The following blog post byLeslie Porreca, RSM
Just in case you did not get to see or hear Pope Francis’ prayer on Friday March 27, 2020, here is the link.
I have quoted an excerpt here to use for meditation for Holy Week and beyond.
Excerpt from Pope Francis moment of prayer…3/27/2020. He used as his context the Gospel of Mark 4:35
The Lord asks us and, in the midst of our tempest, invites us to reawaken and put into practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support and meaning to these hours when everything seems to be floundering. The Lord awakens so as to reawaken and revive our Easter faith.
We have an anchor: by his cross we have been saved. We have a rudder: by his cross we have been redeemed.
We have a hope: by his cross we have been healed and embraced so that nothing and no one can separate us from his redeeming love.
In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many things,
let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: he is risen and is living by our side.
The Lord asks us from his cross to rediscover the life that awaits us, to look towards those who look to us, to strengthen, recognize and foster the grace that lives within us.
Let us not quench the wavering flame (cf. Is 42:3) that never falters, and let us allow hope to be rekindled.
Embracing his cross means finding the courage to embrace all the hardships of the present time, abandoning for a moment our eagerness for power and possessions in order to make room for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of inspiring. It means finding the courage to create spaces where everyone can recognize that they are called, and to allow new forms of hospitality, fraternity and solidarity.
By his cross we have been saved in order to embrace hope and let it strengthen and sustain all measures and all possible avenues for helping us protect ourselves and others. Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope.
This particular part of his meditation has helped me and I hope it helps you to once again embrace hope, to tenderize your heart to not be afraid of the ache you might feel pulling at you in these times.
I invite you to take a word from your meditation time and let it carry you through the day.
My word or image today …awaken my heart to trust…the lord is my Shepard.
Allow your word or phrase to return to your thoughts through the day be moments/kernels of calm of meditation extenders!
You are welcome to share your word or phrase below.
Peace to your heart.
Leslie