In today’s readings, God speaks to us through the prophet Isaiah and reminds us of how we come to this newness of spirit. It is a Lenten checklist of doing charity and justice – of caring for others.
The presence of the Blessed Mother to Juan Diego echoes her presence in the Scripture readings for today, which remind us of Mary’s role as “first disciple,” always bringing to the Church the Good News of her Son.
We are reminded that Advent and Christmas are first and foremost not about us. This liturgical season is here to remind us that Jesus is asking us to join with him in bringing about God’s Reign of justice and righteousness.
On this Halloween, and as we are about to recall the lives of well-known saints and the souls of recently departed who shined with their “true selves,” let us pray for the ability to take off our spiritual masks, so that we can be the “true self” that God created us to be!
As the pandemic continues, we cannot escape hard questions about our ministry practices. We must strategically plan our responses in order to be effective.
Lamentations are prayers to God – petitions – pouring out suffering and asking God for mercy. They are full of faith that even though the people have not been faithful, God is faithful to them. And God will act to rescue them.
