The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, December 22, 2010

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Scripture:

1 Samuel 1:24-28
Luke 1:46-56

Reflection:

I am sitting in my living room looking at our Christmas tree. It is our 35th Christmas and I love to look at each ornament as I hang it on the tree. They bring back so many fond memories. My favorite ones are the ones with pictures of the kids at different ages, and ones of our family who are already in heaven. Our tree is a mini-history of our lives so far and it helps me to treasure all of my blessings.

Advent and Christmas is a good time to look back over the year and see how we are doing with our lives and especially with our gifts of family and friends and faith. It’s good to reflect on our blessings and thank God, but also let our loved ones know how precious they are to us.

My daughter-in-law was in an accident last week with two of her children. When I heard about it, all I could do was thank God over and over that no one was seriously hurt and that we still have them with us!!! It’s so easy to take the people we love for granted. And sadly, many people even let small problems grow to large problems until they aren’t even speaking to someone they love.

Let’s all take time this week to look at our lives, to thank God for our blessings and to be sure that we mend any broken fences so that we don’t waste another day estranged from someone we love. They may be gone tomorrow. Don’t let anything stand in the way of making amends and of making your relationships the best they can be. Make time to see your grandchildren. Take time to call your sister. Make time to write a nice long letter to your Mom. And take some quiet time to sit with the Lord and invite him once again into your heart of hearts. Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. Janice also leads women’s retreats. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 4. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.jcarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected]/org

 

Ash Wednesday

On March 2, the Church celebrates Ash Wednesday. 

Most of us learned early in our Catholic lives that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and that is a time of special sacrifice in preparation for the Easter celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Dear brothers and sisters, every moment of our lives is a time for believing, hoping and loving…. These words of Pope Francis, taken from his Lenten Message of last year, 2021, and echoing the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, can still inspire our answer to the question: “What am I giving up for Lent?” 

We can draw our Lenten sacrifices out of our daily life: 

Share our faith in God’s presence by sharing in prayer with our family or with those in our parish community.
Share our hope in God’s promises by encouraging positive and respectful dialogue in our family circle and among our friends. 
Share the charity God has bestowed on us in the Passion of Jesus, with those whose sufferings are ignored or aggravated.

Let us pray for one another as we enter the season of Lent. Our Passionist “motto” can be our daily prayer during Lent, “May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts.”