Thursday 30 March
Thursday of the 5th week of Lent First reading - Genesis 17:3-9 Change of name from “Abram” to “Abraham” is very significant. It’s the sign of the covenant of God with him. He is becoming the father of a multitude of nations. Only one nation but a multitude of nations. This is the change. The covenant with God opens the fatherhood of Abraham to multitude of nations. The relationship with God is that which opens our heart to more people. This is not something which closes you up. On the contrary, the relationship with God opens you up. Your heart becomes bigger so that you can welcome more people, more differences, and diversities. And God becomes the God of that heart which is open for a multitude of nations. Let’s reflect: Lent is a time to open our heart to more people and not to close it.
Wednesday 29 March
Wednesday of the 5th week of Lent First reading - Daniel 3:14-20,24-25,28 “I can see four men walking about freely in the heart of the fire without coming to any harm”. This is what happens whenever we are walking in fire with faith. Faith like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who were absolutely confident that God will save them from the furnace. That was not an empty confidence. With this confidence they were ready to be thrown into the furnace which was seven times hotter than usual. So, when things are difficult, seven times more difficult than the normal, that is when we need this absolute confidence in the help of God. The saving hand of God accompanies us. Instead of succumbing to the decree of the King to worship the statute they maintained their faithfulness to the Lord. Their faith and confidence even converted the King. He accepts the fact that God sent the angel to rescue His servants who, putting their trust in Him, defied the order of the king, and preferred to forfeit their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their own. This concrete confidence in God demonstrated in their faithfulness to the Lord is our model. Faith and Faithfulness go hand in hand in our life of faith. More the faith you have in the Lord, the more faithful you become to the Lord. The more faithful you are to the Lord, more faith you have in the Lord. Let’s reflect: In my spiritual life, are faith in the Lord and the faithfulness to the Lord going hand in hand?
The art of giving
"The art of giving lies in giving to a person something he cannot buy." Alan Alexander Milne At the beginning of February - this year I received from a good acquaintance who works well with the Benedictines from Maria Laach Abbey and also with us Sisters of Mary from Klosterberg - the information that before Easter he will again organize a relief transport to the Roma camp in Slovakia and bring the truck 7.5 tons there himself. As in the past years (I have reported about it) it is a great need for us to continue to support this project. Here in Cochem there are many people who have a big heart and bring us donations again and again. For example On her 80th birthday, a lady gave up gifts and asked for a donation for the Roma children in the Roma camp. Full of joy she gave me a nice sum. Also a resident of our house . He is very grateful that he is doing so well here and that he can spend his old age here. So I could additionally - to the "normal" donations many Easter bunnies and other sweets for "our" Roma children. In the meantime all things have arrived on site. I would love to be there when the sweets are distributed to see the shining eyes of the children. Yes I am very thankful for the help of the generous Cochem benefactors - who want to continue to support this good cause. Sister M. Felicitas