Weekly Readings Reflections: 1st Sunday in Lent

Our readings for the 1st Sunday in Lent:

Trust can be hard. Sometimes trust calls on us to wait until the time is ripe, sometimes trust calls on us to give things away in order to live life more richly, sometimes trust calls on us to find contentment and fulfillment right where we are.
What builds your trust in God?
What has that trust allowed you to do that you would not have been able to accomplish otherwise?
Trusting in God is one thing. How much do you trust your understanding of God's will in your life?

Sin is not just a matter of our individual actions or lack of action. Sin also has a corporate identity that God calls us to address.
Individually, we can take advantage of Reconciliation to begin the healing process. But what can we do about systemic sins that may have come about in the larger communities that we belong to?
Who's job is it to be the conscience of a family, a parish, the Church at large? You could call such individuals prophets.
How does that conscience speak to the rest of us these days?
As individuals, how do we participate in the necessary reflection, reconciliation, and renewal necessary to heal those corporate sins?
What happens if we don't?

Lately, I've been struck by Jesus' ability to smoothly move from prayer, hanging with the homies, healing, preaching, sleeping (occasionally). How did He juggle all of that and find the proper balance??? I suspect that has something to do with holiness. And I suspect that Jesus' prayer life allowed Him to do all of those things in just the right places and time in exquisite harmony with God's will.
How do you know when your life is "out of whack"? That ache that tells you that you've neglected some important aspect of your life.
How long does it usually take you before you realize that you need to change things?
How long does that change stay in place once you make it, before you're "out of whack" again?
How important do you think it is that we do the right things at the right time for the right reason?

If only Jesus had ChatGPT available, I'm sure He would have been able to come up with even snappier responses to the devil's temptations.
What do you do to develop your conscience?
What are some things that make it hard to hear your conscience?
What help would you like in developing your conscience?
What help could you offer to others who are looking to develop their conscience?

It's Always the Little Things

Woke up late this morning.

Didn't have time to make breakfast

Thankfully, that leftover German chocolate cake from last night didn't take long to prepare.

Glanced down at my belt and wondered why it's gotten so short lately.

Part of me delusional about my "diet".

Part of me hating myself for being delusional.

Tried to squeeze in some prayer on my way to work.

Then some jerk pulled in front of me on the freeway.

I guess I was still talking to God, but not the way I intended.

Day at work was nothing but sand in the gears.

Nothing went smoothly. Everyone seemed on edge.

Me most of all.

Sent off a scorching e-mail saying what I thought needed to be said.

Knowing that I will cringe when I see that again later.

Wondering what could possibly be so wrong about one lousy piece of cake.

In a mad attempt to get something done today, I stayed late.

Only thinking to call home and let them know I'd be late while on the freeway.

Thank God my cell phone's integrated with the car, so the call was hands free.

Even so, chilly reception and a colder dinner waiting for me at home.

Undifferentiated and unacknowledged guilt beginning to gnaw at me.

Rather than face facts, I took it out on the kids.

Tried to pray, too tired.

Besides, the wife has this weird ability to give me the death glare through solid walls.

Went to bed, hoping tomorrow would be better.

Wondering to myself if Jesus had it better in the desert.

After all,

He only had three temptations.

Shalom!

Weekly Readings Reflections