And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

Luke 1: 36-38

Here are the complete readings for Tuesday, March 25, 2025

(“Annunciation-Homeless Mary and Angel Gabriel” by Nicole Dixon)

The story of the Annunciation reveals to us that we can be afraid and uncertain but still show up and be ready. God does not ask us to deny our emotions, including our fears. Look at the painting above. Mary is frightened, both from her life circumstances and from her luminous visitor, but she looks towards and not away from the angel who reminds her that God is also present. The reality for Mary is that something new is happening, and she does not know exactly what, but she knows it will change her. She has a choice, and she chooses what is consistent with her authentic self. Can we think about what might be something new before us that is transformative for our lives, and why this possibility frightens us so much? How can we take time each day to give thanks that we ourselves are full of grace?

Be patient, therefore, with yourself and with God.
If you allow yourself
to be formed by God
through the common,
ordinary,
unspectacular
flow of everyday life,
you will gradually experience
a liberation and a freedom
never before imagined.
Stand ready to answer
when asked
if you are available for God
to become more present in your life
and through you to the world
Like Mary,
may you willingly respond:
Let what you have said be done to me!

 – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, you are the giver of life and new beginnings. Wherever and however we may be in this life, help us understand that our most courageous act may be a very ordinary one, which is to turn and return to who we are and who you call us to be. Thank you for the blessings bestowed by the people who have had the courage to let their inner goodness to shine and given us a path back towards You. Help us share this joyful encounter of You with others so that they may become neighbors and not strangers.

Amen

“My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.“

Luke 15: 31-32

Here are the complete readings for Saturday, March 22, 2025

(“The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt Van Rijn)

This parable is so rich in symbolism. A young person loses his innocence and encounters corruption and isolation through his bad choices. However, he does not realize how far he has fallen into he finds himself literally covered in mud and feces, taking care of the pigs who, in the Jewish tradition, are considered unclean animals. When he comes home his father’s embrace of forgiveness transforms the young person back into his true form, with the father using the language of death and resurrection for emphasis on the son returning to his graced self. This is a timeless reminder about the radically forgiving nature of God, and the power of repentance for human beings. Still, part of me doesn’t think Jesus was trying to get his audience to identify primarily with either the father or the lost son. I believe the words in the parable challenge us to put ourselves in the place of the older son, who cannot be faulted at his disbelief at what has unfolded. But when he turns away from his father and brother, that is where the trouble starts. The older brother fails to realize that this moment has nothing to do with him, and that he has nothing to fear. He is connected and loved, and the worst thing he can do is to sever that connection with self-righteous anger. During this Lent, let us consider our moments when we are tempted to let disappointment and frustration become something else that closes the door on our relationships and encounters.

It is through your life of gospel witness
lived in community with others
that God desires to manifest
care and compassionate love
to those who are separated and estranged,
not only from their neighbors,
but also from their own uniqueness;
to those who suffer
from want, neglect, and injustice:
the poor, the weak, and the oppressed
of this world.
They too are called
to experience,
express,
and share
the love of God with the world
through their own giftedness. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, sometimes I find it easier to be upset with others than to be happy for them. When this happens, awaken my mind and heart to what is really troubling me. Give me the prudence to reflect on my encounters each day and to see my challenges and blessings for what they really are, not for what I think they should be. I am grateful for the awkward moments and disappointments in life along with my earthly triumphs, for no matter what happens, you invite me to return to my authentic self, whom you have created as good.

Amen

Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons,
for he was the child of his old age;
and he had made him a long tunic.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons,
they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.

One day, when his brothers had gone
to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem,
Israel said to Joseph,
“Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem.
Get ready; I will send you to them.”

So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan.
They noticed him from a distance,
and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him.
They said to one another: “Here comes that master dreamer!
Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here;
we could say that a wild beast devoured him.
We shall then see what comes of his dreams.”

Genesis 37: 3-4; 12-20

Here are the complete readings for Friday, March 21, 2025

(“Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors” by Selma Hurwitz)

Admit it, Joseph of the Technicolor Dreamcoat could be a spoiled brat. His brothers had every right to be upset with him and their father Jacob, for the shameless favoritism and the way Joseph flaunted his status in front of them while they were out working to make a living. Here is a question-all of us have been the position of the brothers. So what do we do with our righteous anger so that it does not fester into corrosive envy or violent rage? How can we reflect on the source of our anger? How shall we then act to correct an injustice, but equally difficult, how shall we process the possibility that our discontent is revealing something deeper within that troubles us? During this season of Lent, consider how we can take our quiet moments to own our anger and accept that this what we are feeling, without judgment. Some may pray for patience. Others ask for clarity. Then, how do we turn towards, rather than away from the source of what is wounding us?

Friend,
I give you a new commandment:
Love one another.
Just as I have loved you,
you also must love one another.
By this love you have for one another,
everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Your life with your brothers and sisters,
centered on the word and worship of God,
is a sharing
in the memory of Christ.
You are called
to be of one heart and one mind with them
so that you can participate
in the building up of the reign of God. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, you do not ask, but command us to love one another. Give us the courage to pursue peace that is rooted in justice, and the honesty to know the difference between wanting to right a wrong and demanding satisfaction or vengeance. God, we thank you for the gift of our feelings and emotions. They remind us of the how powerful you have made us. On this day, may we direct our actions, even when they require conflict, to see the heart in our neighbors and be true to the heart you have blessed us with and which gives us life.

Amen

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.

Jeremiah 17: 7-10

Here are the complete readings for Thursday, March 20, 2025

(“The Rich Man and Lazarus” by James Janknegt)

The rich man in Jesus’ parable does not come across as very sympathetic. Do we feel a sense of poetic justice at the fate of this man compared to that of Lazarus? Or do we feel sorry for the man, not only for his destiny, but on how unhappy he must have been while alive in his palatial home? Did anything in his heart stir to indicate that he was empty on the inside? If we cannot open ourselves up to seeing our true poverty and need for interdependence, then it is impossible for us to develop any real sense of trust. If we cannot trust, then we will keep all our relationships at arms’ length. Like Jesus, Jeremiah reminds us of the need to trust, especially when we are feeling the most vulnerable. Like the tree standing strong in the drought, can we develop the roots to support us when we feel alone or not invited to the table?

You have promised
to follow Christ, the poor man,
totally given in love to God
and for all people everywhere,
and whose loving obedience led Him
to death on the cross. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, I want to trust you but I am afraid. The conditions in which I find myself make me anxious and uneasy. There is so much I want clarified. God, when this happens, help me to remember to stop making everything about me. Remind me that I have everything I need by simply being here today, and that you are here with me. Help me enjoy the present moment, and cherish it as a gift.

Amen

For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations…

Romans 4:16-18

Here are the complete readings for Wednesday, March 19, 2025

(“St. Joseph-‘Nativity of Christ'” by Giotto)

St. Paul challenges us to not be afraid to believe. Why be afraid? Because we dread the disappointment that comes from believing in someone or something and having our expectations dashed. This hurts, and we naturally try to avoid this letdown by not allowing ourselves to be open at all. We say “no” without even saying anything. Today, Paul encourages us to be courageous in the face of the unknown, just as St. Joseph was when all of his options seemed to be bad. As we think about what or who we put our faith in, can we say yes to falling in love, in spite of the sting that can come from making ourselves open to failure or rejection? Can we accept those difficult realities with the confidence that we are still loved and cherished, always? Can we believe it?

You have responded to the invitation:
Come follow me.
Day by day
you will need to renew your response.
Do not become discouraged
over the difficulties you encounter
in your life of gospel service.
Knowing that difficulties would be your share,
your Founder judged:
that nothing special is achieved
without much labor, effort and zeal. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, in our moments of doubt and indecision, we pray you give us the comfort of your presence. We are grateful that we are free to make decisions about belief or unbelief, and that you never leave our side, even if we choose not to embrace you and your grace. Thank you for the gift of each new hour in our lives that gives us the chance to say “yes” to your voice.

Amen

Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.

Isaiah 1: 16-18

Here are the complete readings for Tuesday, March 18, 2025

(“The Ancient of Days” by William Blake)

Learn to do good. That sentence gives me hope. God has confidence that we are capable of growth and wisdom to turn in a direction of service and compassion. In both Isaiah and in the Gospel, we are called to embrace a radical humility that frees us, especially from the weight of guilt or shame. How can we recognize when we get in our own way through illusions that we create for ourselves about our priorities? What are the moments of the day that allow us to do some short but meaningful reflection about where we are, and who we are, to ourselves and the people we encounter? At the end of each day, this day, how much have we learned?

In calling you
God too was completely free.
Your Founder,
Theodore James Ryken,
was most conscious of this,
since he wrote about his own vocation:
God is not obliged
to give an account to anybody,
even if God wants to use a sinner. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, help us appreciate humility as a gift and not a sacrifice. Thank you for giving us a new day to turn towards you and away from that which separates us from love and relationships. Thank you for the small moments in the day that give us clarity and direction, and for the people who encourage us to choose what is good. We are grateful for the exalted servant leaders in our midst, who remove barriers and bring us closer together. May we also accept that we have a calling, and pursue it each day.

Amen

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.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Luke 6:36-38

Here are the complete readings for Monday, March 17, 2025

(“Christ and the Woman Caught in Adultery” by Lucas Cranach the Younger)

This teaching makes so much sense and is so difficult to follow. Judging others is so woven into our culture that it must be unlearned. How can we be aware of where we are in this journey of unlearning our way of relating to other people? How can we be good to ourselves while we do this? Just as we learn to approach others by being fully present and without bias, consider how each day we can learn not to judge ourselves as unworthy. Is Jesus trying to tell us that the only true way we can avoid judging others is to accept that we ourselves are fundamentally loved and worthy of being loved?

Listen to your brothers and sisters,
be compassionate with them in their difficulties,
bear with them in their weaknesses,
encourage and support them.
Affirm your brothers and sisters in their gifts,
for by doing so you enable them to realize the gifts that God has given them
for service. – The Fundamental Principles of the Xaverian Brothers

God, you love us just as we are. May we learn to accept our own giftedness a little better each day. We are grateful for the measure you have provided us. Your grace is overflowing. Help us share this gift that you have given to us.

Amen