Recently we celebrated the summer solstice. This is the day each year when we have the most light of the year. It is one of my favorite days. I love the extra light and the longer days.

In the spiritual life, I find summer solstice to be a paradox. 

This summer, I have been interning in the pastoral care department of a local hospital, and among the first tasks in my daily routine is to print a list of patients in my unit. Beside the name of each patient is listed information such as their room number, birth date, diagnosis, etc. When I looked at the chart for the first time a few weeks ago, I was somewhat overwhelmed by the number of names on the list: all the information seemed to blur together into a mass of impersonal data.

Anna is now 86 years old. For years she volunteered as a Bible Study teacher at her small country parish. And she loved it. Now, at 86, her eyes have begun to diminish.

This hasn’t deterred Anna from serving the Lord. As she put it, “After all He has done for me.” She added. “I’ll just look around until I find something else that fits!” And Anna did just that. She found her “What’s next!”

The motto for our Oblate Congregation comes from Chapter 3, verse 4 of the Song of Songs: tenui nec dimittam: “I have hold of you and I will not let you go!”

The Song of Songs, one of the shortest books in the Bible, was one of Francis de Sales’s favorites. As Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has reminded us, scripture scholars believe that before it became sacred scripture, this short work was initially a series of love songs that were sung at Jewish weddings.

Last Sunday a woman came to Mass wearing a T-shirt with the words: “Kindness is my superpower.” It was very fitting given Jesus’ command in Sunday’s Gospel: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” Notice that the command is to love as he has loved us. How did Jesus love? 1. He loved sacrificially. He laid down his life for his friends.

On Easter Sunday, we walk with Mary Magdalene to the tomb where she is the first to witness the risen Lord. She is the “apostle to the apostles” as she is entrusted to take that message to them. The second Sunday of Easter it is Thomas who is our guide. Forever known as the “doubter,” Jesus encounters him in his doubt and leads him to the most profound affirmation of who Jesus is, “My Lord and my God.”

In the wake of Jesus' crucifixion and death, the apostles were locked away together in fear. They were afraid that they might suffer the same fate as their teacher. Despite their anxious seclusion, Jesus breaks into their lives- not merely into the physical space in which they were taking refuge. Jesus also breaks into the core of their minds and hearts. Jesus attempts to calm their fears. 

On a recent visit home, I had the opportunity of taking a walk to the seashore with my younger brother after Sunday morning Mass. As it was low tide, we were able to observe many forms of life emerging from between the rocks as the waters receded.

Ninety-two-year-old Sr. Matilda looked up at me and asked: “Do you think the Easter season is celebrated with as much joy and energy in heaven as it is here on this earth?” Before I could reply, she answered with absolute surety, “It sure is!” When we consider Sister’s question, it does contain terrific insight. Why? For Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity has accomplished His mission. 

It took me quite a while to let go of the conviction that Easter, not Christmas, was the preeminent event of our Christian faith. For a long time, I clung stubbornly to my fond childhood memories of Christmas: family gatherings, gifts, decorations, special foods and that pervasive atmosphere of good will, joy and peace. I almost forgot: and no school! Christmas, I thought, must be first!

Holy Thursday is next week. Lent ends with the celebration of the Holy Thursday Evening Mass. The Triduum, the Great Three Days, begins, that bridge connecting Lent with the Easter Season. We will hear the Lord’s Passion proclaimed next week, from Luke on “Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion” and from John on Good Friday.

St. Francis de Sales loved what he called the little virtues, and humility and gentleness were his two favorite. Francis says that humility is a vertical virtue because it defines our relationship with God. God is creator and we are creatures. God is God and we are beloved sons and daughters. For those who long for control in life, this can be a hard lesson to learn.

If you ask people the question, “What is the worst thing that can happen to the human heart?”, many folks will almost instinctively respond by answering, “When it breaks.”

However painful a broken heart may be, a heart capable of being broken is nonetheless a heart that is alive, capable of feeling any number of emotions. In the event, there is something much, much worse than a broken heart — that is, a hardened heart.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy Holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
(Bl. Louis Brisson, OSFS, Cor Ad Cor, March 5-18)

Throughout the season of Lent, this refrain is spoken in churches around the world, from the humblest to the most grandiose, as the faithful gather to celebrate the devotion of the Way of the Cross.

Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her. He said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

-John 19:26-27

During the forty days of Lent we journey with Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem and his saving death on the Cross for each of us. During this holy season, let us heed the advice of St. Francis de Sales never to see this as just another Lent. If we do approach this Lent as just another Lent, we run the risk of not approaching it with the spiritual energy, seriousness and attention that it deserves.

I was recently hospitalized for an abdominal issue. Thanks be to God, I am on the mend. My experience led me to reflect on St. Francis de Sales’ words: “Do not look forward to what might happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day.” My translation is: “Live each “now” to the best of your ability and trust in God.”