Radiant with Joy

This Sunday’s Gospel: March 15, 2020

John 4:5-42

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” —For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.— Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.” At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her?” The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘In four months the harvest will be here’? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

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As I was reading this Sunday’s Gospel, I was wondering how it related to Lent. Eventually, I noticed that it has a theme of detachment. I’ve been working on this virtue a lot this Lent, which is probably why it stood out to me. We rely on water every day to live. We need it for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing. Before indoor plumbing, the only way to get water was to walk to a well, fill up jars, and carry the heavy water home every day. Clearly, those who lived in Jesus’ time depended on their wells. When the Samaritan woman encountered Jesus, I’m sure she found it hard to believe when he mentioned living water. Jacob’s well was all that she knew, and now a stranger introduced her to a new source of water. Referring to Himself, Jesus promised this woman that His living water would grant eternal life. He offers us the same promise. As He did with the Samaritan woman, Jesus calls us to depend less on things of this world and more on Him. The fulfillment and comfort from material things are temporary, but Jesus is eternal. Only through Him will we gain eternal life. Will you detach yourself from the wells of this world to partake in Jesus’ living water?

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You Have Redeemed the World

And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
Matthew 27:31

Stations Memories
I started praying Stations of the Cross when I was in Kindergarten. When I was in Catholic elementary school, the students and staff would gather in the church next to the school to pray the Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent. I’d watch the priest and two altar servers process around the church. They stopped at 14 stations, and each one was painted in a tiny alcove. I listened to the older students read about each station from the ambo while I followed along in the little booklets that the teachers distributed. I looked at the simple illustrations as I let my mind wander. I imagined what each station would have looked like in person and I wondered what it would have been like to be there during Christ’s Passion.

Lent Without Stations
I grew to love praying Stations of the Cross. I even looked forward to meditating on the Stations and losing myself in this repetitive prayer. I prayed the Stations of the Cross consistently from Kindergarten through eighth grade on each Lenten Friday. When I went to high school and during the first few years of college, I didn’t go to Stations. My high school didn’t offer Stations of the Cross, and I didn’t really seek it out in my home parish. Until my junior year of college, I never attended Stations at the parish near campus. Because I took a somewhat unintended hiatus from Stations of the Cross, I spent Lent differently. I felt that something was missing and that I wasn’t getting the most out of Lent.

While preparing for Lent this year, I realized what was lacking. Praying the Stations of the Cross helped me get into the Lenten season and made my Lent so fruitful. Because of this, I resolved to pray the Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent again. This Lent, I’m making an effort to keep this Lenten meditation. When I went to St. Peter’s to pray the Stations of the Cross, I was flooded with memories of praying it in Catholic elementary school. I remembered what a beautiful prayer it was and how much I loved it even as a child. I definitely appreciate it more now that I’m older, and I’m glad that my teachers and priests instilled this meditation into me and my classmates while we were young. I’m even more grateful that God granted me the grace to return to this prayer.

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Reflecting on His Passion
If you’ve never prayed the Stations of the Cross before, I highly recommend doing so at least once this Lent. It’s a beautiful prayer to practice during the Lenten season, and it really prepares your heart for the Easter triduum and for Easter Sunday. Allow yourself to really reflect on Christ’s Passion. As you repeat “Because by your holy cross, You have redeemed the world,” remember that the Lord endured this suffering out of love for you and He longs for relationship with you.

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The Size of a Mustard Seed

For truly I say to you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20

Saying Yes
Two years ago, I went on a life-changing mission trip to Nicaragua. This spring break mission trip organized by FOCUS strengthened my faith and gave me several encounters with God. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I said yes to going on mission, but from the moment I said yes, God made wonderful things happen.

I felt Him working even before the mission trip as He helped me get to Nicaragua. I fundraised my way to Nicaragua, and although it wasn’t easy, I was blessed with so many generous donors who made sure I could go on mission. There were times when I wasn’t sure if I would fundraise enough, but when you say yes to God, He takes care of you. The outpouring of support that I received as I prepared for my mission trip reminded me that God wanted me to go to Nicaragua.

Loving God through Children
In Nicaragua, my mission team and I worked with an organization called Mustard Seed Communities, which quickly became close to my heart. On the Mustard Seed Compound, we spent our days playing with abandoned children with disabilities. We colored, played soccer, and prayed every morning and evening.

The children were so quick to love us. Although they had just met us and they knew we would only be there for a week, they loved us so much. It reminded me of the unconditional love of God, which we easily returned to them. Each of those precious children were so easy to love. They didn’t have to do anything to earn our love. We loved them just because they’re them. There have been times in my life when I felt like I needed to earn my Heavenly Father’s love, but loving these children reminded me that this isn’t the case.

Hearing His Voice
I still think it’s fascinating how much I deepened my faith in one week. Thanks to God’s grace, I grew so much closer to Him during my time in Nicaragua. We went to Mass every morning, and every evening we prayed a holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I’ve never prayed a holy hour before going to Nicaragua, so during my first holy hour I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. I sat in the Lord’s presence and I heard Him say in my heart, “Don’t be afraid to hear my voice.” That little sentence changed my prayer life. I became more open to the Lord, and even today I find it easier to turn to Him and depend on Him.

I spent a lot of time in Adoration that week reflecting on each day with the Lord and talking with Him. I’d thank Him for the opportunities and experiences that mission has brought me. I asked for his guidance as I served Him in Nicaragua and that my love for His children wouldn’t fade when I went home. I also had a once in a lifetime confession experience, where I received the sacrament outdoors on a beautiful, warm morning. I was truly surrounded by God and His grace in Nicaragua, which still helps me to share His love with everyone I encounter today.

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The Closest to Heaven that I’ve Ever Felt
I can’t write a blog post long enough to tell you about the blessings and experiences that Nicaragua offered me. I know that this blog post doesn’t quite do my mission trip justice, but believe me when I say that a week in Nicaragua changed my heart forever. I did not return to Pennsylvania as the same girl who left, and I’ll never be the same because of the children I met and the encounters I had with God.

Two years later, the children that I met through Mustard Seed still have a special place in my heart. I still pray for them every day so that they’ll always remember that they’re beloved children of God. I love telling people about my mission trip and about the numerous memories that I’ve made. I always say that I left a piece of my heart there with the children, and if I could go back, I would in a heartbeat.

I can’t say enough good things about Mustard Seed Communities and the work that they do. My mission trip to Nicaragua changed me in so many ways, and made me a more fit instrument of love. I grew in love for God and all of His children, and I learned what it means to have a missionary heart. Nicaragua might have been the farthest that I’ve been from home, but it was the closest to Heaven that I’ve ever felt.

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Transfigure Us, O Lord

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.
Matthew 17:2

What comes to mind when you hear the word Lent? Does it imply a somber season of mourning and penance? Maybe you adopt a gloomy demeanor during this season. You might gravitate towards wearing black, fiercely discipline yourself to fast and pray, and avoid anything that brings you joy.

I tried to approach Lent in this way, and it’s draining.

Lent isn’t particularly enjoyable, and it’s important to recognize the solemnity of this season, but we can only be so mournful about it. If we allow ourselves to be too somber throughout Lent, we forsake the beauty of it.

Lent is a season of spiritual renewal, which means that Lent gives us the opportunity to deepen our faith and grow closer to God in a radical way. We should rejoice in the opportunities to pray, fast, and give alms because these acts help us grow in holiness and give us the genuine joy that only Christ can give.

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Today, on the second Sunday of Lent, we hear about the Transfiguration in the Gospel reading. It reminds us not only of Christ’s divinity, but of how we can be transfigured in Him. When we approach Lent joyfully, we allow the Lord to transfigure us. As you pray, fast, and give alms, remember that these will make you holy and transfigure you. I take opportunities to grow in holiness joyfully and with excitement because I know that they’ll make me more like Christ.

As we continue our journey through Lent, join me in asking the Lord to transfigure us so that we can become more like Him through our Lenten sacrifices.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: March 8, 2020

Matthew 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

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The Transfiguration is one of my favorite mysteries. As I reflect on it, I love to imagine what Jesus would have looked like in His divinity. I don’t think I’m alone in wishing that I could have been with Peter, James, and John on that mountain. I know that if I were there, I would have wanted to stay too. I can’t think of anything better than gazing at Jesus in all His beautiful, glorious divinity forever. But if Jesus would have stayed there, He never would have gone to Jerusalem to die for us and save us. If Peter, James, and John would have stayed there, they never would have made disciples of all nations and told others about Jesus. While it’s good to be on the mountain with Jesus, He also calls us to leave and help those around us to encounter Him. Although at first Jesus tells His disciples not to tell anyone about the Transfiguration, eventually they do. Reading about the Transfiguration has helped me to understand who Jesus is. Meditating on it has helped me to grow closer to Him, and it made me yearn to grow in holiness and encounter Him deeply. I might not have been able to be on the mountain to experience Jesus’ Transfiguration, but I can still spend time with Him and witness His divinity when I receive the Eucharist and when I pray in Eucharistic Adoration. It’s good that we’re here to be with Jesus and worship Him, but it’s just as good to go, tell those whom we encounter about Him, and help them see His divinity as well.

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22 Years

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

Counting Blessings
How often do you count your blessings? How often do you thank God for everything He has blessed you with? Do you ever look around at your friends, family, and the other people in your life, or at your job, classes, or tasks and thank God? Do you look around and recognize the abundant blessings that God has entrusted you with? Do you thank God for the life that He gave you?

This is what I like to do on my birthday. I thank God for blessing me with my life and for the chance to know, love, and serve Him. As I go throughout my day, I recognize everyone I encounter and thank God that such wonderful people are in my life. As I go to class, I thank God for my education. As I spend time in the Newman Center, I thank God for this place to receive the sacraments and for good Catholic fellowship. As I go to dinner or have desserts with my family, friends, and boyfriend, I thank God for the beautiful life that He blessed me with and for happy memories that I’m constantly making.

The Gift of Life
I’ve heard a few times that God didn’t have to create us. He didn’t need us, and He would be fine on His own. He created us because He wants us. He created you and me for the simple yet beautiful reason of loving us, and He gave us the gift of free will so that we can authentically love Him back.

I love this reality and I love to tell others about it. I find that I’m hyper-aware of this especially on my birthday. God didn’t have to give me this life, but He did because He wants me. Today, I’m reminded of my Heavenly Father’s love for me as I thank Him for blessing me with 22 years I remember that because Christ died for me, I live for Him and I can look forward to eternal life.

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Here’s to 22 years of worshiping God and eternity to go.

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Throughout These 40 Days

But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Matthew 6:6

I always start Lent zealously, excited for a much-needed season of spiritual renewal. I make grand plans of things to fast from, ways to pray, and acts of charity. However, I find that halfway through Lent, I’ve given up because I made excuses or claimed everything was too hard. I lose interest because the initial excitement of Lent wears off.

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Although Lent can be fruitful, this somber season isn’t necessarily enjoyable. Our fasts should be difficult, otherwise they wouldn’t be sacrifices. That’s why we give up things that we long for when we don’t have them. We acknowledge that things like desserts, social media, Disney+, shopping, and sleep are important to us, but so is God. Fasting helps us to detach ourselves from these earthly distractions so that we can focus on God.

It can be hard to find the time or even the motivation to pray or to do acts of charity. It’s easy to put ourselves first and spend our time as we please, but sacrifice involves our time, too. By spending our spare time in prayer, we say, “God, this time is precious to me, but I want You to have it because You deserve it.” Spending time doing acts of charity expresses the greatest love, laying down our lives for our friends. We give a gift of our self when we set aside our own interests to serve someone else or to just spend time with them.

A common question asked during this time of year is “What are you doing for Lent?” During these 40 days, I encourage you to remember the why not the what. If you determine your why before deciding your what, you’ll decide what and how to sacrifice more intentionally. Your why behind your fasting could be to intercede for a family member, to do penance for your sins, or just to grow closer to Jesus. When we remember our why, or the reasons behind our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, our Lent becomes so much more meaningful and fruitful. When Lent is half over and you feel yourself struggling, remember your why and pray for the strength to persevere in your Lenten sacrifices. Let’s remember our why throughout these 40 days and avoid Lent burnout together.

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This Sunday’s Gospel: March 1, 2020

Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.” Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

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This Sunday’s Gospel illustrates both Jesus’ humanity and divinity. Like all of us, He fasted and prayed, but He also grew hungry. I always find it fascinating that the God of the universe, who is so powerful he has no need for food, could grow hungry. In His humanity, Jesus allowed Himself to feel hunger. This shows us that it’s okay to want the things we’re fasting from, but we have to stay strong. Jesus relied on our Heavenly Father, and so should we. Jesus knew that He was going to face temptations. He expected them to happen so He knew how to avoid giving into them. He resisted with the help of the scriptures and His faith, which inspires us to do the same. We emulate Jesus during Lent as we fast and pray for forty days. We know that we’ll be tempted along the way, but so did Jesus and He persevered. We’re called to be like Jesus, so let’s resist temptations like He did. He persevered for us, so let’s persevere for him. Let’s join Him in relying on our Eternal Father and not on earthly things that will pass away.

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To Dust You Shall Return

Repent and believe in the Gospel
Mark 1:15

Simply Dust
When God made the first man and woman, He didn’t create them out of thin air. First, He crafted Adam from the Earth before breathing life into him. He used the same process for Eve, adding a rib from Adam’s side. Yes, we were created in the image and likeness of God, but we’re still only dust. The Divine Artist used the dust of the Earth as the medium for his masterpiece. Throughout time, mankind has suffered and triumphed and has done wonderful and cruel things, but it’s both comforting and unsettling to remember that we’re simply dust.

Return to Dust
Just as we were made from dust, we’ll become dust again someday. It didn’t have to be this way, but the Fall of Man caused these dire consequences. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, they allowed sin to enter the world, and death came with it. Because of this, in one way or another, our dead decaying bodies will return to the dust of the Earth from whence it came.

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Preparing for Death and Eternal Life
All of this might sound nihilistic or dark, but we have to grasp the severity of this reality and take it seriously. On Ash Wednesday, we remember that we will die. When we sin, we choose to turn away from God. Unless we repent, we’ll face eternal death, separated from God forever. Because our sins separate us from God, we continuously repent and seek his forgiveness. We keep this penitential attitude throughout Lent, preparing for our own deaths as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s Resurrection. We stay faithful, avoid temptation, and confess our sins knowing that Christ has conquered the grave and the gates of Heaven are open to all of His followers. Although our bodies might return to dust, our souls will never decay. We don’t have to fear death, but we still must prepare for eternal life.

Repent and believe in the Gospel.

I also want to wish my little brother a happy 20th birthday! I know it’s rough that it fell on Ash Wednesday this year, but offer it up! I’ll be home before you know it to celebrate with you! I love you so much, Jeff!

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Soil of the Soul

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it.
Matthew 13:23

The Parable that Grew on Me
The Parable of the Sower and the Seeds is one that I’ve heard numerous times throughout my life. I’ve heard it at Mass multiple times, and I listened to several homilies on it. I learned about it in Catholic elementary school, and I read and taught about it in Bible Studies. Instead of letting it become stale, I try to find something new in it every time I read or hear it.

I used to wonder how the Sower could be so careless, tossing his precious seeds and not caring where they land. But the Lord does this on purpose. He knows that not everyone is like the good soil, yet in His generosity and love, He scatters it to everyone anyway.

Jesus goes on to describe how we may react to His Word when it’s scattered our way. We might let the enemy take it away if we don’t understand it. We might let the “Jesus high” wear off before the Word can take root. We might let the thorns of school, work, relationships, addictions, and other distractions choke out the Word. Or we might let the Word pierce our hearts, take root in us, and allow us to bear fruit for its Sower.

Tilling our Soil
Especially during Lent, we strive to improve the soil of our souls. This penitential season of spiritual renewal gives us a valuable opportunity to deepen our relationship with God. We unite our sacrifices and sufferings to those of Christ for our own good and to intercede for others. “Lent” actually means “spring,” which is appropriate because we prepare for Christ’s Resurrection, which occurs when spring has sprung and nature is teeming with life again. However, before this happens, we have to plow, till, and fertilize our own soil until it’s prepared to bear fruit and bring forth the life that only Christ can give.

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Throughout Lent
As Lent approaches, consider the condition of your soil. Keep checking on it throughout this season. Don’t let the enemy prevent you from participating fully in Lent before it even begins. I recommend making a plan for Lent by writing down what you’ll fast from, when and how you’ll pray, and how you’ll give alms. Stay strong after the initial excitement of Ash Wednesday and the first week of Lent wears off. Avoid distractions and temptations as they creep up on you. Pray for the grace to do these things well and to try again when you fall. Remember the reasons why you’re sacrificing this Lent. The Lord will work in you and bless you as you deepen your relationship with Him during this solemn season.

He’s ready to scatter his seeds. Are you ready to plant them in your soul?

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