Sr. Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN
As we approach the Second Sunday of Lent, we recall the words from the prophet Joel.
“Yet even now—oracle of the Lord— return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.” Joel 2:12
In his 2026 Lenten message, Pope Leo reminds us that Lent is a time of ‘renewing relationships—with God and with one another.” We begin by listening to the Word of God, listening to the suffering and listening to the cry of the poor. Pope Leo writes that listening opens us to how God himself listens to humanity.
Pray that your ears might be opened in new ways of hearing. Pray for increased awareness of the suffering of others and the cries of the poor. Your response matters.
Fasting is a traditional Lenten practice and there are many ways to practice fasting. When we allow ourselves to be physically hungry, it helps us recognize what we truly hunger for, and it orders our desires toward justice and compassion for the poor. We are all aware of the negative, hateful rhetoric that fills the news, social media, highways, and homes. What if we fast from hurtful speech? Pope Leo calls this a practical form of abstinence; refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.
“…but no human being can tame the tongue…With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers.” James 3:8a, 9-10
I have heard it said that “speech is one of our superpowers!” Now is the time to start using it. Make your speech positive, purposeful, hopeful, and optimistic.
“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation; assemble the elderly; gather the children, even infants nursing at the breast; …” Joel 2:16
We journey through Lent together with our families, our parish, and all Christian communities. Pope Leo says, “Dear friends, … Let us strive to make our communities places where the cry of those who suffer find welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love.”
May our love grow from week to week as we practice the Way, by “Being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.” (Practicing the Way, John Comer)
Blessings,
Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, SNDdeN
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35