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  Saturday after Ash Wednesday Gospel – Luke 5:27-32 Heal Me! Anointing Stone, Church of Holy Sepulchre It’s impossible for me to read today’s Gospel (Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do) and not immediately think about the words of Pope Francis: “The thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugar! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds. ... And you have to start from the ground up.   “ A Big Heart Open to God ,” America magazine Sept. 19, 2013. Just a simple thought today!   Aren’t we all sinners?   Aren’t we all sick in some way and in need of healing.   And for someone who is injured and is suffering, doesn’t heal...
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  Friday after Ash Wednesday Gospel – Matthew 9:14-15 I Give Up! Gaming in the Old City Back when I was a high school Junior in the seminary, I learned to play bridge and it became an obsession.   With 3 of my best friends, we played every chance we could!   So it felt appropriate, when Lent rolled around, that we bond together and, as a group, we gave up bridge for Lent.   It was painful!   So as soon as midnight Easter Vigil services were over, we raced down to the rec room and proceeded to revisit our passion after 40 days of ‘fasting’.   We played non-stop for 12 hours!   So how was that Lenten practice experience?   Yes, it was painful and yes we suffered.   But at the end of Lent, what really changed?   We went right back to what we were doing beforehand! Did it matter?   Did we change at all? Did we grow at all? Did it really make any difference? There must be more about fasting, about giving up something, than just t...
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  Thursday after Ash Wednesday Gospel – Luke 9:22-25 Bearing Crosses! The Corner   Recently my sister Mary came for an extended visit.   2 Weeks!   Wow! I can’t remember the last time we were able to spend 2 weeks together, probably not since high school.    The days were filled with memories, laughter, quiet reflection, some tears and a bit of touristy adventures. At one point, we were all making dinner together – cube steaks, veggies and mashed potatoes.   My responsibility was the mashed potatoes.   And I screwed up!   I started plating the mash before everything else was ready.   And I got yelled at!   Don’t do that yet; they’ll get cold!   So as ‘punishment’, I heard THOSE words – go stand/sit in the corner and think about what you did!   Boy, talk about old memories!!   That was my ‘cross’ for the day!   We all have our crosses to bear!   Some are health-related; some deal with family relatio...
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