by Teresa Monaghen
Christmas is just past and we are already moving on to Lent! I am a bit miffed. I have not even had time to open and appreciate all my gifts from Christmas (spiritual and material) let alone get ready for the arduous forty days of Lent! I must remember thata the Feast of our Lady of Trust always comes the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and this Novena is meant ot help us journey with trust into a new and holy season. Lady of Trust help us "ready up" our interior rooms for Lent!
The first thing Mary invites me to do is to ponder the past, that is, hold in my heart the gifts and treasures of the Christmas weeks gone by and pay attention to the gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Invariably there are one or two gifts that have gone unnoticed. I think of the times we have opened gifts at our Center where packages got moved behind the tree or hidden by clouds of Christmas paper floating all over the floor. One year I accidentally threw a few gifts away because I was not paying attention! When I ponder on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I feel that the same phenomena happens. Very often I miss the gift! I miss the inner strength, light and graces that the Spirit through Baptism has given me and wants me to use. I act as a pauper when in reality I am heir to the Kingdom. I am the adopted daughter of the Father and have a share in the great patrimony of my heavenly Father yet I act like an orphan with no place to live and nothing to sustain me.
Dear Mary,
The Holy Spirit hovered over you and poured into you gifts of abundance. Teach us to open our hearts to receive the marvelous light the Lord wishes to shine on us and within us for our world. The light of Christ, shining in us, brings serenity and peace to a dark and troubled place. May we keep our eyes pealed on Him, giver of all good gifts, giver of strength, especially the gift of availability to the needs of others. Give us trust to live a full and holy Lent following in the footsteps of Jesus.
Woman, centered in God, pray for us. Amen.
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