What are you looking for? Jesus asks Andrew and another disciple that very question (John 1:36). Now John had just explained that Jesus is the promised Lamb of God but all of this was very new to the disciples and even more so for the crowds beginning to gather anytime Jesus preached. He is still asking us this foundational question. Who are you looking for? Very often that who is replaced by a what in our society. What drug will make you feel better? What porn will satisfy you? What amount of money will provide you with all of the things you desire? What food, car, clothes, house, star or idol will bring you what you need? Well the easy answer is none of the above. It might be why so many of us are aimlessly searching. We search for a painless life, free of trouble, hurt, and obligation. As you work your way through the Lenten journey, spend some time thinking about the question that Jesus is asking. Who are you looking for? If it is Jesus, the path is also simple. Kneel and pray right where you are are. Spend some time in His presence. Share your worries, problems, and desires with Jesus. Remember that God will never be outdone in charity. Spend some time talking with Jesus about filling your heart with mercy and love. Look for the joy in life. Set aside time in your schedule to reflect and relax. Don't allow excuses to keep you from what you truly need. A relationship with God. If you do that, your need for created things will become indifferent. The importance of God in your life will replace it and with that will come peace. I pray that you continue to use the examination method of St. Ignatius as we look anxiously to Easter Sunday.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...