FASTING TO FEASTING

As I read the readings of the resurrection appearances this past week, I felt full of joy and resurrection within my own being. I was thinking how wonderful this is after weeks of fasting during Lent. There is so much to feast on.

First of all I am aware of how we can feast on God's love. We have just celebrated that God gave us Christ, his only Son so that we can be saved. We can feast that God is merciful, forgiving, and kind. Feast on all the good things that God has given you, such as, family, friends, community, life, love.

We have had some beautiful weather during these past two weeks. We have been feasting on the blue skies and sunshine, green grass, trees budding. The yellow forsythia is always a favorite of mine. I have been feasting on the sight of the different finches at my bird feeders. The geese are honking, the turkeys are gobbling, and the squirrels are playing. Spring is here!

Feast on who you are, on all that God has called you to be. God has given you so much to feast on. Everyday you can find a feast! Just open your eyes and your hearts.

RESURRECTION

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. I was listening to many things during the Tridduum to plan what to post. The idea actually came to me this morning. At each liturgy, we proclaim a Memorial Acclamation. The one that seems to be used most frequently is, "Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again." Here is my reflection about this.

"Christ has died." We have just experienced the passion and death of Jesus on Good Friday. We have heard this many times. Jesus was put to death by crucifixion by the Jewish and Roman leaders of his time. For those of us who believe in Jesus as the Son of God, we also believe that death is not final. As St. Paul says in the Epistle read at the Easter Vigil, Christ's death was death to sin once and for all and that His life is life for God. In your life, how do you put consider yourselves dead to sin and alive for God in Christ Jesus?

"Christ is risen." Alleluia! I love when we get to sing it after so many weeks of Lent. Once again we heard the Easter story and we will continue to hear other accounts from the scriptures of Jesus' appearances during these next few days. Jesus has risen from the dead and, as St. Paul tells us, He will never die again. Death has no more power over him! Have there been times in your own life, when you have experienced resurrection and felt alive again? Perhaps you have experienced resurrection after a physical or mental illness, or have overcome some other difficulty in your life. Reflect on it. Recall the resurrection moment and give praise and thanks to God.

"Christ will come again." We believe that Christ will come again at the end of the world. He promised his disciples that he will be with us always. We wait in joyful hope. We do not have to wait until the end of the world. Christ comes to us everyday. He is present with us through his word in scripture. Christ comes into our hearts each day when we receive Holy Communion. He is present in each person we meet. I am aware of Christ's presence during times of reflection, or sometimes in a song. What are ways that Christ comes to you?

Be open to Christ's presence in your life. Look for signs of resurrection all around you. Blessings to all of you during this Easter season.

Lost and Found

There is so much material to reflect on in the parable of the Prodigal Son from yesterday's gospel. It is one of my favorite readings during Lent. The younger son was lost when he received his share of his father's inheritance and spent all of it on women, gambling, drinking. Eventually, he ran out of money, worked feeding pigs, and was hungry. You know the rest of the story of how he was welcomed back and forgiven by his father and not welcomed by his older brother.

We too can get lost in the same ways as this young man did. However, there are other ways of getting lost. These are just some brief thoughts I had.

We can get lost in our emotions. Depression causes us to turn inward and shut others out. We are lost to those who love us and care about us. We can lose ourselves by not remembering or caring who we are and the wonderful gifts we possess. Sometimes we may choose to not help ourselves by not seeking help. Yet we can be found! It might mean talking to a therapist and allowing ourselves to accept love from family and friends.

We can be lost spiritually. Many time when things don't go our way, prayers are not answered quickly enough, death of a loved one, or some other tragedy, we blame God. When this happens we might stop praying or attending the sacraments. We might lose faith in God. Yet we can be found! It can be as simple as uttering, "God help me for I cannot help myself". I believe that the moment we do turn to God in our need, God takes over. Slowly the Spirit works in us to lead us back to life, love, and relationship with God. Talking to a priest or spiritual director can guide us in prayer and reflection to encourage and deepen our desire to be whole and holy once again.

In other ways, we can be lost in our stubbornness, meanness, selfishness, lack of respect for others, or like the older brother in the parable, refusing to forgive someone. Our egos can block our paths. These characteristics can keep us bound and unfree. They do not allow us to be open to others ideas or needs. They do not allow us to be in right relationship with God and others. Yet we can be found! By recognizing these things in us, we can change if we want to. We can pray for the graces to help us become and practice kindness, patience, sharing, respectful, merciful.

"Be still and know that I am God". Lent is a great time for reconciliation. Take advantage of the many opportunities during this season to attend the Sacrament. Take some quiet time this week to imagine yourself walking straight into the loving arms of God. Let God hold you close to his heart. Allow yourself to be forgiven and changed where you need it.

TWO THOUGHTS

My first is that yesterday our congregation listened to a speaker on the vow of Celibacy. Much of it was about being relational. As I continue to reflect on what I heard, not only are we as women religious called to relatedness, but so are those who are married or single, young or old. Our speaker reminded us that no one can live in isolation.

My second thought is about the parable of the fig tree in the Gospel today. Like the gardener who wanted to give the fig tree another year to try to bear fruit, so I think God is like that with us. God continues over and over again to give us another chance to be who God knows we are capable of being. God gifts us over and over again with all that we need to do what God calls us to do. God forgives us over and over again to get our act together and return to God's loving embrace. If God nurtures us so carefully and gently, shouldn't we do the same for each other? Isn't it all about being relational?

LISTENING

Today's Gospel tells about the Transfiguration of Jesus while he was on the mountain with three of his disciples. While Jesus was conversing with Moses and Elijah, the disciples heard a voice from heaven saying, "This is my chosen Son, listen to him".

Here we are beginning the second week of Lent. How are you doing with the ways in which you planned to observe Lent this year? Listening better in prayer is one thing I am trying to do this year. First of all it takes quiet and time. The quiet is easy. For me it is making the time that is a little more difficult. However, I'm working on it. Listening takes patience, faith, and an open heart. Sometimes, God doesn't speak as quickly I would like. I know the importance of waiting and staying focused in prayer. My spiritual director has said that whenever I am ready to give up, give a little more time and see what happens. Sometimes it is in those last few minutes, that I hear what I have been waiting for. I shared with my prayer group that a couple of years ago when I was on retreat, I was telling the director all the things I prayed and said to God. She asked me what his response was. I said I did not listen. I spent the whole retreat sitting still and listening.

Henry Nouwen says that when we are anxious, tense, or worried our anxiety does not allow us any space to listen. We cannot receive the voice of God. We need to create the space to listen so that we can hear the voice of God call us, "beloved". I hope you can make the time to sit still during this Lenten season to listen. I will continue to work at making time. Let us keep each other in prayer.

Oh, by the way, March 1st is my eighteenth anniversary in community. I am excited by that. Please pray a prayer of gratitude to God for calling me to this vocation. Thanks.

Congregational Retreat

I just realized that I did not blog last week! I do not have access to a computer at my mother's home, so it never occurred to me. I was at my home parish, St. Joseph, in Sharon, PA last weekend for the kick-off of their celebrating the 150th year of the parish. I gave a brief talk on some of the virtues of Saint Joseph and how they relate to us as Sisters of Saint Joseph.

This past weekend, our congregation participated in a Graced History Retreat. We began Friday evening reflecting on our personal light history. Our communal light history, our personal and communal shadow history were the areas we spent time with on Saturday. Then on Sunday we reflected on our personal and communal hope. Different sisters gave a reflection for each of the different areas. After each one, there was time for quiet reflection, then sharing in small groups. The beautiful prayers that began each session and our Sunday liturgy added to the sacredness of the retreat.

We are truly blessed to have occasions like these when we come together as a community to pray, reflect, and share. We share our gifts and talents, and recognize those of others. It is a time to hold one another in prayer and receive the graces God desires for each of us. It was a wonderful opportunity to forget the ordinary, hectic schedules, in which we are often involved, to be quiet. I was so aware of the respect for one another by everyone participating in staying as quiet as each person was able. I am truly grateful to have had this opportunity, and I am also grateful and happy to belong to this congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

World Day for Consecrated Life

This Sunday's readings focused on call, especially the call of Peter in the Gospel. Peter did not know what he was getting into at first. He stumbled along and said some foolish things. Yet, he was called and chosen to lead the disciples and became a wonderful example for all of us who struggle to do and say the right thing. At a homily I heard today, the priest said that whenever God calls he also blesses. Also, at my prayer group on Tuesday, the reflection stated that God calls the unqualified and qualifies those he calls.

God calls each of us differently. My call story is very different from other call stories that I have heard throughout the years. I have always found it interesting to hear how another sister felt called to religious life.

The call to live the Consecrated Life is one of the vocations that both women and men respond to by living the evangelical vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They serve in parishes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, social agencies, missions, and anywhere else there is a need. They do what they do for the love of God and others. Each community of men and women have their own charism or uniqueness that give them their sense of mission and purpose for existing.

Today is World Day for Consecrated Life. Pray for these men and women. Pray also for an increase in vocations to religious life.

If you have been thinking of a religious vocation, or have questions you would like to ask, e-mail me at s.lfusco@ssjerie.org.