With the arrival of the Lenten season, it might be time to consider what about ourselves we can renew, remodel, or somehow improve upon in our preparation for Easter. The first requirement for such a task is honesty. Just as Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:31-46 that the Son of Man will separate the sheep from the goats—those who follow the way of love versus those who do not—we need to take an honest look at what in our lives needs to be discarded.

Rationalization and bouts of laziness can cause us to be content with easy selfish responses to the gospel challenge to love God and one another. “Let someone else, with more time and resources, take care of the needy.” “Why should I forgive him; he will just do it again?” “He should get a job and not be so dependent.” “I’m too sleepy tonight to say any prayers; I will say extra ones tomorrow.” Really?

Spring is a good time for renovations. A reasonable amount of detachment from worldly cares can help us focus on our quest of a holier spiritual life. We can carefully select which doors that lead to distractions we can close, or at least shut partially. It is true that we live in a material world, with responsibilities and expectations. It is also true that the Lord guides us. The psalm verses in today’s liturgy tell us,

   (T)he precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

   the commandment of the Lord is clear,

   enlightening the eyes;

   the fear of the Lord is pure,

   enduring forever;

   the ordinances of the Lord are true

   and righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:8-9)

When I was in high school, a favorite teacher of mine, Sister Mary Mark, taught me how to brainstorm. It was a very helpful organizational tool when I was presented with a problem to solve or a challenge such as a school essay. Brainstorming can be used in many life situations, not just in school.

As with most things, there can be a dark side. If you, like me, have a vivid, creative, problem-solving imagination, it is easy to brainstorm undesirable scenarios as I do when I fall into my worry mode. Worry is a habit that is difficult to break. Despite all my efforts to live my faith in a loving God, I often fall prey to worrying. Intellectually, I know worrying is a waste of time. Problem-solving and preventative preparation for the future do not have to be overshadowed by dismal fears. I have practice good and holy and positive brainstorming.

How about brainstorming when I pray? A prayer that most of us know is “The Divine Praises.” This prayer, which concludes Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, is like brainstorming truths we know about the Trinity, Mary, and St. Joseph. As is often the case, when we get to know a prayer very well through repetition, we can overlook many of its implications or details.

Let us look at “The Divine Praises” a little closer.

Blessed be God.

Blessed be His Holy Name.

How many times do we hear God’s name used in a very unholy way? The expression OMG, oh my God, shows up in everyday conversation as an outburst of surprise or excitement, but is it really meant as a prayer, or is it just pronounced to add a sense of importance to the situation? Are we really calling on God for his attention? Certainly, God is with us in our daily struggles, and he is only a genuine prayer away.

It is not necessary to wait until March for a little Irish humor!

A leprechaun here on vacation
was suddenly filled with elation

for the potholes he spied were so deep and wide

he could hide from the whole population.

The other day, as my husband was carefully maneuvering our car around the numerous New England potholes, he reminded me of that limerick I had written years ago. Especially this time of year, those road-surface erosions can challenge even the best drivers.

All of us can also experience potholes in our spiritual lives, too. What had seemed like smooth routines in our prayer life and holy habits can sink into occasional ruts, holes, and even roadblocks. What causes these interruptions? Seasonal distractions, illness or threats of illness, weariness, disappointments, and the evil one seizing opportunities can all be to blame.

So, what can we do to get back to some semblance of control? We might try something new. Find some new prayers online or try using different prayer books or novenas. Ask some friends in faith for resource ideas. Maybe a priest, deacon, or religious sister would have a recommendation.

Try establishing a new routine. Pray at a different time of day if you can. While having a familiar time and place to pray can make prayer comfortable and easy, sometimes a new experience gives fresh life and perspective to what we want to achieve.

My husband and I go grocery-shopping very early in the morning so that we avoid crowds and try to stay healthy. The other day, as we were driving home from that chore, the sun was about to rise; the colors in the sky—intense reds and pinks against the shades of blue—were gorgeous! We beheld the work of the greatest Artist of all!

And so I am moved to think about some of the wonders of creation and say prayers of thanks and awe to the Creator!

   Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the

   light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called

   the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. (Genesis 1:3-4a)

   And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it

   separate the waters from the waters.” (Gen. 1:6)

   God called the dome Sky. (Gen 1:8a )

 I can’t imagine not being able to enjoy the sight of a beautiful sunrise if all we had was darkness. Sure, darkness can make it easier to sleep and, therefore, promote rest for the weary, but light is truly a gift from God. Night can be a time for recouping, rethinking, relaxing, and reviewing our day, perhaps freeing us from some distractions. Light can bring clarity, refreshment, truth, renewal, and hope.

 We look to the sky not only for impressive colors and cloud formations but also as a place for birds to fly. In our busy world, the sky is where jet airplanes fly passengers all around the world, Lifestar helicopters help to bring aid to accident victims, and mail and goods are transported. The sky is where condensation and precipitation meet. The sky is where we look to enjoy celebratory fireworks on festive occasions.

You’ve got to accentuate the positive

   Eliminate the negative

   Latch on to the affirmative

   Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between

 These words are from the song, “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen and published in 1944. The lyrics seem to be good advice after two years of a pandemic and the weariness many of us are experiencing with all the bad news we hear every day.

It takes a firm effort and constant determination to be a positive thinker nowadays. We cannot deny or minimize the hardships the virus has caused many of us, but, with the help of God, we have to try to keep moving positively forward, little by little.

I can find myself starting to complain about something—for example, not going out to restaurants where many people could be, and thus, having to do so much cooking at home; then I remind myself how grateful I am that I have food and the ways and means to prepare it. I try to turn complaining into thanking God for his gifts to me.

I could complain about food prices rising, but then I realize that it would not hurt me to lose a little weight and to cut back on the foods I really don’t need! It is so easy to become negative and feel sorry for ourselves, but we can be better than that if we recognize that the Lord loves us and will help us. We read in Isaiah 41:10,

   (Do) not fear, for I am with you,

   do not be afraid, for I am your God;

   I will strengthen you, I will help you,

   I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

This past Christmas I received a surprise gift from a new acquaintance: a small Norfolk Island Pine tree in a silver pot. It resides atop my computer table in the kitchen, so I look at it often. In a way, it is like a new little friend given to me by a new human friend. As frequently happens, I have been led to some blog-worthy thoughts.

Do you ever think about the little surprise gifts God has given you? He gave me a little poem about a snowflake one day; another time, it was a favorite song popping up on the car radio at a time when I was feeling a bit weary. One day a friend from many years ago found my phone number and called me. Some people call those things coincidences, but I don’t.

I am partial to green, so my little green friend is certainly welcome in my home. Liturgically, green is the color of hope—something we all need after two years of a pandemic. The tree is a lovely deep green color, and I pray our hope runs deep for a happier, healthier, year ahead.

   (B)ut the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

   in those who hope in his steadfast love. (Psalm 147:11)

   For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your

   welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

So long as I remember to water wee “Verdie” (the name I have given my tree), it will continue to grow. I believe Verdie has good roots in the soil in that silver pot. We, too, strongly rooted in a belief in a loving, ever-present God, can grow to be more loving and understanding of others. I don’t know how high Verdie will ultimately grow, but we can challenge ourselves and see how much we can grow closer to our Savior Jesus in this new year. We have to nurture our faith with a faithful prayer life and stock up on spiritual food for thought.

As I write this blog post, Connecticut is covered in a blanket of snow. It is time to break out the shovels to clear the sidewalks and driveways in order to make passage easier. Meanwhile, how about breaking out seven prayer shovels to scoop away anything that interferes with our joyful passage into the new year?

Shovel No. 1 will push away denial of the need for God in our lives and institutions. It can be easy to take our blessings for granted or substitute people or objects for God. Sometimes I recall all the small healings in my life over the years and, I have to reset my gratitude meter.

Shovel No. 2 can be used to scoop away persistent physical viruses and push in good health for soul, mind, and body. We can get so inundated with symptoms and fear of contagion that every part of our lives can be adversely affected.

Shovel No. 3 should be busy clearing impatience out of our way. Technology has helped make so many processes in our daily living very speedy that we can forget how to exercise self-control self-discipline. Patience remains a desirable virtue.

Shovel No. 4 can shove away controversy between individuals and nations. May peace reign in our hearts and in our lands this year. With the help of God, controversies and threats can be reduced and maybe even eliminated.

“….10, ouch! 11, ow! 12, oof! 13, whew!”

That’s how I sound sometimes when I climb the stairs to our second floor. I live in a house that is over 100 years old, and my arthritic knees get very weary from my frequent travel up that stairway.

Superstition holds that 13 is an unlucky number, so maybe those 13 steps are just too unlucky for my joints.

In another context, 13 sins are listed in Mark 7:21 as Jesus cautions us,

From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft,    murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy,    arrogance, folly.

On the other hand, perhaps I can come up with 13 little prayers or praises about God which I can call upon, step by step. I might pick out different attributes of God: Lord, you are merciful; Lord, you are all-knowing; Lord, you are my light in my darkness; Lord, you are all-just; Lord, you seek relationship with me; Lord, you teach me; Lord, you make all things new; Lord, you are unchanging; Lord, you offer me strength; Lord, your presence is always available to me; Lord, you are so generous; you are forgiving; and Lord, you are understanding and compassionate.

My backyard is populated by lots of squirrels. Part of the reason for the popularity of my property is that my husband loves to feed the squirrels and the birds. He is in the yard daily filling the feeders. It is amusing to watch the squirrels hanging upside down from the bird feeder as they angle for anything edible.

I have noticed that the squirrels are not just typical gray squirrels. Some of the critters have gray bodies with brown tails. Some have brown ears, and some have white ears! It is fun to give them names, although I really don’t know which white-eared squirrel is which. There are more than one “Mr. White Ears” and surely multiple “Missy Brown Tails.” It is entertaining to see the squirrels feeding and to look again to be more specific about who the voracious creatures are at any given time.

Lots of things in life require a second look—.and maybe even a third and fourth. Different perspectives can lead to different judgements and varied conclusions. New details can come to the forefront. Different lights can show different angles. Snap judgements and stubborn opinions can prove iffy. Beautiful things can be even more beautiful. In some instances, a little extra time for consideration can be beneficial.

For example, did you ever read the same Bible passage three times at the same sitting? Did you ever visualize yourself, for example, standing in the stable and actually paying a visit to Mary and her new baby? I saw a television program about Jesus’ birth, and the speaker suggested that the manger, an animal’s feeding trough, could have been made of stone and not wood as we usually see depicted on Christmas cards. Hmm. Look again!

When someone in the family celebrates a birthday, how fast time flies is brought to mind. Recently our grandson turned 21, and the memories of his early childhood brought a smile of wonder to my face. How fast time goes by!

As we enjoy the beginning of a new year and we read the gospels in the post-Christmas liturgies, our focus turns from the birth of our Savior to his public ministry. Scripture tells of Jesus reading from a scroll in the synagogue, healing many people of illnesses, teaching crowds, feeding thousands with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and even walking on water. What a jump from an infant lying in a manger to a 30-something adult teaching and working miracles!

What can we learn from this transition? For one thing, it is important to remember and celebrate milestones. The birth of the Christ child was an unprecedented breakthrough in history. God became visible on earth in the person of a human being! If he did not come as a human comes, how would he grow to be a 30-year-old rabbi? He experienced years of humanity with all its ups and downs, with its desperate challenges.

Jesus was taught how to pray, to work, and to be responsible; we hopefully teach our children to do those things as well. As an adult, Jesus ministered to the multitudes, but often used time away to pray. Prayer is an important part of proper growth. If we want to continue to grow spiritually, we must pray. We pray to keep up with life events as they speedily present themselves to us. Prayer helps us to keep up the pace.

Mary and Joseph were resilient. They responded to challenges with faith-filled action. They had to adjust to Jesus’ being born in a stable. They had to flee to Egypt for safety when Jesus was an infant. Travel was not easy or comfortable, but they did it. They did not have a network of family and friends to help them in their journeys. They trusted God to give them strength and hope.