast to remind ourselves of our baptismal commitment and need for renewal. Second, fasting not only reminds us of our dependence on God but also on the needs of others, the hungry and the poor. Fasting is a Gospel value, but not fasting by itself. Fasting and almsgiving are Gospel twins. Our tradition of fasting has never been to purge, to deprive the body for deprivation sake, but to have more to give away. As I think about times I have encountered Jesus, how have those experiences change me? Have they led to growth, to conversion, to a new way of living? In what sense does the way I live, the way I greet and respond to others, help them encounter Jesus? Ponder you favourite image of Christ, what does it say to you about your encounter with the Lord? Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude. Fast from anger; feast on patience. Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness. Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others. * Is there someone at whom you are tempted to throw a stone and judge and condemn? Instead, what might you do to share Jesus message with them: Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more? At the heart of catechesis we find, in essence, a Person, the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. Catechesis aims at putting people in communion with Jesus Christ. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 426

6 Generous God, you invite us to leave the past behind and to walk in newness, to walk in freedom and love, living in the way of your Son, Jesus. Empower me to let go of fear and old ways and to trust you in the new ways to which you are calling me. Holy Week The Passion of the Lord Luke 19:28-40 & 22:14 23:56 On Palm Sunday, we have two distinct Gospels, each with its own unique feeling. The first Gospel and today s procession prepare us to hear the proclamation of the Passion and to celebrate Holy Week. Within our Christian liturgies, we have many instances of processions. Today s procession with palms isn t only about Jesus; it isn t just a reenactment of something that happened a long time ago. In this procession, we engage our whole selves, even physically moving from one place to another, to symbolise our own journey, our Lenten journey, our lifelong journey. The Paschal Mystery, Jesus life, suffering, death and resurrection, is also lived by each of us, not only at the end of our lives but also in our daily struggles and pain, the everyday dying and rising. We waved our palms. We too welcomed Jesus; we too expressed the joy of accompanying him, at knowing him to be close, present in us and among us as a friend, a brother, and also as a king: that is, a shining beacon for our lives. Pope Francis Palm Sunday, March Symbols of the Season: Palms: In ancient times, palm branches symbolized goodness and victory. They were often depicted on coins and important buildings. Solomon had palm branches carved into the walls and doors of the Temple (1 Kgs 6:29). Regarded as sacred from early Semitic times, they were carried by the Jews as a sign of triumphant rejoicing. In the Book of Revelation (7:9), people from every nation raise palm branches to honour Jesus. The leftover palms from Palm Sunday are saved in many churches to be burned the following year to make ashes used in Ash Wednesday services. The blessed palms are sacramentals (sacred signs which remind us of God s presence). The palm procession is a symbol of our Lenten Journey. Has your Lenten journey brought you closer to God? The Procession also symbolises our willingness to go up with Jesus to Jerusalem to suffer, die and rise again. In what ways do we need to die and be reborn? What does the celebration of our Lord s Passion and death mean to you in this Jubilee of Mercy? *The entire family of God, indeed all creation, continually lives the Paschal Mystery (suffering, death, and resurrection). Is there some place in the world that is currently experiencing deep suffering and grief? Is there something you could do to help? * Take a walk around your neighbourhood. As you walk, think about the people who share your space on this journey or procession of life. Is there someone who needs your compassionate mercy, your gentle care, your thoughtful attention? * Make a real effort to celebrate the key events of our faith with our parish community during the Sacred Triduum services. Christ will raise us up on the last day ; but it is also true that, in a certain way, we have already risen with Christ. For, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, Christian life is already now on earth a participation Corporal Works of Mercy Feed the hungry Give drink to the thirsty Clothe the naked Shelter the homeless Visit the sick Visit the imprisoned Bury the dead Spiritual Works of Mercy Counsel the doubtful Instruct the ignorant Admonish sinners Comfort the afflicted Forgive offences Bear wrongs patiently Pray for the living and the dead