March 7, Tuesday, 2nd Week of Lent [“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:1–12] The call to service. The Christian identity is servant, disciple, humble follower. Greatness is seen in the acts of love, in being willing to serve the needs of others, as Jesus did. I remember when I was asked to do some charity work for our sick sisters. I was hesitant but in the end I accepted the task given me. It was not easy, but it was a humbling experience for me. I am not used to doing menial work for others but that was the call at the moment– to give service to those in need for the love of Christ.

March 6, Monday, 2nd Week of Lent [Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:36–38] When was the last time I felt merciful towards other people? Just recently, there is someone in the community who by just looking at her makes me uncomfortable, her lack of spirit and low energy is affecting me, thus I avoid her presence. But when I gaze at her without any judgment and impression, I feel sad for her… The Gospel today, Jesus is challenging me to go beyond my personal bias, to reach out and be merciful to my neighbors who are in need of love, attention, and care. Merciful Lord, fill my heart with your love and mercy so that I too, may become merciful and loving to others. Amen.

March 5, 2nd Sunday of Lent We recall that prior to the Transfiguration, Jesus taught His disciples that He would have to suffer and die and that they must also follow in His footsteps. His Transfiguration happened to strengthen his apostles. He showed Himself, His glory to give them courage as they begin to experience hardships following Jesus Christ. O Lord, help me to always keep my eyes on You and may the image of Your Transfiguration strengthen me when I’m tempted to despair. I also pray in a special way for the many people who are experiencing difficulties at this time, that they may find solace and consolation in You Lord. Send generous people to help them. Amen

March 4, Saturday, 1st Week of Lent [“But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” Matthew 5:43–48] Jesus is commanding me to love everyone including those whom I dislike, those who tempt me to annoyance and anger, those who offended me, those who have hurt me. To love them and to see them as God’s beloved children like me. Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us to the end. Grant me the eyes to see all people as You see them and to love them as You love them. Increase my love for You and for others. Amen

March 3, Friday, 1st Week of Lent […If you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire… first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift…. Matthew 5:20-26] I have one particular ‘someone significant’ whom I find her words too strong and harsh plus her glaring eyes when she speaks! Many times I am offended by her words but the problem is… I just don’t know how to approach her to speak honestly about how I feel. At the end of the day, it is me who suffered, not her. Today’s Gospel, the Lord is challenging me to be reconciled with my sister or brother, to re-establish a true friendship again and again, putting behind my grievance and to start anew. This is not easy, it takes both people to cooperate but for my part, I am challenged to work hard to establish a reconciliation… Lord, grant me the humility to ask forgiveness of anyone I upset.

March 2, Thursday, 1st Week of Lent [‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you…’ Matthew 7:7:12] Jesus is simply saying that God listens to our prayers! Yes this is true, I can attest to that. There are many answered prayers I received from the Lord. I recount the many intentions and favors that I asked the Lord and was given to me generously. Thank you Lord for all the love you have given me!

March 1, Mortification is the virtue that makes saints, and you cannot become a saint without it. It was by dint of dying to themselves each day, that the saints sanctified themselves. (Predication aux Servantes du Saint-Sacrement 72,1)

February 28, Tuesday, 1st Week of Lent […for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 'Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven… Matthew 6:7-15] At this moment, I am having some difficulties in praying. Yes I may be physically present before the Blessed Sacrament but my mind is wandering around. I daydream, I think of many things and before I know it, my time is up! I leave the chapel and go on with the motion of life. It is routinary! The Gospel today is inviting me to be still for a few moments and try the prayer that Jesus offers here, the Our Father, praying it slowly, or just be still and silent in the Lord’s presence. Prayer is a time of relaxing and soaking myself with the mystery of God’s love, letting go of my tensions and worries for this period of time… Lord Jesus, teach me how to pray!

February 27, Monday, 1st Week of Lent [“Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” Matthew 25:31-46]] When was the last time I truly cared for my brothers or sisters who are in dire need? Lord grant me the generosity and grace to reach out to my brothers and sisters who need my help, Amen.

February 26, First Sunday of Lent Jesus was not spared from any temptations and he didn’t give in. Satan was lost! Jesus knows how it was to be tempted. And so our Lord does not leave us alone in the midst of our daily temptations. Rather, He always sends us His angels to minister to us and to help us defeat this cunning enemy. This truth gives me the confidence that God is with me in times of temptation ready to help me out. My greatest temptation as of now; temptation of the flesh, pleasure and comfort. I also struggle with my over-sensitivity, self-righteousness, and dishonesty… Help me Lord, to turn to You with my daily struggles and temptations in life so that You will be victorious in me. Amen.

February 25, Saturday After Ash Wednesday [Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Luke 5:27–32] Levi must have seen ‘something’ in Jesus that made him follow the Lord considering that he had a good life. He made good money and had steady employment as a tax collector. But in an instant, he gave that all up to follow Jesus, and his life immediately changed for the good. In one way or another, I can relate to Levi when I heard the call of Jesus. I, too, with no second thoughts, I left my promising and stable work to follow my call. When I officially entered religious life, I realized that following Christ is not just leaving my work, my family and friends. Following Christ is actually a daily challenge in and through community life. It is never easy to live in the community but what keeps me going on is my conviction that it is Jesus who called me to follow him.

February 24, Friday after Ash Wednesday [“The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:14-15] Appetites and fleshly desires can easily cloud our thinking and keep us from desiring God and His will. Therefore, in order to curb one’s disordered appetites, it is useful to mortify them by acts of self-denial, such as fasting… What will be my fasting for this season of lent?

February 23, Thursday after Ash Wednesday [Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. Luke 9:22-25] It’s the second day of Lent and Jesus is inviting me to deny myself and to carry my cross daily as I follow Him. To deny myself is to restrain myself from my inordinate attachments and to regulate my passions. It is a call for a deeper fasting so that I can focus more in strengthening my relationship with my God…

February 22, Ash Wednesday [But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Matthew 6:1-6,16-18] Many times I caught myself questioning the power of my prayers especially when it feels like the waiting for an answer is too long. I couldn’t help but wonder; does my prayer really work? Without me realizing, I am making my God as a ginnie (making my wishes come true), what a shame on my part. Prayer, of course, is much more than asking, or saying any prayers. Prayer is ultimately my personal encounter, my personal relationship with God. It is an opening of my being to God’s life… As I begin my journey of this Lenten Season, I pray to you O Lord for the grace of prayer. Draw me near to You, so that I may come to know You more. May I always be aware of Your divine presence, dwelling deep within me, calling me to Yourself. Amen.

February 22 – (Chair of Peter) Let us stand firm in the faith, in the bark of Peter, the one who moves away is lost, he is lost like a soldier, who in the battlefield moves away from his fellow soldiers. (Predication aux Servantes du Saint-Sacrement 67,4)

February 21, Tuesday, 7th Week in the Ordinary Time [“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Mark 9:30-37] Jesus teaches what it means to serve. What motivates me in giving service to others? Do I seek honor and glory for myself, or do I seek to serve? What is something I can do this week to serve others?

February 20, Monday, 7th Week in the Ordinary Time [‘Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out… Mark 9:14-20] I love this scene; a father who brought his possessed son to be healed by Jesus Christ. I can imagine how the father must have felt pain to see his son tormented by an evil for such a long time, thus when opportunity came, he approached Jesus for his son’s healing. I pray for the many parents who really work hard to provide for their children. May their efforts to raise their children as christian parents will be blessed by the Lord. Amen.

February 20, Monday, 7th Week in the Ordinary Time [‘Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out… Mark 9:14-20] I love this scene; a father who brought his possessed son to be healed by Jesus Christ. I can imagine how the father must have felt pain to see his son tormented by an evil for such a long time, thus when opportunity came, he approached Jesus for his son’s healing. I pray for the many parents who really work hard to provide for their children. May their efforts to raise their children as christian parents will be blessed by the Lord. Amen.

February 19, Love is not an act of zeal, an isolated act of virtue; love is a life – just as it was the human and divine life of Jesus Christ. (GRR, March 25, On the Love of God in the Incarnation, pp. 267-268 )

February 18 - “…the deeper the roots, the stronger the tree. Here I am Lord; burn, cut, strip, humiliate; give me but your love and your grace for today. Your Cross with poverty for tomorrow, provided You let me be the footstool of the most Scared Host.” (GRR, March 21, 1st Meditation)