PAX ET BONUM: Fr david Berger

we reflect on the 3rd sunday of Lent and Jesus encounter with the woman at the well.  The paradigm for God's unfolding of grace in our life is revealed as we follow along the process of transformation for the woman.  All because JEsus took short cut, we have this beautiful story of conversion.  Some shortcuts are worth it

Here is one part of a lenten mission I currently gave at a local parish.  It is a reflection on two of the last words of Christ: MY God My God why have yo forsaken me and Father, into your hands i commend my spirit.

JEsus gives a hard critique to the scribes and pharisees as a teaching tool for his followers.  He mentions the chair of moses, phylacteries and call no one father.  So we visit  this reality briefly and efficiently, I hope

THe ole carpenter adage works well with today's gospel: measure twice cut once.  Wouldn't it be great if we were this way before we acted or spoke. The measure you give will in return be given to you.  SOunds like a good deal

We continue our reflection with a bit of insight into the working of grace in our life.

We revisit the election of Pope Francis, a year ago he walked out on the balcony of St.  Peter's.  To honor his election we let him guide us to better understand the importance of Lent.  Two things he says are important: greater awareness of the redemptive work of Christ and thus growing in gratitude and living in out our baptism with shock and awe (my synopsis not his)

Forgiveness is easy, is it not?  How does St Jose Maria Escriva reflect on forgiveness

We encounter what Mother Teresa would call the five finger gospel.  Jesus removes the spin and lays it all on the line.  All the doctrines that we believe to be true and revealed by God comes to a point in today's gospel

Lent is a season of fundamentals.  We are asked to get back to the basics so that we might deepen our experience of God's presence in our life and be more readily disposed to the action of the Holy Spirit in our life.  We are also asked to rediscover what is the fundamental flaw with us that goes back to the garden.  In the gospel we are invited to experience the fundamental fix for the fundamental flaw as a product of the fall.

Jesus reminds us that when the bridegroom is gone then the disciples will fast.  Fast simply means to hunger.  Normally we give up food items so that we might fell hunger pains.  But should we not hunger for more?  Why be boring?  IT is time to shake things up

Lent often reveals a truth that we do not readily accept or acknowledge in our life that is the discrepancy between ambition and ability.  Nothing reveals this more than our own failure to keep up with our ambition for the season of Lent in fasting, or giving up, or giving over, or even in prayer. Part of the issue is we treat lent as a membership to a health plea or gym and focus just on our selves.  Lent isn't simply about personal goals or personal victories but rather about God driven goals and god's victory in and through us

Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return, repent and believe in the gospel.  The theme for the next 40 days has been laid before us.  How will these phrases spoken as the ash is placed upon our foreheads lead us to discover true greatness

Today we look at the life of Katharine Drexel.  She was born into a very affluent family aka lots of money.  Having nursed her stepmother through a terminal illness things began to change for her that is her perspective in what she thought mattered most in life.  She was given an invitation by Pope Leo XIII and rather than pass the buck she leapt at the chance to be lacking not in regards to her treasure in heaven.

Are you not more important than these? This question JEsus poses is that which identifies the source of anxiety and worry in our life. We are victims of spiritual low self esteem.

Everyone will be salted with fire. What is the reality of salt in the OT and NT. Why does Jesus refer to salt so often in the gospel and how doe sin tie in with our life in the spirit.