Third Week of Lent: Thursday

We have always been told that lent is a time for reflection, but do we really take the time out of our day to reflect on what God has given us? I know it isn’t always easy to take time out our busy college schedule to reflect on our life. But this season of Lent I have spent more time reflecting on what I have been given and seeing God in my life.  And I can honestly say I have seen an improvement in my life and relationship with God.  So I challenge you all to take 5 minutes out of your day and sit in silence and reflect, or to spend those 5 minutes to write down things you are thankful for or where you saw God today. Those 5 minutes daily will truly help us live out the spirit of Lent.

Tim W.   Class 2013

Third Week of Lent: Wednesday

 

The Annunciation by Henry Tanner

Meditation, the word brings to mind someone in white linen clothes sitting with their legs folded saying, “Ommmmm.” However, meditation takes many forms. Some people meditate in silence, while others prefer to have calming music in the background. You can meditate over a bible passage, a concept, favorite quote, or even you daily events. The method and content of your meditation is left to your discretion. This is prayer your way. It is customizable and helps you to focus on the parts of your relationship with God, which are most important to you at a given moment.

A peace and tranquility come with meditation. It is a way to not just speak with God, but to be with Him. It enables you to place yourself in His presence entirely. Remove all other distractions of life and focus solely on the love, grace and joy that God offers us every day. This Lenten Season find a quite time when you are alone in your dorm room and meditate or try the Examen an Ignatian form of meditation. Some quite time to reflect on how God influences your life can help put your stresses at ease. Knowing that we are connected with someone who loves us so much, can bring the calm we all need during our busy school days.

Thanks,  Mary R.  Class of 2013

Third Week of Lent: Tuesday

IMAGINE you were the last person left on planet Earth. This would be quite a sad existence. Yeah, no one would be around to bother you or threaten your survival, but the truth is, we NEED each other. We are all in this together.

Before spring break I was fortunate to catch Fr. Rick’s showing of The Human Experience (if you have not yet seen it, please look out for the next showing! You won’t regret it.) This is a remarkable documentary about some young guys seeking wisdom and meaning of life. I often ask myself and my roommate after a long day of school, “Kev, at the end of the day, what is life all about?” After I saw the documentary, I learned it is all about each other.

My favorite part of the documentary was when the young men visit the leper colonies of Ghana, Africa. Even though the lepers are suffering greatly from the disease, they are no more different than you and I. “They have more differences than similarities to us, but we do share one thing, and that is humanity.”

We have a great community here at Scranton. Let us today thank God for the companionship, and the human experience we share. And as we go through our Lenten transformation and approach the victorious Easter celebration, let us walk side by side, hand in hand, as human sisters and brothers.

- Ciro S. ‘14

Third Week of Lent: Monday





Two years ago I participated in the 5-day silent retreat at Chapman Lake. As I used the Examination of Consciousness to reflect on my relationship with God, I became deeply aware of my transgressions against Him and others. Laden with feelings of guilt for these innumerable sins, I felt helpless. I felt ashamed. I felt the need to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation immediately and to sin no more. At that point, in my mind, God was a tyrant who ruled with an iron fist.  He demanded perfection from everyone, and that included me. 

But during breakfast one morning, I experienced a moment of grace. I started to understand God’s unconditional love for me. For the first time in my life, I believed that God appreciated me for who I was (sinfulness and all!). And in His great mercy, God forgave me for my transgressions. In that instance, I realized that God doesn’t want me to be perfect as He is perfect. That is impossible. Rather, God wants me to become the best version of my human self.

Having a better grasp of my relationship with God, I started to reflect on my response to His love and mercy. I asked myself a lot of questions. How often do I make time for God amidst my classes, work, family, friends etc? Do I pray? Do I meditate? Do I read the Bible regularly? Do I speak to God? Do I listen to God? Am I cognizant of the ways in which He manifests himself in my life?

The honest truth is that I wasn’t spending enough time with God in prayer. I wasn’t carving out a block in the day to reflect on the different ways in which God involves Himself in my life. I wasn’t reading the Bible, and I certainly wasn’t meditating. Because of this, I didn’t understand that God always forgives me as long as I am genuinely contrite. I allowed my flawed human nature get in the way of my relationship with God. One of my goals this Lenten season is to become more mindful of God’s presence in my Life.  In doing so, I know that my relationship with Him will blossom.

Joseph S., ‘11

First Week of Lent: Friday

Hey guys,  It is my turn for a reflection on the season of lent. I know you guys are off to your various spring break trips, safe travels to you all, but I want to remember to keep this season in mind as well.

The main activities for those who observe lent are prayer, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial. Prayer, repentance, and almsgiving are common for Catholics to do. Self-denial seems to be something that we can do but we only think of doing it but once a year. While we only do this but once a year people often complain about what they have given up for lent. These complaints defeat the purpose of self-denial and it makes us seem as though we are spoiled.

I challenge you to not complain about what you gave up for as many days as you can. Instead of wasting your energy complaining about what you gave meditate and reflect on who you are as a catholic or reflect on the fact of what if you didn’t have what you gave up in the first place. I also have one more challenge for you. I want you to use one of your talents for others and as a meditation for yourself. My favorite things to do are photography and singing. I will use my photography for others for this lent to make people happy. My singing will help me reflect because choir sings spiritual songs and on other occasions Jesus Christ Superstar music because it is the story of Christ’s suffering. Thinks of ways you can do this as well.

Have a good break.

Shawn K.  ‘14

First Week of Lent: Thursday

Lent is one of my favorite times of year. I love Lent because it is so personal. For me, Lent is about picking up, looking in “the mirror of my life” and figuring out how and what I can do to improve.

I find in Lent particularly, there are so many opportunities for grace. It is a time to realize that there is Love absolutely unimaginable yet completely real that sacrificed His only Son for me. It was personal; Jesus died for me. He loves me… even with all of my many imperfections. Sometimes it is hard to remember this, especially when we are taking extra care to recognize our faults and correct them. The challenge comes in accepting that we are imperfect, but still loved.

So like the Gospel for today says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” This Lent let us take the time to ask, knock, and seek because God is waiting to answer.

-  Alyssa T.

First Week of Lent: Wednesday

The first week in the 2011 season of Lent has passed. I hope everyone is benefitting from this time of reflection and prayer. Today I would like to share something I have learned from Lent this year.

Although much of our thought this time of year is directed toward our personal relationship with God, I realized this year that Lent is also about God at large in the world and how we, as Christians, respond to society.

This past Sunday, the University of Scranton dedicated its masses to a worldwide event called Freedom Sunday. On this day, churches around the world brought up the issue of human trafficking, which is still an important social concern. There are approximately 27 million enslaved people in the world today. As Christians, it is our moral duty to oppose enslavement at every turn. This service was one way to do so.

As the season of Lent continues, I ask you to think beyond what you can give up for Lent (candy, television, etc.) Although all of these are admirable undertakings, think also about what you can do for God’s community during these 40 days and beyond.

Boycott a company that uses slave labor in its factories. Educate yourself about issues of modern day slavery. Visit www.notforsalecampaign.org and www.freedomsunday.org for more ideas. Do whatever you can to make the world a place that reflects the love and will of God.

Emily D. (Freshman)              Wednesday March 16^th, 2011

First Week of Lent: Tuesday

In Lent, we all decide that we want to give up something.  I don’t know, I feel like that’s not quite enough. It’s almost as if it isn’t really making much of a difference in our lives, or more importantly, in the lives of others. The gospel reading for today is the story of the goats and the sheep. The sheep were people who did good things for others and the goats were the ones who didn’t. Obviously, everyone would much rather be a sheep, but how do we do that? I guess Lent, for me, is a time of sheep-liness. I give up something, but I keep it personal so that it is something between Me and God.

More importantly though, during Lent I make sure to go out of my way to help others. Every day in Lent I set a goal for myself to do at least 1 good action I would not have otherwise done and to make at least 3 people smile. Spreading happiness and goodness to others is what Lent is all about for me, and I find that it feels amazing to do stuff like this. We all just have to remember that Lent isn’t just about giving something up, but also about giving ourselves up to others.

-Peter A. ‘14

First Week of Lent: Monday

          When friends have asked me what I’m giving up for the Lent, I give them the short answer: ice cream.

The longer one that I spare them from goes something like this:

This Lent, I’m trying to give up all of the things that keep me from being the kind of person that God wants me to be. Passing on ice cream reminds me of the self-defeating thoughts, impatience with others, lack of trust, and other tendencies that I should be passing on. In tuning out the sound of the soft-serve machine calling my name, I can tune into God’s voice telling me, “Hey, you don’t need all that other stuff either. Let’s work on getting rid of that.” I can create a space in my stomach and, more importantly, in my heart to feel God’s presence and promptings in my life. I can fill that space with good things like listening more attentively to my friends, reaching out to others, and prayer.

After Easter, I will happily resume my ice cream obsession, but hopefully, I’ll be forty days closer to giving up those things that keep me from being the best version of myself for good.

-Christine F.

Friday After Ash Wednesday

Hello, my name is Don F.  I am a freshman here at the University of Scranton, and I am writing today to offer a brief reflection on this the third day (1st Friday) in Lent.

Every year in Lent, you might be saying to yourself, alright no meat on Fridays, what am I going to give up, I’ll try to get attend mass more often. But maybe there is something else. Do you ever try to be observant? To notice the people, events, activities, and experiences which are occurring right in front of your face?  To literally touch and feel those in your presence, and perhaps get to know who they are. Use this Lenten opportunity to actually involve yourself, and embrace the season. Take your everyday experiences and ask yourself how have they affected me? Look at your own acts and choices, and see if they are really what you attend. On one hand, did I truly mean to help my friend today, or was it just convenient. Or on the other hand, did I intend to cheat on that exam, or am I better than that.

Lent is not just a journey, but also an experience, and it is not the same for any two individuals. Take these next 40 days, and find out, “Who am I?” Ask yourself who do I have the potential to become, and who do I want to become. For it was at this time in which Jesus readied Himself to reach his potential, which was rising from the dead to become our Savior and save us from sin. If we follow Jesus’ example, we can also prepare ourselves for our own potential, but to do so we have to embrace. Jesus embraced the lives of those around Him, and let his life become part of theirs.  Let us embrace our life, and the lives of those around us. Let us involve ourselves in our community and be filled with the joy of being with others. Let us use this season to not just prepare ourselves for Easter Sunday, but also to discover what vocation we as a human are called to in Life.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Prayer is a pillar of living a Christian life, especially during Lent. It does not have to be as strict as reciting the Our Father or Hail Mary. Prayer is a conversation with God in which we discuss whatever is on our mind. Talk to God like a good friend who you haven't seen in a while or a good friend who you see every day.

Need help getting starting? Check out the Examen tonight and every Thursday in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart. This 20 minute meditation is a great way to recount your day, both the ups and downs.  Stepping out of your regular box in order to pray and reflect can have a BIG impact.  You never know, you might like it!

Katie C., Class of 2014

Ash Wednesday

Hi, my name is Ciro S., a freshman, and this is a brief reflection on what the season of Lent means to me.

The season of Lent is supposed to involve prayer, almsgiving (or charity), penance, fasting, and self-denial. Did you notice the last two elements of Lent mentioned are fasting and self-denial? That’s right, Lent is NOT ONLY about giving things up like ice cream, candy, and coffee! Lent is most importantly about praying and doing works of charity. Don’t pray too much? Try it for two minutes a day, before you start your homework. If you find yourself praying for longer than 2 minutes, don’t beat yourself up! Don’t have time to go to the hospital to do charity during the week? Consider calling your grandparents to say, “Hi, how are you?” or going out of your way to make a friend smile each day.

If you are looking for something more meaningful to do for this Lenten season, stay posted for more brief reflections from students that will be posted everyday outside of the University Ministries office. And, whatever you chose to do for this Lenten season, don’t limit it to just giving things up.