As I sat down to write these words, our Emergency Alert System sounded as it does at 10:00am on the first Tuesday of each month. Through varying tones sounded loudly from speakers atop tall towers, our community is notified of various threats, usually potentially dangerous weather. They also notify us of impending federal and state level attacks of war and other threats. Right now in Ukraine the same sirens are sounding for real, notifying citizens of tremendous danger and attack. They are calling citizens to take shelter in the midst of an evil and violent attack on a country, democracy and humanity itself. I cannot imagine the terror that so many are experiencing. Let us all pray for them. And for the rest of us, those sirens seem to be warning us about the attack on democracy and human decency. One way of articulating this situation is that there is a serious challenge to basic values of human life involving many things, but mainly power. Certain values are being expressed in contrary and tragic fashion.
We hear the story of the Temptation in the Desert this weekend, and the temptations that take place are centered on values – those espoused by evil and those espoused by good. One of them is power.
Satan tempts Jesus to satisfy his hunger immediately. He suggests that Jesus has the power to turn stones into bread to accomplish this. Jesus redirects Satan’s focus to the many other things that give us life besides physical food, and does so
by quoting the power of God’s word.
Next Satan promises the power that comes with ruling earthly kingdoms and lands if Jesus acknowledges his power by worshiping him. Jesus again redirects Satan to the ultimate power of divine worship.
Finally, Satan tempts Jesus by assuring him of the power of others who will catch him if he jumps. He takes his temptation to a higher level by quoting scripture himself, assuring Jesus that the power of God, through the angels who will catch him, will save him. Jesus digs even deeper into the power of the word by citing the sin of putting God to the test.
Amidst the challenge of responding to our own temptations and watching anxiously a violent evil
hat could threaten the peace of our entire world, let us pray for one of the great gifts of the Holy Spirit that is WISDOM. Let us pray for God’s wisdom so that we may be led to a greater sense of global power for good. Our Affi rmed leg of the pilgrimage
has helped us to focus on the giftedness of the Holy Spirit ritualized in all the Confirmation gifts.
As we pursue the very nature of Mercy this Lent, I strongly suggest that we both tap into and be examples of UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM and REVERENCE. Let us be Confirmed and Affirmed in these Holy Spirit Gifts that are at the heart of Mercy, indeed its very nature.
Lenten Social Justice Project Our Lenten Social Justice Project will be a partnership with Precious Blood Ministries in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago. PBM serves youth, families and community members who are impacted by violence. They off er a restorative justice approach to conflict while building a sense of community. This entails many unique efforts
but one of them is to have perpetrators of crime and victims of their crimes to sit down and meet in person. It is a courageous and special form of reconciliation. Our Sacrament of Reconciliation ritualizes what often takes place in this restorative
justice process – namely, to put back together something that has been fractured or broken. Men and women who are currently incarcerated are also supported by this ministry. Precious Blood Ministries has a mission that entails RADICAL HOSPITALITY, HOPE and HEALING. We often think of hospitality as snacks and drinks in the narthex following Mass. PBM
builds Radical Hospitality including an emphasis on Mercy Incarnate. Incarnate is a great Catholic word that means something becomes real. Jesus Christ is the Incarnate Word of God. God became real in Jesus. Jesus becomes real in the Eucharist and Mercy becomes real in the restorative justice initiatives of Precious Blood Ministries. May our partnership with them become real this Lent.
THANK YOU!
So many of you have taken the time and care to off er your prayers for my recovery from total hip replacement surgery. I am on the mend and because of your prayers I feel a strength that is leading to God’s healing. Thank you for your cards, notes, good wishes and especially your prayers. I should be a bit more visible next weekend.