(Editors Note: Embarking on a new tradition in 2022, the friars of Sacred Heart will alternate penning a letter or discussion aimed to help parishioners engage with the readings, the parish, or their outreach initiatives on a weekly basis. This new practice continues with a letter from Fr. Zachary Elliott, where he details the challenges we have to truly listen to God and each other.)

• Readings for The Second Sunday of Lent

Dear Sacred Heart Parishioners,

This Sunday, I would like to focus on a single word from the Gospel, spoken by God to Peter, James, and John. “Then from the cloud came a voice that said: This is my chosen Son; listen to Him.” (Lk 9:35) The word “listen” comes from the Old English term “hlysnan,”
meaning “pay attention to.”

We live lives filled with noise and sound, so much so that the simple act of listening becomes more difficult. We hear well enough, sure, and there is plenty out there to hear these days. Listening to each other is not easy to start with, but it has become more difficult in this age. Conversations trend toward becoming monologues, where someone waits patiently until the other person has finished, all the while formulating a response in their own mind.

We may find our discussions becoming debates, where someone listens only in order to disagree or find fault in another. To listen is to give of yourself, to put yourself into the other person’s mind and heart. It is not just hearing the words spoken and being able to recite what was heard. It is the understanding and acknowledgement without any of the noise or your self interests distorting the premise.

To listen is to risk. To listen may mean getting more involved. To risk your time, often when you can least afford it, or to remove yourself from the equation in order to serve another in that moment. Listening can also leave us exposed, because when we listen, we are agreeing to set ourselves aside, which may make some of us feel vulnerable. While we describe the sacrifice associated with the action, we can also find positive affirmations in listening. Listening can be an act of love, to be where another can reach out to you, and you share not words, but yourselves. What a wonderfully human attribute!

During Lent, we make time to listen to Christ. This is the command of the Father from the cloud. Listen to Him. This is what Peter, James, and John were ordered to do. Why? Because here is at once God’s Son and God’s revelation. In various ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by his Son.

Jesus is God’s revelation to us. He is the point of personal contact between God and us. How does Jesus speak to us? Vatican II rings loud and clear. Christ is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the church. Listening to Jesus is not the same as listening to others. The same intensity, yes, the same openness, but a greater risk, because we are challenged to follow as well. When God told Peter, James, and John to listen to Jesus, He was saying “obey Him and do what He tells you; follow Him.” If we really listen to Jesus in the proclaimed word, then we can hear Him in our everyday lives.

Let’s take God’s command seriously and listen this Lent. God speaks to us in our loneliness, our pain, our suffering when nothing is going right. Only by listening in desperation do we hear God speak. Not explaining, not defending, not to justify, but only saying “trust in Me.” There is the sound of silence (thank you, Simon & Garfunkel), when we listen quietly, allowing God’s voice to whisper to us. Listen to one another. Listen to Christ in the proclaimed word. Listen to the word of God in the world around us. Allow God to come to  you through your senses.

Peace,
Fr. Zack

(Editors Note: Embarking on a new tradition in 2022, the friars of Sacred Heart will alternate penning a letter or discussion aimed to help parishioners engage with the readings, the parish, or their outreach initiatives on a weekly basis. This new practice continues with a letter from our pastor, Fr. Mike Jones, providing insight on how to follow Jesus’ call to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during our Lenten journey)

• Readings for Ash Wednesday
• Readings for The First Sunday of Lent

Dear Sacred Heart Parishioners,

In the Gospel on Ash Wednesday, we heard from Jesus the needs for prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This passage from Matthew’s Gospel featuring some of Jesus’ core teachings to his disciples is a wonderful reminder to us that during Lent these three themes are connected. Why do we fast or have a simple meal? It is so we can share those resources with the poor, for instance. I have gone into more detail about these three pillars of Lent and have given some suggestions on how we might practice each one during Lent.

The first pillar of Lent is prayer. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal, and during Lent we put special time aside to be prayerful and reflective. Good communication is a sign of good friendship. Lent calls us to renew our relationship with God, by communicating with God each and every day. Some people like to pray with the scriptures during Lent. Others like to pray the rosary, or some other devotional prayer. Others still may find a time to sit quietly each day in God’s presence. There are as many different ways to pray, or communicate with God, as there are prayers, but we encourage you to find a way of connecting with God that feels right for you.

Here are some ideas to reconnect through prayer:

• Experiment with a new form or way of praying. (walking a labyrinth, Lectio Divina,  meditation)
• For one week, set your alarm 10 minutes early and spend that time in prayer before starting your day
• For one week, do an examination of conscience before you go to bed, reviewing your day
• Set up/decorate an intentional space for prayer (a quiet corner, a comfortable chair, a place in nature)
• Participate in the Stations of the Cross, or pray the rosary each week (or pray one decade per day)
• Celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation/Penance this Lent

The second Lenten pillar is fasting and abstinence. Fasting is the practice of limiting the food that we eat on certain days. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday we fast, meaning that we only have two small meals. Abstinence is the practice of not eating certain types of food. On Ash Wednesday and the Fridays in Lent, we abstain from eating meat. Fasting and abstinence reminds us of our total dependence on God. These practices help us to remember that ultimately it is only through the love of God that we are fed, nourished and sustained. The practices also help us remember to abstain from those things that pull us away from being the people God wants us to be.

Ideas for fasting and abstinence:

• Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstain from meat every Friday in Lent
• Give up eating out for one week or more, and donate the money saved to a food bank
• Choose one unhealthy habit (junk food, smoking, gossip) to abstain from for at least one week at a time
• Abstain from buying any new clothing this month and purge your closet for donations
• Abstain from social media for one week, and spend the time saved reading scripture or in spiritual reflection
• Abstain from complaining for one week, and instead, journal five things each day for which you are grateful

The third pillar of Lent is almsgiving, or acts of mercy and love. Almsgiving and acts of mercy are ways in which we tell God that we will not be possessed by our possessions, but are ready and willing to share our possessions or valuable time in the service of others. During Lent, we make a special effort to do acts of charitable service or take up collections of food or clothing for those in need.

How almsgiving can help guide your Lenten journey:

• Throughout Lent, save up your loose change in a jar and donate to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
• Volunteer once a week to help others; serve at a soup kitchen, mow a neighbor’s yard, rake leaves for your parents
• Stop by a nearby nursing home, and spend an hour visiting with the residents
• Make cards for those who are sick, shut-in, or incarcerated; let them know someone cares
• Perform one act of random kindness every day for a week
• Donate food to a local food pantry each week

Peace,
Fr. Mike

(Editors Note: Embarking on a new tradition in 2022, the friars of Sacred Heart will alternate penning a letter or discussion aimed to help parishioners engage with the readings, the parish, or their outreach initiatives on a weekly basis. This new practice continues with a letter from Fr. Ron Gliatta discussing two challenges Jesus sets before us in our readings this week, and how they impact preparations for Lent.)

• Readings for The Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Sacred Heart Parishioners,

Our Gospel reading for this weekend presents a very daunting challenge to us as followers of Jesus Christ. The basic challenge before us centers upon two essential questions that Jesus places before his disciples and us: Do I stand in judgement of others? -and- Am I quick to notice what others do wrong, but not so quick to recognize the same faults and failings, or even worse, in myself?

These questions, my dear friends, presented to us for our reflection, offer a unique opportunity for self examination, contemplation and meditation as we approach the holy season of Lent.

Jesus makes clear to his followers, “do not judge.” What a difficult command! How many times have we stood in judgement of others, sometimes unconsciously? If we notice someone in a shopping mall who may look different than us, or finding out that our neighbor aligns with a different belief or ideology Without context or knowledge or discussion, how often have we already made judgements in our hearts? Do we make allowances for people’s differences or weakness and resist the temptation to quickly judge?

Often we pray for clear vision, and not to rashly judge others. We pray to possess the ability to see clearly enough to recognize our own weakness so that we may have compassion and not be so quick to criticize the weaknesses of others. Then, all to often, the temptation to stand in judgement over others becomes too difficult for us to resist.

My dear brothers and sisters, Jesus calls us to a holier state of life. He calls us to be more compassionate, more understanding, and certainly more loving and charitable towards our neighbor.

“Who am I to judge?” must rank as one of the best known phrases of our holy father, Pope Francis. Perhaps that is because it touches upon a very sensitive point in our pluralistic society. What rights have we to stand in judgement of others’ behaviors or beliefs? Attempting to do so can easily degenerate into a passive, uncaring attitude towards others. Scripture tells us “who of us can know the mind of God?” That in the final analysis, it is God and God alone who is the final judge of us all.

Thus, Jesus invites us to “…first remove the beam from our own eyes that when we then can see clearly enough to remove the splinter from out sisters’ or our brothers’ eye.” This Sunday’s gospel reading then is a perfect segue to our celebration of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of our Lenten season.

My dear friends, our preparations for this holy season of Lent should not only consist of fasting and prayer, but also our own works of humility and charity. As we ask our Lord for mercy and forgiveness, not only toward ourselves but also towards those whose opinions and behaviors we may find difficult to accept, we should seek out God’s mercy and forgiveness for those times we have not treated others with understanding, kindness, charity or love.

As we approach the season of Lent, we should look to the Holy Spirit for guidance in making sound judgements that bend toward treating our neighbor with fairness and humility. Let us ask God that we may do so with a sense of peace and calm, learning how we might become more loving, tolerant, and charitable in our attitude towards one another.

It is my hope and prayer that this reflection will help to serve as a reminder to all of us of the importance of the holy season of Lent, and to use this time wisely in our spiritual preparation for the celebration of Easter this year. May God, who has begun this good work in each and every one of us, see it to fulfillment in the kingdom of Heaven.

Pax et bonum,
Fr. Ron

In the drop down menu below, you’ll find an additional resource discussing the power of Lent, and how it relates to judgement.

(Editors Note: Embarking on a new tradition in 2022, the friars of Sacred Heart will alternate penning a letter or discussion aimed to help parishioners engage with the readings, the parish, or their outreach initiatives on a weekly basis. This new practice continues with a letter from Friar Henry Fulmer discussing the Franciscan Charism.)

• Readings for The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Sacred Heart Parishioners,

For this week’s reflection, I would like to pose and answer a pair of questions: who and what are Franciscans? Many of you will have an idea on the logistics. After all, our religious order has been part of Sacred Heart for more than a decade and a half. But what about the spirituality?

For those who have wondered and maybe not known how to find the answer, or those who are new to our parish, and haven’t experienced a parish run by a religious order, I’m here to help. A Franciscan’s spirituality is both contemplation and action, in several phases. St. Francis lived the gospel of compassion, care of creation and being in solidarity with the poor. The Franciscan’s view of God and God’s action are different considering other religious orders emphases on sin.

The Franciscan charism is about the ways that God’s creation is good and that the life we are given is to be celebrated joyfully. The Franciscan desire on the goodness of God and all creation has consequences. We must take care of what has been given to us from God. God’s very creation is the outpouring of God’s love for us. Therefore, Franciscans speak about all of God’s creation as “the mirror of God.” This is revealed to us also in the creation story in Genesis, Chapter 1. This faith in God has implications in the Incarnation and Salvation.

The Franciscan consciousness honors the world around us and is united in praising God from their experiences. The world isn’t divided into that which is profane and that which is holy. Franciscans, as one of the four great mendicant orders of the Church, strive to cultivate the ideals of poverty, charity, and experience, as those ideals assist in our ability to minister to all. Franciscans do not believe in living lavishly while other Christians live in poverty and misery. To truly live the core Franciscan values is to be of service, respect, compassion, peace, hope, joy, integrity, and vision.

The Franciscan charism moves us away from dividing up our world into that which is good and bad, or as Sr. Ilia Delio says “is always capable of identifying God’s absence, but rarely consistent in affirming God’s presence in everything that is.” The Charism of the Franciscans through Francis’ eyes was to see God’s presence in everything as interconnected; the moon, the water, and the birds as his sisters, and the sun and wolf as his brothers.

Pax et bonum,
Friar Henry

In the drop down menus below, you’ll find some answers to the most frequently asked Franciscan questions: