5 th March, 2006

First Sunday of Lent - Year B

S: Good morning - So we’ve begun Lent - our 40 day Journey towards Easter. It’s a time really where we’re called to reflect and renew ourselves and if needed to have a change of heart over some situation.

B: Yeah, it’s a time to warm up the cold hearts and to soften up the hard hearts. Our word of life comes from Mark’s Gospel, “Repent and believe the Good News”.

S: This phrase reminds me of a true story that I heard a while back. A priest I know who was working in Dublin used to visit two old ladies. They were sisters and one of them died. The sister who was left - her name was Annie - and she lived alone. One day she told the priest that she was moving into a Nursing Home and would he visit her. He said, “Of course I will Annie.” A few weeks later he kept his promise and visited Annie in the Nursing Home. She was huddled up in bed with a black shawl around her shoulders. The priest said, “How are you Annie?” - “Father” says she “I think I’m dying and I’m afraid”.

“What are you afraid of Annie?” asked the priest.

“I’m afraid of God,” says Annie. This flummoxed the priest - he didn’t know what to say. The reason being because he was wondering “Am I afraid of God as well?”

He recounted his meeting with Annie to a fellow priest whose opinion he respected and his fellow priest, after listening to the story, said to him “what a pity Annie never heard the Good News.” The Good News being that God loves us beyond our wildest dreams and there is no need to be afraid. I think it’s in this context that we repent and believe in the Good News.

B: Lent is also a time when we remember others less fortunate than ourselves and in a way, being good news to others. Fasting, almsgiving and prayer are the three things we can do during this time of Lent. We could all ensure that the Trocaire box is in a prominent place at home. Trocaire boxes are available from your local church or from Trocaire, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.

S: Before we go we’d like to let you know about a special Mass that is being broadcast this Sunday morning from the University Concert Hall in Limerick. It will be on RTE television at 11.15am. It takes place in conjunction with the festival of Church music that has been taking place at the Augustinian Church over the past few days. Worth watching!!

B: You’ve been listening to “Just a thought” with Brenda Cribbin…..

S: and Seamus Madigan. We can be contacted through the Limerick Diocesan Offices at 66 O’ Connell Street or by e-mailing smadigan@limerickdiocese.org. If you would like your own copy of this reflection you can download it by clicking on limerickdiocese.org

B: We look forward to your company again next week, so take care…..

S& B: Byee……….

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