J.M.J.
Lent 2020
Prayer – Fasting – Alms-giving
PATRON: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
MOTTO: (unknown at this time)
INTENTION: For those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and for those who care for them
We adore you O Christ and we bless you.
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world!
Dear Friends,
We have a beautiful hymn we sing at the friary before each office during this season of Lent it is called Christ be our light!
It starts out like this. Longing for light, we wait in darkness, longing for truth, we turn to You. Make us Your own, Your holy people, Light for the world to see. Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light!
During this time of holy Lent, it is good to reflect on how Christ continues to shine in our hearts, Christ who shines in our darkest moments, and yet we still cry out, Christ be our light because we know that Christ is the light that never fades.
Over the past two weeks, my life was filled with a gray kind of darkness and yet I could see the light of Christ coming through in the power of my own personal prayer. I found myself asking for spiritual guidance, to help me to understand my need for that warm light, that peace, and faithfulness that never fads in our everyday trails of life.
During these gray moments I asked for help from my own personal saints to help me in these times of trouble, for example, your parents who are in heaven and my grandparents who are in heaven along with Father Augustine Tolton, St. Francis and St. Clare to guide me when suffering, I can assure you, my life has been filled with that love and courage these past weeks. My grandmother, I always with my parents as well help me when I am in some kind of spiritual trouble, and this time they came across strong and true, they brought me, Christ, the light, when I was feeling so terrible.
Christ is our light, but our beloved family and friends are part of the communion of saints always wanting to help us, all we need to do is ask!
Take the time this Lent to ask Christ to show you the light, especially when you feel sad and alone, He will never leave you. You are His beloved.
I pray that you have a blessed Lent this year, and please know that you are in my daily prayers. Pray for me who continues to heal from my leukemia from the 911 disaster in New York and pray for all our first responders’ who each day suffer in silence from so much pain and grief especially as they had to face during those days after the Word Trade Center attacks.
We (the Joliet Fire Department) just started a support group for our firefighters with its own hot line. So many of our firefighters suffer in silence, but we can help them each day with our prayers of love and by just that Christ will always be light for those who walk in darkness.
Peace and all good,
Brother Ed, OFM