Lent 2nd Sunday A - Transfiguration

Opening Story:

1) The Samurai Warrior and the Zen Master 

One day, a Samurai warrior went to a Zen master for instruction. "Please," the huge man asked in a thundering voice that was used to instant obedience, "teach me about heaven and hell."
The master scowled at the swordsman, then broke into mocking laughter. "Me, teach you about heaven and hell? I wouldn't waste a moment trying to instruct the brain of an overweight ignoramus like you! How dare you ask me for such a lofty insight?" 

Lent 1st Week - Wednesday

1st Week of Lent, Wednesday, Mar 4

Jonah 3:1-10 / Luke 11:29-32

People asked Jesus for a sign

“No sign will be given." 

The sign of Jonah was the radical conversion of the Ninevites as a result of Jonah’s preaching. The Ninevites underwent a radical conversion because they heard God's voice in Jonah's. The reason they converted was that their ears and hearts were open to what Jonah had to say. The Jews weren't converted when they heard Jesus preach because they didn't recognize God's voice in his. And the reason they didn't do this was that their ears and hearts were closed to what Jesus had to say. If the Jews had opened their hearts to Jesus’ preaching, they too would have seen the "sign of Jonah,” a radical conversion of themselves and their brothers and sisters.

Who hurts you? Abraham Lincoln

When Abraham Lincoln became the president of America, his father was a shoemaker.  And, naturally, egoistic people were very much offended that a shoemaker’s son should become the president.   On the first day, as Abraham Lincoln entered to give his inaugural address, just in the middle, one man stood up.  He was a very rich aristocrat.  He said, “Mr. Lincoln, you should not forget that your father used to make shoes for my family.”  And the whole Senate laughed; they thought that they had made a fool of Abraham Lincoln.

Lent 1st Week, Tuesday, Mar 3

Jesus teaches about prayer:  “This is how you are to pray."

Two men were arguing about religion. As the argument heated up, the one man shouted at the other,

"1'll bet five bucks you don’t even know the Lord’s Prayer.” "I’ll take that bet," the other shouted.

Then he began praying, "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” The other man looked at him in amazement and said, "III be darned! You win! I didn't think you knew it.”

Sometimes we might just as well be praying “Now I lay me down to sleep” as praying the Lord's Prayer. For we pray it without really thinking about what we are saying.

Mar '20: Reflections from CSC Scholastics from Pune

Lent 1st Week, Monday, Mar 2nd: Reflection & Liturgy

Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 / Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus talks about judgment

"I was hungry and you gave    me   food,"

Mike Peters won the 1981 Pulitzer prize for political cartoons. Reporter Joe Urschel asked him, "How did you feel when you got the news?"

“I couldn’t believe it," said Mike.

Lent 1 Sunday A - Liturgical Prayers

A. I Will Serve

B. Forty Days to Easter 

Greeting

We are gathered in the name of Jesus.
He brought us life instead of death;
by his obedience he made up for our disobedience.
May his grace and peace be always with you.
R/ And also with you.

Saturday after Ash Wednesday, Feb 29th - Reflection & Liturgy

Isaiah 58:9-14 / Luke 5:27-32 

God speaks: “Help others and I will help you.”

A woman named Linda was in a state mental hospital. She said she was without hope for the future and without faith in God. Then one day she happened to notice a small sign: “Volunteers needed to help the elderly.” She says she doesn’t know why she responded to that sign, but she did. Several months later she wrote about her experience, “Each day spent with these elderly patients awakened something within me.” Linda’s experience with the elderly patients restored not only her faith in the future but also her faith in God.

Friday after Ash Wednesday, Feb 28th: Reflection & Liturgy

Isaiah 58:1-9 / Matthew 9:14-15 

This is the fast I want: “Share your bread with the hungry.”

Under the listing of “Dog” in the yellow pages of the Evanston, Illinois, telephone directory there is an ad for American Pet Motels. Here are some of the services these kennels provide for their clients’ pets. Deluxe and imperial suites FM music in every room Beauty salon Senior citizens’ care plan Daily cookie breaks When the initial humor of the ad fades, we suddenly realize that we take better care of our pets than we do of the poor.This is the kind of thing God confronts us with, through the prophet Isaiah, in today’s reading.

Lentan Thoughts, Decisions and Activities

To be spectacular is so much our concern that we, who have been specta­tors most of our lives can hardly conceive that to be unknown, unspectac­ular, and hidden can have any value.

How do we overcome this all-pervading temptation? It is important to realize that our hunger for the spectacular - just as our desire to be relevant - has very much to do with our search for self-hood. Being a person and being seen, praised, liked, and accepted have become nearly the same for many. Who am I when nobody pays attention, says thanks, or recognizes my work? The more insecure, doubtful, and lonely we are, the greater our need for popularity and praise.