A Reflection on the Psalm for April 4th, 2021:
The Solemnity of Easter Sunday

Psalm 118

R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever. Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 

R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

“The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.” I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. 

R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 

R. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

A Reflection on the First Reading for April 4th, 2021:
The Solemnity of Easter Sunday

ACTS
10:34, 37-43

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

I asked the Ora writers how they're moving closer to God in this season of stripping away worldly things so we can obtain the things of eternity. We'd love to hear in the comments section how you're Lenting this year!


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1. What's your Lenten focus for this year (prayer, fasting, almsgiving)?

I would say I gave a heavier weight to prayer and fasting this year.

2. How are you implementing your penance? 

By no coincidence, approximately one month before Lent began, I went to confession and received the penance of one week of silent prayer for 20 minutes each day (and yes, this is absolutely because I sin a LOT). My heart was so convicted in that moment, I immediately began my penance, and found myself unable to stop after the week had been completed. So, I just kept continuing on this way throughout Lent and also added bedtime Rosary prayer for intercession. I'm also fasting from one meal on Wednesdays and Fridays for the same intentions I'm interceeding for in my Rosary prayer.

3. Generally speaking, what is your favourite way to pray?

It seems the Church has given us so much variety in this respect, it's almost embarassing to say how difficult it is for me to cultivate a consistent prayer habit. I really do love praying in all the ways, but praying over another person aloud is probably my current favourite. Maybe it's because during this Covid-y year of fasting from touching one another, I'm feeling the vacancy of the laying on of hands when we intercede for our brothers and sisters. Or, maybe it's because God has worked wonders before my very eyes so many times when two or more gather in His name in this way. Whatever the reason, I can't wait for this to be an acceptable form of conduct again so we can pray over one another all over the place!




Lori MacDonald - Ora Ministry
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A Reflection on the Gospel for March 28th, 2021:
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

Mark
15.1-39 (shorter)
(For the longer version, please see the print edition of Living with Christ.)

As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his Cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You would destroy the temple and build it in three days; save yourself, and come down from the Cross!” In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the Cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”