From Sister Anne Marie Schreiner, DC--Cursillo Spiritual Advisor

Lent 2010

Dear Sisters and Brothers,
May our Lord Fill you with His joy!

The season of Lent is upon us. The word Lent means springtime. Springtime is a time of newness and growth. So, for us, this is a time of newness and growth.

We think of pruning trees and bushes and start to picture flowers in an array of colors.

What is it in my life; right now, that needs pruning, cutting back to give way to new growth? What do I need to plant?

When Blessed Mother appeared at Fatima to 3 young children, she asked that they pray and do penance. Right away, the youngest, Francesco said he would give up school for his penance. Blessed Mother told him, “No, you must learn to read and write.”

Then, she added this advice, “The best penance, we can do, is to be faithful to the duties of our state in life.”

If married, then, the best penance is to be the best spouse, mother or father that we can be. If single, then, staying with good friends and doing what the single state allows. If one is in the religious life, as a priest, brother, or sister, to live most faithfully to the life of prayer and ministry that is called for in that life.

The grass is always greener on the other side. We can be tempted to do things that are not consistent with our state in life. Or we can do tempted to do too many good things, thus getting burned out and becoming good for nothing or no one.

This is the emptying, pruning, that brings forth an abundance of new growth. It may not “feel” good. But it can be harder than any other thing we can do because there isn’t the exceptional connected to it.

Thus, in this emptying, we can make way for the fruits of the Holy Spirit to blossom in an unlimited array of color.

De Colores

Sister Anne Marie Schreiner, D.C.

Spiritual Advisor