Dear Faith Family,

We are now 4 days into our change in eating habits. Chocolate companies are officially prepared for a decrease in sales in their most beloved products and fast food chains are now offering fish sandwiches at a discounted rate. Yes friends, it is indeed the first Sunday of Lent and our Lenten promises are now in full swing. I know like many of you, this is a go to Lenten sacrifice for me. There is something about 40 days of healthy eating that seems to be a wonderful benefit. While it is good to do this, every year I do ask myself, “why?”

Yes, it is proper to give up certain foods during this season and while the healthy result of this fast is indeed a good thing, sometimes we forget the reason why we give up the “good stuff” during Lent. It is in preparation for the glory of the Resurrection and also an opportunity to understand that all good things come from God.

In my mind, giving up certain foods or material pleasures aren’t a declaration that you are cleansing yourself from them, but rather, it is removing a thing from your life to replace with God, with the intent of creating more time and appreciation for our Creator. Hopefully at the end of our 40 days, we recognize that God is so great to allow humans the ability to provide and create these goods, allowing God’s imprint to be evident in all that we are surrounded by.

I know that it’s been said a million times, but the Lenten season is truly an opportunity to be with God further. And while giving up things can be very healthy, both spiritually and physically, we must remind ourselves to add an element to these 40 days that give us more intentional opportunity to be with God. Whether that is an increase in dedicated prayer at home, in the car, at the workplace or even an attempt to go to daily Mass, we must remember that this is not the season of taking away, but rather, a season of fasting, giving and prayer.

When we offer up the things we love to God, he cannot help but to smile. Our gifts of the world may seem so small compared to God, but I know our Father looks down on us with pride when we offer up these things to him.

​So, good luck this Lenten season! I can’t wait to be celebrating the Resurrection with all of you while holding a Twix bar and a Double Double.

God bless,

​Brett Becker
Youth and Young Adult Minister

Dear friends on the journey,
Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “change is the only constant in life.” But who likes change? I generally do not, unless it involves moving furniture! Change can often bring discomfort, fear and uncertainty. The thought of any of my kids or family moving away is gut wrenching. Anything that disturbs our daily comforts is overwhelming. On the other side of that same coin, change can bring us new people, adventures, experiences, joy and personal growth, both on the surface and deep down.

One constant change are the seasons. In the next few weeks spring will arrive, bringing a new earth, new light and new life. This Wednesday our liturgical season changes too. Lent begins our annual 40-day spiritual retreat, a time to reflect on our spiritual life and relationship with God. If done right, that reflection can lead to change, the positive kind, the kind that transforms our hearts and minds to be more like Jesus.

Jesus is constantly challenging us to change. To be his disciple means to shed our old ways and move closer to living the gospel values. Today’s readings are a perfect example of the radicalness of Christian discipleship. The readings are bookended by Lord telling the Israelite through Moses to “be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy” and Jesus telling his disciples (the apostles and us) to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” How can we possibly be holy and perfect? In Luke perfect is synonymous with merciful. Well, in the middle we’re given part of the formula:

Dear friends,

​Last October I had the opportunity of facilitating a Serra Seniors gathering on the “wisdom of seniors” and the following is a reflection on the experience.

In the bible, Job 12 says this: "Is wisdom with the aged, and understanding in length of days?" The question is rhetorical, because the answer was obvious: of course (or in today's lingo, "Duh!"). What was so obvious to other generations and other cultures has gotten lost in our generation and our culture. Older Americans have accepted the condescending and dismissive narrative that they are permanently in weekend mode, that now is the time for endless play and being entertained. Your services, your insight, your wisdom -- in short, you -- are no longer needed.  

But in almost every society, the elderly are revered and consulted for their wisdom. All the great thinkers like Aristotle in the west and Confucius urge consulting the elderly on how to live or what gives life meaning, Don't consult the young; they have not lived enough. When Jesus is praised by the crowd for speaking with authority (Mt 7), they were perhaps praising him for having wisdom beyond his years, as Jesus was praised as a 12-year-old (Lk 2) for having wisdom beyond his years.

Retired people don't have to be retired. They don't even have to be tired! Sometimes an old person is asked to tell her life story. The old person can also be asked to tell what she has learned about life by living. The old person can be consulted for his philosophy, not just for his biography.

Here's advice from a popular self-help book: "Be true to your word." You need to buy a book for that? Old people don't have to read self-help books; they can write them. Seniors don't have to be told what to do; they know. The goal is not to feel better, but to think better.

Wisdom cannot be reduced to little sayings. Those little sayings need explanation, examples, and support -- as well as warnings about when they should be ignored. Each of these little sayings is the beginning of an insight, not the insight itself. Here is a small sample of wisdom from seniors here at Padre Serra, with suggestions on how to continue the insights. 

• Don't judge. We must judge, and that's good. But don't condemn anyone.
• People are bad judges of themselves. We tend to excuse ourselves for what we don't let others get away with.
• Agree to disagree. Continue to disagree until together, after a long dialogue, we reach the truth together.
• Golden Rule: Treat others as you want to be treated. That's okay, so long as you do want is what you should want.
• Forgive and forget. Advising forgiveness is useless without explaining concretely how it's done.
• Have no regrets. Unless, of course, you did something bad, in which case absence of regrets is bad.
• Let go of what you cannot control. Often something we thought was outside our control isn't. We tend to think something is outside our control if doing it is hard         
• Be grateful. Keep a gratitude list; add 10 items a day for a month.

You don't have to be old to start systematically questioning your own beliefs -- not so that you will give them up, but so that you understand them.
 
That verse from Job we started with is followed immediately by this one: "With God are wisdom and strength; God has counsel and understanding." Any wisdom we have is a gift from God. Pray for wisdom. When God favors you with it, write it down. Consult God, not a self-help book. Here is the final piece of advice. Have a regular prayer time each day that cannot be interrupted by anything.

Dr. Janice Daurio

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