Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

Matthew 5:43-48

When reading “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy” in the Gospel, it brought up many questions that I propose to be looked at in-depth. Do we have neighbors we love and enemies we hate? Or do we have “neighbors” we easily identify and associate with, and “enemies” who are actually people we have a disagreement or indifference of opinion with? Do we really in fact take the opportunity to know thy enemy and think if they truly are our enemy? Is there ever a reason to hate? Rather, we should learn and understand one another before even using such a word as “enemy.” Love and hate are sometimes assumed before even being knowledgeable about a subject, person, event, etc. In a world where human beings are quick to jump to a conclusion before gathering the full story, we need to do a better job to understand one another. There’s no such thing as too much love towards one another, in fact, we need to learn to love one another more than we are already doing. Unfortunately, to assume that you have an enemy is easier than making the effort to actually learn about someone, and in fact love them as your neighbor. We are all neighbors, which is why we should love all. As stated, Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” You never know what others might be going through, and it might be love from a neighbor that they need. There can never be too much love, kindness, and friendship in the world, we all need a source of these in order to survive. If we lose love, kindness, and friendship, we lose each other. I am always committed to be kind and love all, we never know what someone else is going through. Wouldn’t you want to have a neighbor that loves you, too? At the end of the day, the most important thing we need to do is have a positive impact on one another, to the point in which it is contagious. The best thing to do is to support those who are both your neighbors and your enemies. How we do this falls into our own hands.

Anthony Desiderio '15, M.A.

Divisional Advisement Coordinator - Social Sciences

Robert J. McGuire Scholarship Advisor

Center for Student Success

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

Today’s readings have us contemplating thoughts of self-reflection, self-repentance, change and salvation, and speaks of the wicked man who has changed his ways. Well, who determines whether someone is wicked? What does it mean to be wicked, and can wicked people be anything other than being wicked? Most dictionaries define a wicked person as someone who is “evil” or engaged in wrongdoing. Truly, if that’s the definition of a wicked person, then each of us, at one time or another, could fit that description. Each of us are imperfect human beings.

Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone was once considered a wicked man, a man who eventually as he journeyed through his own personal life experiences began to have a “conversion.” This conversion turned into thoughts that eventually turned into deeds, which lead him to becoming one of the most celebrated saints of the world, and the patron Saint of our College, our Beloved Saint Francis of Assisi.

The Story of Francis’s “conversion” from Sinner to Saint mirrors today's Scripture writings in many ways. It affirms foremost that our actions are essentially choices we make though our own understanding of the people, places and things around us; of the world around us, and our experiences in this world. The Scripture reading is therefore challenging us to become more reflective of our choices and to turn away from “wickedness,” in this way we have answered the question Jesus has proposed: “Do I not rather rejoice when he (the wicked man) turns form his evil way that he may live?”

In the Gospel reading, we read: “Jesus said to his disciples: I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” This gospel speaks of human imperfection and “conversion” also. Scribes? Pharisees? How can anyone surpass their righteousness? Often, we like to think of others as being our moral compass, the one or ones whom we revere and who guide us in ways of thinking and doing. Jesus cleverly reminds us in this passage of the contradictions that “we,” even those we hold in reverence, are imperfect human beings. Jesus then calls us to look within ourselves for righteousness, to turn away from “wickedness,” and to have our own “conversion.”.

As we journey thorough this Lenten season, may we reflect on own human frailties, and may we strive as our beloved Saint Francis did, to always do better in our thoughts, deeds, words and actions, and may we remember that each of us is that “wicked man” who has the capability no matter how wicked we are, to turn away from wickedness.

Donna Marie Agoncillo OFS, RN, MSN

Clinical Lecturer of Nursing

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25

There's a sense of comfort that this piece provides. I feel very comforted by this piece through the emphasis on respect for our pioneers and the hope for the future. In correlation with this theme of comfort, I was drawn to the lines "turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness." I was reminded of the Beatles song "Let it Be" upon reading this piece, another work of art that emphasizes hope. The beginning of the third verse is: "And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me. Shine on until tomorrow, let it be." In a similar way, the First Reading emphasizes that even when God is our only hope, we can still have great hope. Even when others let us down, God's light always shines until tomorrow and forever. This work really stresses the importance of feeling comfortable, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Let us all find comfort in the Lord, our everlasting hope.

David Schoen '20

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

“A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.” - Psalm 51:17

Penance. It’s an interesting word that is in the center of our relationship with God, our father. I think as people we are always moving, there is always something waiting for us to get done. We live busy lives.  I’ve excused my absence in my relationship with God by living a busy life. I’ve been moving at a fast pace just getting things done. Today's readings, especially the Responsorial Psalm, made me aware of how I’ve been too caught up with everything else that I’ve left amending my relationship with God up to a sign. A sign that will draw me back, knowing that God is forgiving and will accept me again.

Penance comes by becoming self-aware in the mind, heart and through action. It is our responsibility to take upon ourselves and seek that which we have wronged. God doesn’t abandon, and a sign is given just as he gave to the people of Nineveh, but it is up to us to take a moment from our busy lives and recognize it. I think during this time of Lent an opportunity is given for us to become aware. Each year during Lent, we seek God’s forgiveness with actions such as fasting or giving up something which we value. The true act of penance is going to God with a “heart contrite and humbled.” To me that means a heart aware of the wrongs it’s done and seeking that forgiveness.

I think that this comes not only with our relationship with God but with friend’s and family, too. Pride can sometimes get in the way of realizing the wrong we do, and it stops us from seeking forgiveness. It’s okay to be humble, it’s okay to say I’m sorry and to make up for it.

America Jimenez '21

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us how to pray.  But, it is not just a prayer to be recited, it is a way of life.  It is less about us telling God what we want him to do than making ourselves aware of the ways we can become more united with him.  We acknowledge our total dependence on God for everything we need.  Standing before God with deepest humility realizing that God is the source of all our life and all that we have and are.  During this season of Lent, when we pray these words, let us reflect on how we can make this prayer come alive – let us take to heart that we are praying this together in community – our Father – the our represents a prayer on behalf of all of our sisters and brothers who are, without exception, our sisters and brothers.

Anonymous

Monday of the First Week of Lent

Today's Readings

Today’s reading feels especially timely in light of current events and sends a powerful message when the future may seem gloomy. Jesus emphasizes the importance of kindness and the golden rule. It is with this that we are ultimately given eternal life.

Moses is told, “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Reflecting on this, I think about the small chances we all have had to help someone but passed them by. Whether you were too busy to hold a subway door for someone, or rushed by someone who dropped something on the street. It is the small actions that we might ignore in the moment that can make a large impact on someone’s day and our overall consciousness. The more we stop to consider others and consider the way we would want someone to approach a situation, the more we open ourselves up to the Lord.

Kristen Anderson

Director of Engagement and Annual Giving

First Sunday of Lent

Today's Readings

Right at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the priest pours wine into the chalice. But then, some water is added as well. Why is this done? In a practical sense, this was just the custom for Greeks, Romans and Hebrews, because the wine was often thick, gritty and too strong on its own. It was simply good taste to add water to wine before drinking it. But, over time, what deeper significance has been ascribed to this ritual? It is a reminder for us of the dual-nature of Jesus Christ. The wine represents Jesus’ divinity, and the water His humanity. And the mingling of both symbolizes the Incarnation of Christ! It recalls for us that Jesus was both fully human, and fully God. This faith-truth is often one which is difficult to wrap our head around. I think we are usually okay with the “fully divine” part – we know that Jesus is God. However, with the temptations of today’s Gospel, we are given an opportunity to see His complete humanity up-close and personal.

Our God is not one who stays up in heaven and just has nice thoughts about us. He freely chose to come live among us, as one of us! And that last part is the key – as one of us! Fully human. For me, that makes all the difference. In both the good times, and the challenging ones, my friend Jesus knows what it’s like to be in my head… And He knows what it’s like to be in my heart as well.

So, when I struggle, and when I am tempted – and I turn to Him – I am turning to one who was also human, and was also tempted! In the gospel, Jesus had just fasted for 40 days. Let’s take a second and imagine that. He is perhaps at His weakest – His most vulnerable. He is “hungry.” Just like we all are sometimes. And then, in that moment, Matthew tells us that three very human desires were placed in front of Jesus: food/sustenance, power and control. What is being offered are those things which we, humans, sometimes think will satisfy our “hungers”. If focused only on His own needs, Jesus would easily have been able to provide for Himself. Satan was attempting to play to His human nature. But because Jesus was like us in all ways except for sin, He used it as an opportunity to model for us, the right behavior – the right response – even when we are weakened. And what was His answer each time? It was to look past the empty promises, and “hunger” only to be closer – and to be truer – to our relationship with God.

That’s what Lent is all about: our relationship with God. And all relationships are grown by pointedly investing time with one another – even when we are tired, disinterested and weakened. So perhaps we can each take that as a challenge in the days ahead… When we might feel like we just don’t have it in us anymore, myself included, let’s not look to Lent as a chance to give up, but rather to give more – to our relationship with our God – who always knows exactly what it’s like to be one of us – in our heads, and in our hearts.

Fr. Mark Paul Amatrucola, c.o.

The Brooklyn Oratory