Minister’s Message for February 2024
To my brothers and sisters in Christ and Francis,
By the time you read this we will be in the Season of Lent. We will be praying more, attending
church more often, helping others more, fasting more, going to confession more and doing
penance more…
– right?
This past week, I have been speaking with friends and family about Lent and how we can make
this Lent more meaningful. What surprised me is that most of them said: “I don’t know yet”,
“I’m not sure” or “I haven’t thought about it”. I was raised with saintly parents who expected us
children to have a concrete answer by the week of Lent. As a child, my thoughts of Lent were
mostly about giving something up. As I have gotten older, I’ve heard that instead of giving
something up, we should simply give something.
I prefer to do both.
Lent is about so much more than we can imagine it should be, but in the Gospel, we are
reminded to “take up our cross…” As children of God and brothers and sisters of Francis, may we
walk beside Francis and our Lord as we carry the cross He has conferred upon us for the
salvation of all souls. As we walk to Calvary through our Lenten offerings, we should daily recite
the prayer of St. Francis because if we integrate this prayer into our daily lives, we can both give
something up and, also, simply give something…
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace; (Give up being angry)
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; (“I love you.”)
Where there is injury, pardon; (“I forgive you.”)
Where there is doubt, faith; (“Jesus, I believe and trust in you.”)
Where there is despair, hope; (“Do you need anything?”)
Where there is darkness, light; (“Can I pray with you? Give up your time)
And where there is sadness, joy. (Share a smile and/or a hug)
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console; (Give up feeling sorry for ourselves)
To be understood, as to understand; (Just listen to someone)
To be loved, as to love; (Show kindness)
For it is in giving that we receive, (Give up a meal, Gift a meal)
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, (“Jesus, forgive me.”)
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. (Die to self)
Amen.
I pray for a blessed and fruitful Lent for all Franciscans throughout the world as we continue to
commemorate the 800th Centenary of the Stigmata of St. Francis which is so intertwined with
the Passion of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In prayer and thanksgiving,
Your sister in Christ and Francis – Israela
Israela Garcia, OFS
Servant Minister, St Anthony Community, OFS
