Since 1851
"Ah, how good is the good God." --St. Julie Billiart
Today, as we begin the season of Lent, we remember that Lent is a time of renewal and transformation. During Lent we are called to turn ourselves into better people. We realize that in changing and growing ourselves, we are then better able to change the world and make it a more loving place, a place in which people, animals, and our natural resources are cared for. That's why the members of PMLT thought that the phrase "Transform our hearts; transform the world" would be such a fitting and perfect theme for today's prayer.
Now, hopefully many of you are thinking, "Wait a minute, 'Transform our hearts; transform the world' - that sounds kind of familiar. It sounds like that tag line from the TV show Heroes. You know the one, "Save the Cheerleader; Save the World". You're right. Corny maybe, but if we take a moment to look, we can see some interesting comparisons. In heroes, there are many people who come to realize that they have new and amazing abilities. They have to decide if they will use these gifts for good, or use them to harm. They also realize that these abilities make them different from their peers. Just like the characters in Heroes, Lent gives us a time to reflect on our own abilities. We all have the potential to open our hearts to God and to be the hands and feet that do the work of God in the world. However, we all know that we don't make the choice to do that all of the time. There are times, unfortunately, that we choose to harm instead; whether it is through the things that we say to one another, or by choosing to make someone feel unwelcome or like an outsider, or even through our inaction, not taking a stand when we see something happening that we know is wrong.
Lent calls us to look into our hearts honestly, and to make a decision about whether we want to do good, or whether we want to harm. Milo Ventimiglia's character, Peter Petrelli must struggle with his own abilities and choices. For him, the stakes are high; for the world the stakes are even higher. If he uses his special abilities he may lose his family, his job, his life. If he doesn't use his powers, more lives than just his own may be lost. A daunting task to be sure. But Peter finds that he is not alone. There are others with whom he can join forces to save the world. And this is his most powerful asset.
Everyone has inner strength just waiting to be discovered. We can let our heart be cleansed and transformed by helping others. In our reading today, the prophet Joel encourages us to return to God with our whole heart, with regret for those things we have done that have hurt others, and with an openness to change. Joel goes on to talk about coming together as a community to pray and to communicate. In this reading, we need to first examine ourselves and make the choice to better our heart, eliminating hatred, jealousy, and selfishness. Once we do that, we are ready to come together and work to transform the world. After we have changed ourselves, then we can work together without pride, mistrust, and fear getting in our way. When we boldly decide to use our own special abilities, we too can uncover our most powerful asset, each other. Transform our hearts; transform the world.
On Friday, you will be receiving a Lenten reflection book provided by the Sisters of Notre Dame. These are wonderful women, who have taken this journey of self-reflection, and have made the decision to work together to make a difference in the world. You will be able to read for yourselves about the work the sisters have been doing in countries like Nicaragua, helping children with disabilities to learn what they are really capable of, and helping their parents to see that their children are not just a burden and another mouth to feed. The sisters truly are transforming the world for these families. We can learn from the example that they give.
Now, we don't have to go as far away as the sisters do to make a difference in our world. There are plenty of opportunities for transformation within our own community of ND and downtown San Jose. The challenge for us today is to decide to make that difference. Are we going to heed the call of the prophet Joel and turn back to God with all our hearts? Are we going to open our hearts to God's transforming power? Are we going to have the courage to use our abilities, like those in the TV show Heroes, even if there are people who may not think that reaching out and helping others is the cool thing to do? Will we be able to move outside of our comfort zone, like the sisters working in Nicaragua, and other countries, to leave behind what is familiar and try something new? This Lent, let's get past that whole idea of "I'm giving up chocolate or coffee for Lent." Let us instead commit more time to prayer, more time to reflection, more time to changing and opening our hearts to God and to others. Pray by your own rules. Let us then take that transformed heart, and do some good with it. Our hearts are at stake, and so is the world's. That is the challenge that I offer this morning to you, to me, to each and everyone one of us.
l i v e t h e g o o d n e s s - n d s j c a m p u s m i n i s t r y 