MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 5:1-20

We, like the man in the Gospel, sometimes find ourselves in the grip of things and habits that are non-life giving and keep us restrained or prevent us from growing as persons. Jesus found it important to ask the name of the spirit in this man. Once he was able to name the demon, he had power over it and could cast it out. The same is true for me. I can grow only if I call my demons and my fears by their names, and, "they are many," both personal and communal. Only in acknowledging or naming these weaknesses can I begin to allow God to help me change my destructive habits. Only when I have done so, when I've allowed God to help me see rightly, can I progressively change and be renewed. Then, like the man in the Gospel who is healed, I am better able to proclaim the news that God has been powerful in my life, and that God can give me a new heart, if I allow him to do so. 

At La Salette Mary urges me to do the same. She calls me to a change of heart. She names some of the demons of the time, which still apply today: indifference to prayer, to the Eucharist, to respect of the Lord's Day and the Lord's Name. Mary tells us that God cares, as she does. God desires to be the true God in my life. She reminds me to what extent God has gone to reveal the mystery of divine love in Jesus. Mary urges me, in tears, to return to her Son, with my whole heart. 

Am I able and willing to name my "demons?" Which of these is the greatest obstacle to my spiritual growth and my relationship with Jesus?

TUESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR                             Mark 5: 21-43

We have all had the experience of being in a crowded place where people jostle one another, bumping and pushing, oftentimes for no other reason than that there are too many people present. The jostling, though obtrusive and aggravating, truly means nothing except that the place is overcrowded. The push­ing and touching mean nothing. On the other hand, if in the same crowd, some-one reaches out and touches us gently on the shoulder, to get our attention, we respond immediately. We can tell the difference between a push or a shove and a call for our attention. 

The woman with a hemorrhage is desperate. Her need and desire are deep. She timidly, yet confidently and trustingly, reaches out and touches Jesus' garment in the hope of being healed. His sensitivity to her hand and touch as well as to her profound need and prayer causes him to react, to respond and to heal her. 

At La Salette, in no way does Mary push or shove or even demand. She invites, she urges, she "touches" our hearts with her tears and her motherly concern. She gently places before us the glowing and resplendent image and reminder of her crucified Son. She reminds us that he desires to heal and renew. He aches to see us suffer as a result of our human blindness, so he "glows" and "shines" to attract our attention, to touch our hearts, to lead us to repentance and conversion. His hope and Mary's hope for us is that once we have truly seen him as the light of our life, we will cling to him, "touch" him, seeking a change of heart. He desires to grant that gift. Do we choose to receive it?

Do I fear getting too close to Jesus? Do I fear what conversion and healing will demand of me? Can I trust in his love for me?

WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR                        Mark 6:1-6

The Gospel tells us that as a faithful Jew, Jesus observed Sabbath. He understood not only the law of the Sabbath but also the deeper meaning of the law. Jesus observed many weekly Sabbath moments when he retired to pray in the silence of the night, by the sea, on the mountains, in moments of contem­plation of God's wondrous and beautiful creation. The birds of the air and the flowers of the field were contemplated as signs of God's love. These Sabbath experiences allowed him to see God present to him and to hear God speak of the harmony of life. As a consequence of his listening and hearing, Jesus grew in his knowledge of God and God's will. He could then speak and teach about God to any and all who desired to hear. Those who were caught in webs of legalism, conservatism and tradition did not understand or refused to understand. Atten­tiveness could have helped them answer their own question. "Where did he get all this?" In his prayer and communication with God. 

At La Salette, Mary urges us to remember the sacredness of the Sabbath or the Lord's Day. Mary, like Jesus, knows that the Sabbath rest is not only a way of taking time to worship our loving God, but it is also a gift to us, a way and a day to allow ourselves to be re-created, to be renewed in body and spirit. It is a time to pause and reflect on the true meaning of our lives, our work, our priorities and especially on the truth that only God is God. All else in life is secondary. When we observe Sabbath, the Lord's Day or mini-Sabbath experiences, we become aware of who we are and who God is. Then our preaching and teaching, both in word and deed, will tend to be filled with gratitude, joy and a faithful reflection of God. 

How do I observe the Sabbath? Do the Sabbath experiences of my life help make me more aware of God's love, or are they days of more busyness and distractions which draw me away from my true self?

FRIDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 6:14-29

This gospel scene is a flashback interjected in the middle of the story of the mission of the disciples and their return to Jesus. The flashback serves to give us an insight into what Herod thought of Jesus. The scriptures say, "Herod heard of it (the mission of the disciples who spoke in the name of Jesus), for Jesus' name had become well known." Mark takes the occasion to remind his readers that it was this Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded. The flashback also tells us of Herod's weakness, Herodias' grudge against John and Salome's famous dance and her being manipulated into requesting the head of the Baptist as a reward for pleasing Herod. In addition to telling us about these people, the flashback serves to not only dredge up painful and sorrowful events of the past but to bring forth, as well, happy memories of blessings received. 

At La Salette, Mary reminds people of things they have done and are doing. Her message includes flashbacks which most people find to be disturbing reminders of our human weakness and sinfulness. But the apparition also includes two very positive flashbacks. The first is the reminder of Jesus' crucifixion and death which is the sign that "God loved the world so much," as John the Evangelist tells us. The crucifix on Mary's breast is the blinding reminder. The second is the famous reminder of the episode of Coin where Mary reminds Maximin and us that, in her motherly love and concern, she is present to us in the details of our life. How wonderful to be reminded! 

What recent flashbacks in my own life and prayer have helped to make me more grateful for God's love and presence in my life?

SATURDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 6:30-34

In this Gospel scene Jesus is revealed as the "Divine Psychologist" and the "Man with a Heart." The disciples return from their mission excited and happy with the success of their work but exhausted by its demands. Jesus encourages them to get some rest, to balance their work with leisure and prayer. He invites them to enjoy a mini-Sabbath experience. He knows that one cannot be whole nor even survive long without the necessary physical rest and relaxation. He has seen to this balance in his own life. Here he reveals his loving concern for the disciples, for their wholeness and well being. Later he is touched with pity for the crowds who were "like sheep without a shepherd." He teaches them and leads them to "green pastures," to "still waters" where he refreshes their souls. 

Our Lady of La Salette appears in the desert highlands of the Alps. Her very presence there is an invitation for us and for all pilgrims to "come away and rest a while." She invites all her children to enter into that mountain retreat in order to be quiet, to rest, to reflect and to be refreshed by the good news of God's love that she brings. "Come," she says, "be not afraid. I have come to tell you great news." 

How often do I allow myself to go into that sacred place of retreat, to hear Mary's motherly message and call to repentance, conversion and reconciliation?

MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE YEAR      Mark 6:53-56

All who touched him were healed." 

This final verse of Mark 6 reinforces a theme that is of special significance to the evangelist and to us who make our pilgrim way to the Father's house. The theme of healing. We are all in need of healing, whether physical or spiritual. We seek a confessor, a doctor, or a therapist that we may find the healing we need. "Those who are well do not need a physician,^" Jesus says, "but the sick do" (Mark 2:17). All four gospels attest to the fact that, in the power of the Spirit, Jesus ministered God's healing to all who were in need of it. In response to people's faith, healing poured forth from Jesus, like a never-ending flow of living water. Thus were fulfilled the words of the prophet: "He who pities them guides then beside springs of water" (Isaiah 49:10). The wholeness Jesus brings is healing at its deepest level. God's love, incarnate in him, gushes forth as a saving fountain, curing body, mind, spirit. Its power pulsated in the very "tassel of his cloak." 

To the bewilderment of her two chosen witnesses, Mary showed herself at La Salette in tears. Her tears bring to mind the healing water flowing from Christ's pierced side (John 19:34). "The thirsty ground,^" Isaiah had prophesied, "will become springs of water" (35:7). The frequency of the word sin in the Bible and its almost total absence from contemporary talk point to a contemporary "thirsty ground." The recognition that human life is infected by sin is, one would think, an essential part of any realistic description of the human condition. How well inspired those peasant villagers were who, from the beginning, invoked their heav­enly Visitor as Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of sinners! 

Do I find it easy or difficult to admit that I am in need of healing? Can I imagine What it might be like to feel the healing touch of Jesus?

TUESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 7:1-13

"That is the way you nullify God's word." 

One of the controversial things Jesus did in the course of his ministry was to redefine the proper application of Jewish ritual purity laws. By no means was he opposed to the Torah. He had little tolerance, though, for what he consid­ered to be abuses of religious authority inflicted on the little people by the so-called spiritual leaders. We know that many struggle with God's will as stated in divine law and the observance of certain customs and practices that nullify and make a mockery of God's Word. How often are we ourselves torn between the law of God and man-made laws? The Pharisees in our gospel passage accuse Jesus and his disciples of eating with defiled hands. In reply Jesus unambigu­ously states that what matters is our inner life with our God and not its outward trappings. What comes from within - a pure heart and a well-formed conscience - interests him a great deal. Cleanse your hearts, put your faith in me, he tells us, and keep from performing empty rituals for others to see. 

The duty of obeying God's law goes largely ignored in our secular world. Mary at La Salette underscores her children's disrespectful attitude toward command­ments that spell out the duties of humble gratitude and service we owe to our Creator: "If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son." The initiative she showed that September day at La Salette means, essen­tially, that even in glory the Queen of heaven is ever engaged in the reconciliation of her people on earth. 

Do I set time aside each day to go within and allow Jesus to speak to my heart? Is it true that laws make good servants but poor masters?

WEDNESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE YEAR   Mark 7:14-23

"Wicked designs come from the deep recesses of the heart." 

We choose to hear only what we want to hear, or we interpret teachings so that they will fit into our own self-serving scheme of things. Jesus was a fine teacher. He taught with wisdom and clarity. His message provides no loop-holes, it leaves no room for excuses or false interpretations. He always speaks the truth clearly and further illustrates it with concrete examples. He tells us today that high ideals are not to replace our heart's need of God. It is not through the perfect observance of dietary laws, Jesus points out, that we are saved. We must rather pay attention to the inner designs and movements of our own heart and respond heartily to God and to our neighbor. He cautions that our ideals can become our idols! Real defilement dwells in the inner person. Jesus calls not so much for a change of outward behavior but for a change of heart. 

Our Lady of La Salette speaks of inner change, of spiritual transformation in the most dramatic of terms: "If they are converted, rocks and stones will be changed into mounds of wheat and potatoes will be self-sown in the fields." Jesus the Savior, she reminds us, came to change the world - from the inside out. Yes, he chose to bring that radical transformation about by changing human hearts, one by one. 

THURSDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 7:24-30 

" 'Please, Lord,' the woman replied, `even the dogs under the table
eat the family's leavings.' " 

We have all heard the saying: Good news travels fast. St. Mark stresses that Jesus "could not escape notice." Jesus' fame had spread far and wide, even into Gentile territory. So it is that we meet a Syro-Phoenician woman, the mother of a sick child, who beseeches him to drive out the demon besieging her daughter. Jesus tells her that God must look after his own first and that his healing power must first benefit the members of his chosen family. He puts her faith to the test and, surprisingly, really tries her composure and self-control: "It is not right to take the food of the children," he tells her, "and throw it to the dogs." Hers was a deep and strong faith; it passed Jesus' test with flying colors. She gave as good as she got: "Please, Lord," she insisted, "even the dogs under the table eat the family's leavings." The refreshing resourcefulness of faith! 

The final New Testament reference to Our Lady presents her as calling the early church community to prayer, "They devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus" (Acts 1:14). In her apparition at La Salette, the Mother of the Lord calls our attention to the need to pray well and unceasingly: "Do you pray well, my children?" "If I want my Son not to abandon you I must plead with him without ceasing." Personal and com­munal needs and problems challenge us to claim prayer's unique power: "Will not God secure the rights of his chosen ones? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you he will see that justice is done for them speedily" (Luke 18:7-8). 

How willing am Ito accept and love all persons - including "outsiders" - as Jesus did? Does the resourcefulness of faith show itself in my prayer?

FRIDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 7:31-37

He has done everything well! He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." 

The hymn says, "Jesus, you are wonderful!" I love to sing this song over and over again. It soothes my soul and helps me give glory to God the Father for the gift of his Son to me, to us all. In the exercise of my healing ministry I have been given many opportunities to sing the wonders of the Lord. It is perhaps because his love and mercy endure for ever, that he is so full of surprises. The cure of the deaf man is a classical gospel miracle story. A person in need of heal­ing is brought to Jesus. By deed and word Jesus restores wholeness. People's utter amazement and exuberant praise attest to, and validate, the wonderful deed. Such works manifest Jesus as the agent of the Father who is "rich in mercy" (Ephesians 2:4) and "compassionate toward every creature" (Psalm 145:9). The man's ears were opened, he heard God's saving word; he believed in its trans-forming power, his tongue was unleashed; joyful praise gushed forth from a heart as thankful as it was astounded. 

At La Salette Mary invites her children to set fear aside and draw near in their brokenness. She bids them approach Christ, the wounded healer, whose crucified image she wore on her breast. Familiar with human need and mindful of the first of Jesus' signs given "at Cana in Galilee," Mary repeats the advice she offered then: "Whatever he tells you to do, do it (John 2:5, 11)." Appropriate and wise counsel for today's disciples as well. 

Can I hear the voice of Christ through the deafening distractions of life around me? How much enthusiasm do I bring to my praise of the Savior?

SATURDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 8:1-10

"Jesus took the seven loaves in his hands, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and they handed them to the crowd." 

Mark sets a crowd scene before our eyes. A multitude of people. A hungry multitude. Jesus performs a miracle of striking compassion; he feeds them all. When all have had their fill, plenty of loaves and fishes remain. This miracu­lous feeding obviously looked back to the feeding of the Israelites with manna in the wilderness; it also pointed to our own communal celebrations of the Eucha­rist. "Jesus took the seven loaves and the few small fishes in his hands, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and they handed them out to the crowd." God's good creation faithfully and humbly provides for us all each year. But earth's crops are, for better or for worse, in our hands. We hold God's bounty and lavish gifts in trust. We must share them. Our world is not without its own multitudes of homeless, naked and hungry people. Hungry not only for bread, but for love. Naked not only for clothing, but for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a brick shelter, but because of indifference and rejection. 

It is with the deepest sorrow, we are entitled to believe, that Mary spoke these words at La Salette: "A great famine is coming" She well knew that some of her children would suffer from famine brought on by natural causes; that many oth­ers would suffer from famines of human making, she was also painfully aware. The psalmist offers an encouraging promise: "The .Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase" (Psalm 85:12). The land's increase, however, remains in human hands. 

Am I aware that pity without service to others is mere sentimentality? Am I con­vinced that God's gifts are to be shared, that love must be put into action?

MONDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 8:11-13

"Sighing_, from the depths of his spirit, Jesus said, 'Why does this age
seek a sign? " 

This Markan passage strikes a sharp note of taunting and testing. The Phari­sees argue with Jesus, hoping to discredit or entrap him. They insist that he guarantee through "some heavenly sign" the authority he claims. Such profound misunderstanding on their part disturbs Jesus deeply. He himself is the "heavenly sign," a powerful sign. A sign that stands every human notion of power on its head, however. He bans anger and name-calling (Matthew 5:22), he teaches non-resistance to evil (Matthew 5:39), he preaches love of enemies (Matthew 5:44), he will wash the disciples' feet (John 13:3-11), and the humiliation of the cross will be his exaltation (John 19:32). Seeking a sign is natural enough. Have we not at times thought, "If only I were given a sign, my faith would grow stronger"? "Open your eyes, remove your blinders," the Lord says. "Signs of my loving presence surround you." How much smaller, how much more hidden could he have made himself than a bit of bread? Who but God almighty would come to us in such self-emptying? 

"If the harvest is ruined, it is only on account of yourselves," Our Lady admon­ishes in her apparition at La Salette. "I warned you last year with the potatoes. You paid no heed." She rests her reasoning on a cause-and-effect inevitability. To do the same things over and over again, expecting better, different and new re­sults is tantamount to folly. "I gave you a warning sign last year. You paid it no mind." 

TUESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 8:14-21

"Are your hearts hardened? Do you not understand? " 

His disciples were very close to Jesus. They ate, shared shelter and traveled with the Master. They saw him interact with the blind, the deaf, the lame and had a hand in two amazing multiplications. His patience sorely tried, he plies them with rapid-fire questions: "Do you have eyes and not see? Do you remem­ber when I broke the five loaves for the 5000? The seven loaves for the 4000? How many baskets of leftovers did you collect? Do you still not understand?" What is it they failed to grasp? They should not have seen Jesus as the wonder worker walking across the water but as the unifier who calmed the storm in order to secure passage to the Gentile side of the lake. They had missed the point of the lesson. Two feedings had taken place, one on each side of the lake. A first ben­efited a Jewish population; a second, Gentiles. In showing them how to feed God's flock, Jesus had taught them to be bridge-builders. 12 baskets left over, Israel's 12 tribes, Jewish Christians; 7 baskets left over, seven deacons, Greek Christians. So much to learn, so much to let go of? 

In contrast to Lourdes and Fatima, for example, Mary at La Salette did not di­rectly indicate who she was. Her opening statement, however, made her identity quite clear: "If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son." Sharing deeply in the mediating ministry of Christ, "the one loaf," she reminds us that she stands between the Bread of Life and those He wishes to feed. Our Lady further challenges us to claim our role as bridge-builders between peoples and races. 

Feb 17

ASH WEDNESDAY      Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

"Your Father, who sees all that is done in secret will reward you."

When something is beyond our grasp we throw our arms in the air and exclaim, "God only knows." This could easily be our motto as we begin our Lenten sea-son. Whatever we choose to do to express our need for repentance, only God should know. The gospel reminds us of the three greatest acts of repentance: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Like the three legs of a tripod, all three are needed if we are to stand as Christians. Lent is a time for us to look at our lives in the light of these three practices. Can we say that God gets equal time to our TV viewing, to our wasted moments? Can we convert some of our time into God's time through prayer. Fasting can be a constant reminder in our bodies that we are God's crea­tures and not independent beings. Almsgiving reminds us of what we have re­ceived from God and in this way we return to God some of our blessings. 

At La Salette Mary shows us that God knows everything as she recounts the incident of Coin to young Maximin,. There is nothing under the sun that is not known by God. Mary invites us to prayer and penance. 

Can I live my Lenten practices and say, "God knows^"?

THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY   Luke 9:22-25

^"What profit do you show if you gain the whole world and destroy yourself in the process? "

That's the bottom line?" This is a question often asked when people face an undertaking. There is more than a bottom line to look at. What's beyond the bottom line? How does our activity affect our health, our relationships with family members, community or friends? The bottom line may indicate a profit, but at what cost? The gospel tells us that the ultimate bottom line is salvation. That's the reality lens through which we should look at our lives. That lens is not rose-colored. Jesus makes it very clear. "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow me." The bottom line here is salvation attained through the victory of the cross.

Mary lived the gospel fully at La Salette. She reminds us, "However much you pray, however much you do, you will never be able to repay the pains I have taken for you." Mary carried her cross. She asks us to carry our cross.

Can I look beyond the bottom line and carry my cross daily?

FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY     Matthew 9:14-15

"When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast."

Fasting isn't what it used to be. I remember my grandmother weighing out on a postal scale the exact amount of meat allowed back then. A long way from our modest fasting rules. Fasting is ordinarily thought of in terms of reducing food consumption. Fasting can, however, be applied to other areas of our lives as well. We can fast from TV viewing to engage in a real conversation with others in the house. We can fast from radio or CDs to allow ourselves, in the ensuing quiet, to get in touch with what is going on inside ourselves. We can fast from our opinions - this, admittedly, is a tough one - to put aside our view of things, our way of doing, our way of praying and allow another to touch our mind, our heart, and our soul.

Mary, at La Salette, reminds us to fast. "During Lent they go to the meat markets like dogs.^" Fasting is not strictly a Lenten practice. As we abstain we make room for God in our lives.

How am I called to fast? What is it in my life that prevents God from blessing me, from using me?

SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY  Luke 5:27-32

"1 have come not to invite the just to a change of heart, but sinners."

"Myopia," Webster's dictionary says, is a "deficiency of foresight or discernment." So myopia is not only a matter of our eyes; our minds can be myopic. Lack of discernment makes it difficult to see ourselves as we really are. Somehow we overlook our shortcomings, our character blemishes, our sins. Yet only when we see ourselves as we really are can we respond to Jesus' invitation to a change of heart, to conversion. If we see ourselves as healthy we don't go to a doctor even though we need care. If we see ourselves as spiritually healthy we don't go to Jesus for a change of heart. No matter where we may be on our spiri­tual journey, there is always room for change, for conversion. Jesus called Levi to a change of heart. He is calling us also.

At La Salette Mary came to call us to a change of heart, for the purpose of focus­ing our entire life on her Son. She assures us of our abundant harvest, "if they are converted."

Can I hear and respond to Jesus' call no matter what my myopic vision sees in me?

MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT Matthew 25:31-46
"Whatever you do for one of the least of mine you do for me."

As children our parents would ask us, "How much do you love me?" We would stretch out our arms as far as we could and reply, "This much." Jesus asks us the same question in today's gospel, "How much do you love me?" We cannot simply answer by extending our arms and saying, "This much." The an­swer that Jesus expects of us is that we should love him this much - that we have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, ministered to the sick, the lonely or the impris­oned. Arms that are simply extended cannot respond in action, We are challenged to put our arms to work in response to those in need. As we respond to Jesus by our actions he assures us of our place in his Kingdom. 

At La Salette Mary expresses her love for us in her tears. She loves us so much that it pains her to see us neglecting her Son. Mary's very presence says that she loves us enough to come and remind us to express our love for her Son. 

How much do you love Jesus? How much do you love Jesus in those in need?

TUESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT    Matthew 6:7-15
"This is how you should pray."

What was one of the first prayers your parents taught you? Chances are that What the sign of the cross it was the Our Father. That prayer, said more or less accurately, was the launching pad of our communication with God. Prayer has since taken on many shapes and forms, vocal prayer, quiet prayer, sitting and thinking about God, conversation with God, letting our being be awed by the beauty of creation. No matter how we now choose to pray, the fundamental ele­ment in all forms of prayer is that God is God and that we are not. Prayer is the creature standing before the Creator with open hands ready to receive, ready to surrender all. In the Our Father Jesus put our relationship to God into words. 

At La Salette Mary speaks of her own prayer. "I am compelled to pray to him without ceasing." She also invites Maximin and Melanie to prayer, "You must say your prayers well in the evening and in the morning, even if you say only an Our Father and a Hail Mary when you can't do more. When you can do better, say more."

How well do I pray? How much time do I give to prayer?

WEDNESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT Luke 11:29-32

"No sign will be given to this generation except the sign of Jonah." 

Jonah spoke God's word, the Ninevites changed. The name of change is con-version. Conversion is not only for bad people, we are all called to conversion. Conversion is that change of heart which makes us see things differently and adjust our lives accordingly. Every time we experience Jesus at a new and deeper level, we are called to conversion. It's our response to Jesus' invitation to know him and love him more intimately. Conversion is not exclusively our doing, it is our response to Jesus' intrusion in our lives, our response to grace. The invitation to conversion may come in any form, a book, a sermon, a word spoken by a friend, a child's question. We respond only to the degree that we are aware of Jesus' invitation. Our yes opens the door to a new relationship with him. 

At La Salette Mary invites the shepherds to "come closer,^" an invitation to con-version. Her presence, her words, her whole being pleads with us to respond yes to Jesus.

Have I become so entrenched in my relationship with Jesus that I no longer hear his invitation to conversion?

THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT Matthew 7:7-12
"The one who asks always receives." 

How come I've been praying for a special grace for a long time and I haven't received it yet?" We've all made a similar statement at one time or an-other. But are we putting the cart before the horse? Before storming heaven for our special grace, did we ask God if we really needed that grace? Often what we need is evident to us, after all, it's what we need. But do we see with God's vision, do we really know what is best for us? Praying to be enlightened to our need is the first step, then with God's answer in mind we ask and we will receive. Jesus did everything in the will of the Father, for the Father's glory. Jesus gave us the example of perfect prayer; we do well to imitate him. 

At La Salette Mary promised "rocks and stones will be changed into mounds of wheat and potatoes will be self-sown in the fields." Her promise is preceded by "If they are converted," which means, if they are conformed to the Father's will. 

As we pray, are we one with the Father?

FRIDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT  Matthew 5:20-26
"Go first and be reconciled with your brother or sister.^" 

Forgiveness is the decision of one person. We decide to forgive and it is done. Reconciliation requires two people, one to forgive and one to accept the for­giveness. Jesus asks us to go one step beyond forgiveness to reconciliation and reach out to the one who has offended us. Jesus challenges us to seek out not only the one we have offended, but the one who has offended us. We wouldn^'t think of going to a wedding without getting ready and bringing a gift. Jesus invites us to the altar to share his Body and his Blood with one another. He also tells us to get ready to do this by seeking forgiveness and by bringing a gift, reconciliation with our sister or brother. Together then we may approach the altar. 

At La Salette Mary leaves the altar of Jesus' presence to invite us to reconcilia­tion. Her Son forgives, she wants us to accept that gift. 

Can we respond to Mary^'s call? Can we be reconciled with her Son, with each other?

SATURDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT        Matthew 5:45-48
"Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." 

Impossible. We cannot be as perfect as the Father. What does that sentence in Matthew really mean? William Barclay tells us, "A thing is perfect if it realizes the purpose for which it was planned, human beings are perfect if they realize the purpose for which they were created and sent into the world." We are created in the image of God. God is love, and love knows no bounds. God reaches out to everyone. Our perfection then consists in loving others and reaching out to them no matter who they are. We cannot love to the degree God loves. We can love to the fullest degree possible for us. The U.S. Army recruiting poster says it very well, "Be all you can be." Therein lies our perfection. 

At La Salette Mary lives her perfection. Her love for us calls us to reconciliation. She is all she can be, a mother concerned for all her children. 

Can I ask God to make me all that I can be?

MONDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT   Luke 6:36-38
"The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you." 

Jesus has given us a model. The measure we measure with will be given back to us. Mercy and compassion must be the yardstick we use in measuring our daily behavior. What obligation do others have to be merciful, forgiving and com­passionate with us if we are unwilling to practice these virtues in their regard? Jesus puts his teaching plainly in today's gospel. "Do not judge and you will not be judged.^" Just as we expect our merciful God to look upon us with forgiving kindness, so should we treat others in the same way. We cannot claim to love God and yet refuse to love others. We are encouraged to be people who make it pos­sible for God to reach out to others through us and bring into their lives the com­passion and understanding they need. The better we become, the more of God's goodness will others receive. And in this way we become special vessels, carriers of God to others.

Mary at La Salette was the carrier of good news. She was the messenger sent by God to exhort his children to take heed. She came to make us aware that prayer, penance and reconciliation must remain an integral part of our everyday lives. Our Lady highlighted the mission confided to Maximin and Melanie when she repeated these words: "Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people." And as a result, many men and women all over the world have found the message of La Salette to be a vessel of conversion, a renewed commitment to Christ and to the service of his people.

How have I become an instrument for the good? Have I generously allowed God to use me as his vehicle in giving of my time, my talent, my presence?

TUESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT Matthew 23:1-12

'All who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and all who humble themselves will be exalted."

Quite clearly, Jesus teaches us to reject the ways of those who make a show of their status. Listen to sound teachings, but don't follow the path of the hypo­crite. Jesus preaches a humble way. And the humble way can be described in one word: truth. The core of humility is a real awareness of who we are as God's creatures. We must not lose sight of this most basic truth about ourselves. God is our Creator and our loving Father. Every gift and talent we have comes to us from God. Humility does not require that we deny our talents, but that we acknowl­edge their source. We do not, therefore, put on airs, belittle others, nor do we lord it over them. We do not have to. We know the truth, and "the truth makes us free" (John 8:32).

During Jesus' public life Mary remained in the background. Very few of the words she spoke have been recorded in the Gospels. Those that have come down to us, however, are filled with meaning and sum up essential aspects of her personality. Faithful obedience: "Let it be done to me as you say" (Luke 1:38). Joy and praise: "My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord" (Luke 1:46). Tenderness and charity: "They have no wine" (John 2:3). Faith and humility: "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). Today more than ever, at La Salette around the world, the Mother of Jesus, attentive to all his people, draws to him all who see God's love reflected in her tears. She comes to a people who will not submit. And how long will she be able to withhold the strong and heavy arm of her Son? She can only repeat the words she spoke to the waiters at Cana: ^"Whatever he tells you to do, do it" (John 2:5).

WEDNESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT      Matthew 20:17-28

"Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest,
and whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all." 

The hour of Jesus was drawing near. He was "going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, who will condemn him to death.^" Yet, even at this late hour, Zebedee's sons and the other apostles as well, failed to understand fully what was about to happen. James and John, their mother speaking in their behalf, wanted ringside seats at the Messiah's triumph. What they did not understand is that the promise of a place in Jesus' Kingdom can be fulfilled only in the life to come, not in this one. Once more Jesus had to repeat a fundamental theme of his teaching. Like the master, the disciple is not to "lord it over others, but serve the needs of all." Service is what counts with Jesus: a nurse's service to patients, a pastor's service to parish­ioners, a parent^'s service to children. "If you want to be great, you must be the servant of the rest."

"I am the servant of the Lord," were Mary's words when asked by the angel Gabriel to become the Mother of God. Her calling, her vocation, was summed up in those words. Her dialogue with the angel and her response place her in the line of those whom God calls to a specific mission. This response indicated free and full acceptance of the vocation made known to her. At La Salette Mary continue^s to be the Lord's servant and the servant of her children. Her sensitivity, her con­cern for us all is a clear manifestation of that. "Come near, my children; don^'t be afraid.... If my people refuse to submit ... if they are converted." Her maternal solicitude covers every detail and event of our lives. How can we resist her tears and fail to heed this loving messenger of her Son? 

Whether I hold a position of authority or not, do I ever lord it over others? Today will I exercise whatever authority is mine in the Christian spirit of service?

THURSDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT Luke 16:19-31
"Once there was a rich man." 

The rich man in today's gospel enjoyed the pleasures of life and seemed to have no need for God. After his death, he experiences the torture that comes from life without God. Lazarus, on the other hand, spent his life in misery but was at peace in his heart because his life was deeply rooted in faith. It is impor­tant for us to note what the rich man's sin was as the parable describes it. It is not that he calls the police to have Lazarus removed from his door. It is not that he objects to giving Lazarus scraps from his table. It is not that he abuses Lazarus each time he passes him. The rich man's sin is that he ignores Lazarus. He doesn't lift a finger to help him. He even closes his eyes to the fact that Lazarus exists. His sin is not what he does to Lazarus. Rather it is what he doesn't do for him. We all know many "Lazaruses" in the world. Through no fault of their own, many go without food, medical attention, jobs and, of course, basic opportunities. TV has often zeroed in on their plight. While we enjoy our privacy and security, they remain outside our gates.. How long can we go on ignoring them? Even the dog in the story Jesus told did something. He licked Lazarus's sores. 

During her short stay at La Salette, Mary showed us an ailing and suffering world. She spoke of a people "who cannot swear without bringing in the name of her Son." She spoke of many who will not observe the Sabbath. "During Lent they go to the meat markets like dogs," she commented. "A great famine is coming. Before the famine comes, children under seven will be seized with trembling and die in the arms of those holding them. The rest will do penance through the fam­ine." Those who are rich can be saved, if they like the poor acknowledge their dependence upon God.

How sensitive am Ito the pain that so many in the world are suffering? Close by me? What am I doing about it?

FRIDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT      Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.^"

People in general do not like to rub elbows with excellence. It is much easier to live with mediocrity and the status quo. Alongside an outstanding example of heroic caring and loving, the rest of the community is made to feel that it is far from living up to its potential. So they begin to feel inadequate. Those who stand head and shoulders above the crowd, in fact, are most often persecuted. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated; Nelson Mandela, who was jailed; Nobel Peace Prize winners, who were mocked and ridiculed for their peacemaking ef­forts. Ironically, it is these very ones who end up saving the rest of society from its own worst enemy - itself! Today's parable illustrates Jesus' plight. The Father, the owner of the vineyard, has provided his people's livelihood, but they resent his servants and even kill his son. They fail to see that they are killing the one who alone can ensure their salvation. Yet the death of Jesus will save that society from itself. "The stone that the builders rejected will become the cornerstone.^" 

During this season of Lent we must ask ourselves where we stand on that hill of crucifixion. Are we with Mary entering into her Son's agony by our active and compassionate presence? Or could it be that we are part of the mob crucifying the Son of Man again? His mother shared Jesus' suffering not only on Calvary but all through his life. Each mystery of her life is faithfully marked by her loving rela­tionship with God, and with God's Son and hers. Her message at La Salette bids us share in the sufferings of her children all over the world. The crucifix with hammer and pincers she wears upon her heart makes her call to conversion reso­nate. It was fitting that the brightness in which she and the children stood should emanate from that cross. Jesus is the pivotal point of wisdom, goodness and gen­erosity for all who come to know him. He is the cornerstone of their life. 

SATURDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT   Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

"We had to celebrate and rejoice,
because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life;
he was lost, and has been found." 

Can you imagine yourself doing what the father of this prodigal boy did? Your son goes off and engages in all sorts of immoral and maybe illegal things, and all of it with your funds. He then returns home, not because he loves you, but because he's broke and wants to use your goodness further. More likely than not you'd take him to task in these or similar terms: "What are you crawling back to me for? Because my money is gone now? You'd better shape up and get serious, you good-for-nothing, before you land in jail! You've got your nerve coming back here." And yet, maybe you would say no such thing. Neither did the father of the prodigal. He gave his son a slam-bang homecoming. Despite all the sin­ning we have done, despite our misuse of his gifts, nothing can keep our loving and merciful God from wanting to hug us and shower us with gifts and celebra­tions to remember.

Most of us can identify with the prodigal son. At times, however, we act like the elder son and get angry when we feel we have been taken for granted or slighted. When we are tempted to pout and sulk and refuse to rejoice when the lost have been found, all we need do is recall that we have all been prodigals in need of a warm welcome back home. 

The heart of the La Salette message is that of conversion. It is a return to the Father that will mean an unforgettable celebration. "If they are converted," Mary said, "rocks and stones will be changed into mounds of wheat and potatoes will be self-sown in the fields." Mary's words call us back to the realities of life and the demands of our faith. If this wonder is to come about we must return to the Father with all our heart. 

What words do I hear the Father speak to the prodigal on his return home? What words do I hear him speak to the older son as he vented the disappointment he felt at his brother's reception?