A Passion to Rebuild

It's a new time in our Church. It's a new time for passion as Easter and spring approach. Fr. Dan shares a reflection inviting us to walk from our solitudes into communion with each other. We should acknowledge the pain in our life, Church or economy, but the Lord invites us to rebuild our homes -- like St. Francis and Pope Francis have invited us -- walking in a world with the light of Christ.

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Reading:

Isiah 43: 16-21

Thus says the LORD,
who opens a way in the sea
and a path in the mighty waters,
who leads out chariots and horsemen,
a powerful army,
till they lie prostrate together, never to rise,
snuffed out and quenched like a wick.
Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
Wild beasts honor me,
jackals and ostriches,
for I put water in the desert
and rivers in the wasteland
for my chosen people to drink,
the people whom I formed for myself,
that they might announce my praise.

Photo:

Fr. Dan shared this reflection from Danville, Calif. He's been on retreat and giving retreats. On March 16, he was part of a contemplative retreat for members and ministers of various churches.

Music:

• Music, "There Is a Light," by Cyprian Consiglio (used with permission).

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Our Lenten Road Beckons

The road beckons us to transforming experiences to transform the world. Before Fr. Dan Riley, ofm, left on a three-week Lenten retreat in California, he shared this reflection, inviting us to see and hear what's on the road this Lent.

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Reading:

Psalm 27: 8-9

Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.

Music:

• Music, "I Will Lift Up My Eyes," by Cyprian Consiglio (used with permission).

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Love in a New Lent

As we move into Lent, there's a call for simplicity in life. Lent means new spring while spring means a new flow of life. How are we moving away from the ice-covered ponds of winter to break through to the depths of our heart? Fr. Dan Riley, ofm, shares this reflection as we move into this new season.

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Readings:

Luke 5: 1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening
to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them. 
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Photos:

The view of the pond as Fr. Dan recorded this reflection.

Music:

• Music, "The Love of God" and "Streams of Living Water" by Cyprian Consiglio (used with permission).

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Fresh Starts, Open Hearts

We hear about newness and freshness from Jesus in this week's Gospel. Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, shares a reflection about how God wants to come into wherever we are with newness and freshness. So happy new year! Happy new moment. Happy new start. May our hearts emerge from old or cold times into fresh beginnings.

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Readings:

Luke 4: 14-21

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom 
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me 
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Music:

• Music, "Good Gets Better," by Cyprian Consiglio (used with permission).

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Magnifying the Light of Christ

It's the Lord's baptism and Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, calls us to magnify the light of Christ. We're part of the power and light company, so we're all called to magnify the light of Christ, to magnify our souls because the world needs it. We can celebrate the Lord's baptism by feeling our own renewal.

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Readings:

Luke 3: 21-22

After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

Music:

• Music, "Streams of Living Water," by Cyprian Consiglio (used with permission).

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