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The Gospels tell us about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This is Mark’s Version:

When they were approaching Jerusalem at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it to me. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back there immediately” They went and found a colt tied, near a door outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them. “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said and they allowed them to take it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

“Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.    Mark 11: 1-11

Meditation on the Text:

You could say that the text we just read is about a parade. We all enjoy watching a parade celebrating something special – maybe St. Patrick’s Day comes to mind – with large floats, headline banners, music and dance, pipe bands from all over the world; the streets become a movable feast all celebrating something special. Parades go out of their way to engage us and are always special.

On Palm Sunday we recall Jesus’ parade and entrance to Jerusalem, where He has an appointment with death. But He faces the appointment with style. How does He do this? The Scripture we just read answers that question – try to imagine the scene: Jesus asks His disciples to go out and bring back a colt…He has more than likely made an arrangement with the owner of the colt already…anyhow the disciples do as He asks…when they bring it back, see them covering its back with some of their cloths to make a make shift saddle…as they lay their cloaks on the ground to welcome Jesus…as the parade begins, the disciples are “on a high”, rejoicing and praising all that Jesus has accomplished…but there will always be a negative dimension!…this time it comes from the Pharisees…they look on as outsiders…What about Jesus?…it must have been a  challenge for Him to enter into the celebration…yet He does so,  whilst fully aware  of the horrendous torture crucifixion and death that lies ahead of Him…

Reflection Points:

• how do you respond?
• are you an onlooker or a participant?
• how do you show your care and thanks for the life of Jesus?
• when you feel abandoned, how do you respond    

 Invitation:  to pray and reflect.

                                                                                             B. O’S.

This weekend in Ireland and the UK we celebrate Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday) a day that calls us to reflect on the question “Who or what is a mother?”

A mother is the person who gave birth to me…the one who nourished, nurtured, loved, cared for and supported me throughout my life. She is the one who was present and available to me…always – the one who listened, who did not judge, who offered wise counsel and who set boundaries within which I could grow. Most of all she held together our family…keeping connected and keeping us all connected. She was the hub around which family life pivoted.  She was the one who encouraged us to grow wings and fly…even if our direction was wrong – she offered the space to come home and begin again.

When I reflect on these words of my own experience of knowing my own mother I am drawn to my other “mother” – the Madre – Angela Merici.

Given that on reading her own words one can see and hear the motherly instincts shining through it is reasonable to suggest that Angela experienced her own mother in a similar to what I have described about my own mother.  When she writes to us we are known as her daughters – that same familial relationship.  There is closeness built up between herself and those of us who are drawn to follow in her footsteps.  As Ursulines we are sisters of each other and daughters of the one mother – we know what it is to belong to the Ursuline family – we are connected to one other by this woman who in her own time was known as the Madre not just by members of the Company but by all who encountered her in their daily life. 

Angela speaks of knowing each one – as an individual and as a collective group – just as any mother would speak of her offspring.  She understands and sees the difference between each one, she knows each member of her family has different needs at different times and she allows for this reality.  Angela speaks to us of always being there for us – “in our midst” – never straying too far away from us yet allowing us to grow, to change (albeit with prudence) and to develop according to the needs of our time.  In many ways she gives us wings to fly – to be what God is calling us to be for the world of our time and place. 

So as we celebrate Mother’s Day this year let us recall and rejoice in the gift of our own mother’s but also to give thanks for the gift of Angela Merici – the Madre!

On Ash Wednesday, during the distribution of the ashes, we heard the familiar prayer “repent and believe the good news”. I don’t know about you, but for me, the word “repent” is caught up with penance, regret or guilt, whereas in Gospel terms, repent is about a change of direction, of re-orientating our lives, and seeing things in a different way.

With that understanding of what it means to “repent,” we can move to the second part of the prayer, “believe the Good News.” What is this Good News? It is the Good News that God loves us unconditionally and that Jesus came among us to bring us into the fullness of that love, and that, that love is deep within us.

Instead of focussing totally on penance and giving up things during Lent, why not consider allowing Jesus to touch, heal and restore aspects of our lives that are wounded?

Each of us carries hurts. Often these go back to childhood. Those who inflicted pain may not be aware of what they did. Whether or which, the Good News is that we are loved just as we are. So Lent invites us to accept that fact and then we will realise that a lot of other things will fall into place for us.

B.O’S

On the evening of Shrove Tuesday I prepared the Chapel for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of Lent – removing the flowers; changing the altar cover from green to purple; swapping the ambo fall from Ordinary Time to Lent; and then preparing the ashes ready for distribution the next morning. And I left the building to continue on my way…

The next morning was when the contrast hit me, like never before – Lent had arrived. As soon as I entered the Chapel I was struck by the starkness of the décor, by the lack of vibrant colour from flowers, by the silence and most of all by the emptiness of the place.  I realised Lent had truly begun.  On entering the Chapel this morning, I became aware of the desert experience – the barrenness of the landscape around me.  As I sat to reflect I thought of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days.  Imagine forty days of stark, barren landscape! I wondered is Lent an endurance test or a season to be embraced – to take in the silence, to wait patiently amid the barren landscape to await life to unfold again.  Lent is a time to reflect on what I really want to see and be in the world today – what do I have to offer and what does the world need from me?  Big questions – but I have forty days to contemplate some small offering as an answer to them. And at the end of the forty days, the colour will return, the alleluias will be sung, the Gloria will ring out once more – the question is will I have made some change in my life, in my vision of the world and the future having embraced the penance, the fasting and the prayer of Lent?

Karen OSU

It was a Thursday, mid-afternoon; I was walking along a pedestrianised area by the river.  As I approached an intersection, I heard a child crying out in distress and shouting and screaming. I stopped – numbed by what I saw – two boys aged about eleven or twelve were circulating another beating him hollow across the legs, face and head. He was trapped. Fortunately, I recognised the school uniform and the main bully’s face will be etched in my memory forever. The next morning, I was not at peace about the violence and had to risk phoning the school.  I was ready for any kind of response. To my surprise, I was thanked for my concern – learned that the school had a strong anti-bullying policy, asked for details of the violence and told that the principal would be informed immediately.

Two days later, I had a call from the principal – the bullies had been identified, the victim had broken his silence about on-going mis-treatment and wept as he said he was afraid to go to school. Sadly, the second bully was only nine years of age and from a local primary school, all parents were supportive and I was at peace…

Sometimes, when we go out of our way and find the courage to take action, everyone benefits and miracles happen – it is so much easier to walk away and do nothing.

“When we are courageous, we can do the unexpected and start to mould a  world around a vision  bigger than the one produced by fear”

Prentis Hemphill

                                                                                                                                                           B.  O‘S