S14 E9 - A Time of Renewal (Lent Week 4: Filling Up the Sufferings of Christ)

In this week's episode, we continue our Lenten study on the book “A Time of Renewal” and focus on the theme of “filling up the sufferings of Christ”. We reflect on the connection between repentance and love, recognizing how they complement each other, and the beauty of repentance as an intimate act of drawing nearer to God. We share our own struggles during this Lenten season, how others have helped keep us accountable, and the importance of helping others grow in holiness. Lastly, we chat about the significance of renouncing falsehoods about ourselves and embracing the truth about our identity that can only be found in God.

Heather’s One Thing -The song Jesus is My Healer by Gateway Worship 

Sister Miriam’s On Thing - Andrew Laubacher and his organization called Humanality

Michelle’s One Thing - Fr. Mark Mary CFR new book The Father: 30 Meditations to Draw You Into the Heart of God

Journal Questions:

• Where is the ease of the Lord in my life?
• How can I turn back to the Lord in moments of hardship this Lent?
• In the people I struggle with most, how do I encounter the image of God in them?
• In my own self-righteousness, from whom do I withhold the kingdom of God?

Discussion Questions:

• Do you perceive repentance as an opportunity for intimacy or a response to punishment?
• How can you more urgently respond to God’s invitation of love?
• What accountability can you incorporate to be steadfast to your Lenten promises?
• How can you invite a culture of redemption into your life?

Quote to Ponder:

“Our joy must be in him, where alone things have permanent depth and even eternality. The more earnestly we live our Lent, the more will we be finding our joy in Jesus.” (Mother Mary Francis P.C.C. A Time of Renewal. Kindle Edition. Page 148)

Scripture for Lectio: 

“He delivered us from the dominion of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son.”  (Colossians 1:13)

Sponsor - Mary’s Meals:

Mary’s Meals sets up community-run school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities, where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education. The idea is a simple one that works. Mary’s Meals provides one daily meal in a place of learning to attract chronically poor children into the classroom, where they receive an education that can, in the future, be their ladder out of poverty.

Bringing hope to hungry children around the world, their mission is to enable people to offer their money, goods, skills, time, or prayer, and through this involvement, provide the most effective help to those suffering the effects of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest Communities.

Today, Mary’s Meals is providing more than 2.4 million children with a daily school meal across five continents. But the need is great! The appalling reality is that there are still 73 million children living in extreme poverty in need of school feeding. Please help to reach the next hungry child waiting for Mary’s Meals.

To get involved or learn more visit marysmeals.ca in Canada or marysmealsusa.org in the USA.