Tag Archives: Repentance

December 3, 2013

2nd Advent – Decorating our Homes and our Hearts

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Christmas Tree

Study:  What are some of the special things we do to prepare for Christmas?  How can we apply this preparation to our own hearts?

Pray:  Pray for the spiritual vision to truly “see” God at work in our lives this Advent.  Bring to prayer any special moments or experiences which touched your heart.

Serve:  How might we help others prepare for the coming of Christ?  How might our service bring others closer to God and one another?

2nd Advent Readings

They were located in the storage space under the stairs in my parents’ house.  Each year several boxes of varying sizes would get pulled out from this space on the day after Thanksgiving.  The contained:

* Christmas tree
* Ornaments & Tinsel
* Lights
* Christmas figurines
* Advent Wreath
* Nativity Set

Furniture would be moved to make space for the tree, items would be packed up or rearranged to accommodate the Christmas decorations, and other items (wreaths & candles) would be purchased.  The preparations would often take several hours to set up, but when finished, the house would be transformed.

Many homes have similar (or even more elaborate) traditions in their preparations for the coming of Jesus.  Decorations, inside and out, completely change the appearance of a home – often at the cost of hours (or even days) of hard work.

These decorations can often change the appearance of a building in a variety of ways.  Beauty and light are the intended result, and the added attention of decorations reveals the power of the season.  Simply put, we decorate to show that something special is happening in our world.

What is true for decorations is true for us.  Just as decorations can transform a building, so to we are called to look at our hearts to discern what needs to be changed, improved, or cleaned up.  We have the opportunity to see how our lives affect others.

We adorn a building with decorations to make it beautiful, but do we take the time to decorate our hearts?  Do we pause and look at our values or priorities, our hopes, needs, or fears?  Do we examine what is not of God in our life and change it?

The Scriptures remind us that when Jesus comes he will be our judge.  He will rule the nations and govern with justice.  In preparation John the Baptist urges the people to repent – to make a change in their hearts – and adorn their lives with the beauty and goodness that arise from this season.  Let us do the same, and decorate both our homes and our hearts, so the Lord will find us ready when he returns.

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March 12, 2013

5th Sunday of Lent – Justice & Mercy

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Flower

Study:  When have I truly experienced mercy from another person?  When have I been clearly in the wrong yet encountered understanding and compassion?

Pray:  Is there something in my life that needs God’s mercy?  Is there something or someone that I need God’s help to face?

Serve:  How can I practice mercy right now with someone in my life?

5th Sunday of Lent Readings

Teaching in the temple area, Jesus is confronted by the scribes and Pharisees with a woman (where is the man?) caught in adultery.  We are told that their intention is not justice, but to trap Jesus – so he can be arrested and silenced.

Here is the overview of John 8:1-11.
1           Jesus at the Mount of Olives
2          Jesus teaching in the temple area
3-6      Woman is brought to Jesus; Law is stated
7          Jesus writing on the ground
8          “Let the one without sin cast the first stone”
9          Everyone leaves; Jesus & the Woman alone
10        “Has no one condemned you?”
11        “No one, sir.”
“Neither do I…Go, and sin no more.”

Note that in this passage the Lord addresses two different groups.  The first group is composed of sinners.  His words to the scribes and Pharisees are profound:  “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Obviously, they must drop their stones; reflection and experience bring back numerous reminders of their sins.

Yet there is someone present who is without sin – JESUS!  His words to the crowd are about himself; he has the right and the authority to judge.

When the crowd finally disperses, he has the opportunity to speak to the woman.  “Neither do I condemn you.  Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”  Two crucial points surface from these words.

First, Jesus tells the truth; the behavior in question is a sin.  He does not ignore the fact, nor does he try to defend or explain it away.  He says it simply and directly.  His word is justice.

Second, the compassion of Jesus is evident in his gentle forgiveness.  He has the right to judge her, and he chooses mercy.

With the scribes and Pharisees Jesus reminds us “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1).  With the woman Jesus reminds us that in our sin and weakness we come to the Lord who longs to heal and restore us.

Which response speaks to us today?  We know that sin is real.  We know that all of us have failed and fallen through temptation and evil.  Do we need to ask forgiveness – for ourselves, or for presuming to judge others?  The Lord waits for us!

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March 5, 2013

4th Sunday of Lent – The Prodigal Son

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

A man & two sons

Study:  Which one am I in the parable – the son in need of forgiveness or the son who needs to forgive?

Pray:  How does God’s forgiveness touch my heart – at Mass, Confession, or private devotion?

Serve: How can I be like the father in the parable, reaching out to those in need of the grace of repentance and forgiveness?

4th Sunday of Lent Readings

This Gospel reading is very familiar.  Let’s take a moment to break it down into its basic parts:

The Younger Son – selfish & foolish
The Older Son – hardworking & unforgiving
The Father – eager to reach out to both sons

In our reading today, we discover both the context and reason for Jesus offering this parable, as well as the central points within it.  These verses are part of Luke – chapter 15.

1-3          Jesus with sinners, the Pharisees complain
4-7         Parable of the Lost Sheep (not heard today)
8-10       Parable of the Lost Drachma (not heard today)
11-32     Prodigal Son
11-12     Younger son wants his share
13           Younger son leaves father, squanders money
14-16    Younger son penniless, works as a slave
17-19    Younger son “comes to his senses”
20a        Younger son returns to his father
20b        The father sees the son, runs to meet him
21           The younger son repents to his father
22-24    The father celebrates – his son is back to life
25-27    The older son hears about his brother
28-30    The older son is angry – speaks to his father
31-32     The father’s response to the older son

What are some of the lessons of this parable?

1.  God comes to us.
2.  God longs for our life and health.
3.  God does not force us to repent.
4.  We must “come to our senses” first.
5.  Repentance & forgiveness challenge us.

Remember, Jesus was with “sinners” at the beginning of this reading.  He was reaching out to people who had made choices in the past that had led them away from God and other people.  The parable is a way to show that God is constantly inviting us back to a relationship.

The same is true for us.  Whether we stand in need of forgiveness, or need to let go of our bitterness and anger – the Lord searches for us and invites us to celebrate whenever repentance is present and life & hope are restored.

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February 25, 2013

3rd Sunday of Lent – Repentance

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Lonely tree

Study: Who do I need to forgive in my life?  Who do I need to ask for forgiveness?

Pray:  How can my prayer help me repent and seek forgiveness in my life?  Is there something special I need to bring to the Lord?

Serve: How can I be an agent for healing and reconciliation in the lives of those around me?

3rd Sunday of Lent Readings

The readings in this 3rd Week of Lent are pointed in their meaning:

1.  God comes into our world (1st & Psalm)
2.  Repent!  (2nd & Gospel)

It really is simple.  God enters into our world, revealing his love and compassion.  In our response to the Lord we are called to recognize our sins and turn away from them to a new way of life.

What does this mean for us?  How do we apply these Scriptures to our lives today?  Here are a few thoughts:

1.  Take time to examine our lives.
* What is the content of my speech?
* What is the pattern of my behavior?
* What is my attitude?
* How do I treat other people?

2.  What needs to change?
* What in my life is not Christ like?
* What in my life is destructive?
* What in my life is not healthy?

3.  Make a break and start a new way!
* Take the courage to act!
* See a new way to live…and do it!

4.  Reminders…
* We do not do this alone – lean on others.
* We do not do this alone – lean on God!
* When we make mistakes, return to God!
(this is called Confession!)

We examine our lives, judge what is not of Christ, and actively change our ways.  Simple?  Yes.  Easy?  NO!!!

Repentance takes honesty, hard work, and a commitment to grow closer to the Lord.  When we repent we make the claim that there are parts of our life that are not right – something needs to change.

As we continue on our Lenten journey, we explore and renew our relationship with the Lord.  We can see if our lives are in harmony with the faith we profess.  If there is something that has to change, we trust in the Lord for the courage to repent.

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