What does LENT bring up in you?
Yes, it is here, the Lenten Journey! So much has changed through the years...now tell me, when you were kids did you get to 'break' your lenten-giving-up-thing on Sundays and gorge on all the candy you saved all week? :) I loved that loop hole and as a kid it really made me feel like I was really doing something worthwhile all week long.
I wonder if we need more "loopholes" in life..more room, more holes, for the Spirit to move through, instead of having everything all 'tied up" pretty, where Lent can easily become more about me than about tending my relationship with my God.
I wonder what it would be like this Lent to look for 'loopholes', like when I am 'thrown for a loop' I may just see it as the Spirit's action in my life and see what I can learn from it or when something does not go my way and I lose control (sound familiar) maybe I will just say 'Oh, just another loop hole for the Spirit to jump in and help me out!"
I looked up loophole and Webster said, 'a means of evading an obiligation', well, in this case what is our Lenten obligation? I see it as a time to grow closer to God and thus....closer to all of humanity. I guess, I rather not see Lent as much as an obligation, but as an invitation......so instead of 'evading an obligation' I will 'embrace the invitation' to grow more in love with God and you, beloved humanity, this Lent!
Yes, I talked myself into it, my word this Lent is LOOPHOLE...things are looking up already for this gals' journey! I just love it!
Come on inside and share with us your Lenten past, present intention, thoughts or feelings! And I will keep you posted on my loophole findings!
To Lent, Peace, Love and Loopholes, your justbebecky :)
P.S. Just wanted to put out there my original intent of this blog just in case anyone as any questions for me...please always feel free to ask me anytime:)
WELCOME, to all newcomers to this happenin' blog! I just love these avenues of communication that connect us across the globe. I want to share with you what it is like to be a Catholic sister in the world today, both the gifts and the challenges through the ole' day to day. I want to share with you this wonderful lifestyle that is either "unknown" or "misunderstood" by many young people. I really do believe God is inviting young women to be sisters and men to be brothers and priests, but they just do not have anyone to talk to about it. So here I am:)
I am a Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose, and live in community with four other sisters, where together we pray, eat, study, recreate and faith share, yet are active in the world in a varied spectrum of ministries...such as teachers, principals, university professors, campus ministers, social workers, parish ministers, community volunteers, justice promoters, pastoral care to the sick, detention ministry, nurses, doctors, libraians, messauge therapists, sacred energy healers, business managers, lawyers, computer techs, hospice chaplains, spiritual and retreat directors, art therapists, musicians, artists, dancers and many, many, many more ministries, which we can talk about as you are interested!
Feel free to ask any questions, comments, shared reflections along the way! I will ask for your thoughts, too, and may invite you to share on some things I am wondering about. I will be posting here and there along the way to share more what I am about! A lot of great questions have already been asked so read the other postings if you are interested:)
PEACE, on your Lenten journey!
posted by Pia's Pals at 4:13 PM
5 Comments:
You're telling me I shouldn't pig out on Sundays? God forbid.
I visit an old age home here on Sundays run by Dominican Nuns from Poland.
Where would we be without you holy ladies? Somewhere less.
God bless you and the loopholes.
Hey, Joseph, welcome to the blog:) I was saying that Sunday's were a "free" day in Lent when I was a kid, so feel free to pig out!!! Thanks for visiting our elderly, you are a good man, Joseph. And thank you, also, for your affirming words and your blessings on my Lenten loopholes! Only God alone will know where they will lead! God's Peace, justbebecky
Peace on your Lenten journey, Jess, I know God just loves walking with you day to day!
With love, your justbebecky :)
Hello All!!!
Just read an interesting Lenten reflection...Jesus said at the Last Supper, "I pray not only for them but also for those who will believe in me through their word." Do you really believe that Jesus is praying for you, not only back then, but right now?
If Jesus is praying for you right now, what would he especially pray for you? I've been thinking of that all day...what would I want Jesus to pray for me right now?
Do you know?
And, also, Blessed International Women's Day!!!
As we find ourselves in Lent, I feel it would be good to carry those women in our hearts, not only those that we hold dear, but also all those women who do not enjoy the freedom of dignity and the growing protection of their rights as women.
You may think why bring this up on such a happy day, yet, anyone who may ask that does not know the powerful strength, courage, faith, love and sacredness that has bound all women as one! We have stood together through the ages supporting each others hearts as we continue to pour out love abundantly upon the breast of mother earth and her children. As women we know what it means to be vulnerable and thus instinctively reach out to the vulnerable among us.
The women I would like us to carry in our hearts of prayer today are those women and young girls being sold and trafficked around the world. Our Congregation is in the midst of a serious study on the “Trafficking of Human Persons” and, as of this weekend, are forming an active corporate stance to help uncover and stop it. (Our last corporate stance was against the death penalty)
The United Nations estimates that every year up to 4 million women and children are trafficked around the world as forced prostitutes and laborers in a fast growing $7 billion industry. John Paul II proclaimed in 2000, that ‘the trade in human persons constitutes a shocking offence against human dignity and a grave violation of fundamental rights’. How wonderful that our Catholic Church is courageous enough to speak out against such injustice.
As always, our task as Christians, is first not to be overwhelmed by such news but compelled even more, by a grateful heart and our own God given blessings, to find ways to call attention to this transgression and cease this oppression. The reason it has reached such heights, of course, is because the public is not aware, and as we know anything that is kept quiet and secret has great power to dominate.
The good news is that all over the world there are model programs working to offer women and children freedom from this trafficking and labor slavery. We are a hope filled people, a resurrection people, knowing that when we band together, we can stop any injustice with the help our loving God. We are, also, grateful for the good men that journey with us toward a more peaceful and just world. An awesome site that can empower your conscience and help you make informed choices is www.freetheslaves.net.
So take the time today, to thank the women in your lives who have nurtured and loved you or maybe even carried you through a hard time. God is so close to us all, let us continue to make ways to be closer to each other, near and far.
With peace, love and gratitude for you, your justbebecky :)
Wow! Here we are at the Tridumm, this is such a 'community' kind of time. When we realize we all bleed, we all need healing, we all need each other.
Thank you, Jesus, for loving us! Your justbebecky
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