The Third Sunday of Lent – Care for the Earth

This post is part of our Lenten Reflection Series: Be A Fountain of Mercy
Authored by Sister Mary Antonine Manning, SND

The burning bush that was not consumed and the barren fig tree that was spared destruction can lead us to a consideration of the duty of care for our common home—the Earth.

In his encyclical On Care for Our Common Home (Laudato Si’) Pope Francis proposes certain practices that may seem trivial but as he says, “directly and significantly affect the world around us.” Among these are choosing to use less heating and wearing warmer clothes instead, avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating trash and recyclables, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living things, using public transport or carpooling, planting trees, and turning off unnecessary lights (L.S. 211).

“Reusing something instead of immediately discarding it, when done for the right reasons, can be an act of love which expresses our own dignity,” (L.S. 211). The Pope decries what he terms a throwaway culture. “[W]e know that approximately a third of all food produced is discarded and ‘whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor,’” (L.S. 50).

Lent provides us with the impetus to examine our lifestyle and to evaluate our stewardship of the Earth.

Questions for reflection:

Am I striving to be aware of how my actions affect others—my brothers and sisters throughout the world?

What type of ecological situations are we forcing future generations to face by ignoring ecological problems now?

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AUDIO: Sister Mary Bernadette celebrates 50 golden years of ministry

Sister Mary Bernadette Pendola entered the convent when she was just 18 years old. On July 11 she will celebrate her 50th year as a Sister of Notre Dame. Listen below as Sister talks about her joyful first years in the convent, her travels abroad and the lessons she’s learned from life.

On her kindergarten teacher, who inspired her to consider becoming a sister:

On her family’s reaction to her vocation:

On choosing her name:

On feeling excited to be a sister:

On her call to be a missionary nurse in Uganda, Africa:

On her pilgrimage to Lourdes, France and her struggle to accept her Parkinson’s diagnosis:

On the meaning of Jubilee:

 

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Lenten Reflections From the Sisters

Fifth Sunday of Lent
 Friendship and Compassion
By Sister Mary Antonine Manning

Jesus had many friends, among them Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary. They lived in Bethany, not far from Jerusalem, and Jesus must have visited them regularly and received food, companionship and needed rest.

Lazarus became seriously ill, and a message was sent to Jesus up north in Galilee. By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had died and been in his tomb for four days. Mary and Martha must have been longing for Jesus to come to them and they both declared:

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” What faith they showed! At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept for his dear friend and for the suffering of Mary and Martha. His compassion prompted him to pray to his heavenly Father and then call Lazarus back to life. As a result “many of the Jews who had come. . .and seen what he had done began to believe in him.”

What lessons can we learn from this? Pope Francis encourages us to imitate Jesus.

“Let. . . Jesus enter your life; welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life! If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk; you won’t be disappointed. If following him seems difficult, don’t be afraid; trust him, be confident that he is close to you. He is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.

We must find the Lord who consoles us and go to console the people of God. This is the mission. People today certainly need words, but most of all they need us to bear witness to the mercy and tenderness of the Lord, which warms the heart, rekindles hope and attracts people towards the good. What a joy it is to bring God’s consolation to others!”

Use these questions to guide your reflection:

• What do I need to do to become a closer friend of Jesus?
• How am I called to “bear witness to the mercy and tenderness of the Lord which warms the heart, rekindles hope and attracts people towards the good”?

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