The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made grow every tree that was delightful to look at and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.    Genesis 2:8–9

Genesis tells us that when God created the world, all was perfect. There was harmony with creation, between the first humans, within themselves, and with God. As part of this order, every living creation always acted in accordance with God’s will.

When God had the world as he wanted, there was only one rule for the first humans: do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Every other tree could be enjoyed. God did not want to keep good things from human beings but wanted them to enjoy his creation.

Thank God today that he is a good God who invites you to enjoy his creation.

 This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

As we move into the first full week of Lent, responding to the call to turn back to the Lord with prayer and fasting, we examine times when God appears to say no to things that seem good. On these occasions, it can sometimes seem that God wills or wants a bad thing for us or is not powerful enough to make what we want happen. What is our response to this? How do we turn and trust the Lord?

This first week of Lent, we will be looking at this mystery through the second creation story, of Adam and Eve and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There we will see how even when God says no, there is a much richer yes yet to be revealed.

Today, ask for the grace to be more open to receiving and responding to God’s will in your life in a positive and life-giving way.

 This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Psalm 86

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Incline your ear, O Lord; answer me, for I am afflicted and poor.

Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to you I call all the day.

Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.

Hearken, O Lord, to my prayer

and attend to the sound of my pleading.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Then the Lord grew jealous for his land and took pity on his people.
Joel 2:18

The Israelites are facing a catastrophe because they have no food and an enemy is threatening them. They know they have ignored God, yet through the prophet Joel, the Lord encourages his people to fast and pray. Joel says it is not too late to seek the Lord, and he tells them to not just go through the outward motions of repentance and spiritual renewal but to truly change their hearts. He tells them to gather together as a community in prayer and to trust in God’s mercy.

The second chapter of Joel tells us that God took pity on his people as a result of their communal fasting and prayer. He sent grain, new wine, and oil to satisfy their need for food. He protected them from the enemy to their north. Their fasting and prayer made a difference.

Prayer and fasting change outcomes. They invite God’s mercy and intervention. It is a mystery we will never fully understand, but it is a truth repeated in scripture over and over again.

Pray today for the grace to believe that your prayer and fasting make a difference in your life and in the world.

 This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Gather the people, sanctify the congregation; Assemble the elderly; gather the children, even infants nursing at the breast; Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her bridal tent.  Joel 2:16

Through the prophet Joel, the Lord tells the people to repent and turn back to him, even if only as an act of desperation. While every person must choose to repent, it is meant to be a communal act: including the nursing children to the elderly. So urgent is the need for repentance that even couples preparing to marry should stop what they are doing and join in the fasting and prayer.

Ask God to show you today how your Lenten journey can be taken with others. Perhaps God is encouraging you to gather your family for prayer on a daily or weekly basis. Perhaps it means going to daily Mass and connecting with the people there. Ask God to show you how he wants you to grow with others this Lent.

 This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Yet even now—oracle of the Lord—return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God, For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind a blessing,
Joel 2:12–14

The prophet Joel is speaking to a people who are suffering greatly. Their survival depends on agriculture, so when they suffer a great locust infestation that brings the destruction of their crops, the people are deeply distressed. But things get even worse for the Israelites as a powerful enemy from the north threatens to destroy them.

The situation is bad, yet the people feel they can’t turn to God because they have rejected him for so long. Joel assuages those fears, assuring them that God is merciful.

God is gracious and slow to anger, but we never know for certain what God is going to do. Perhaps God will relent, perhaps not. But we do know with certainty his character. Our task is to fast and pray, to give and serve. Our task is to trust in the Lord, even when his actions don’t make sense to us.

Pray that during this Lent you will return to the Lord with your whole heart and grow in greater trust of God’s character, especially his mercy and kindness to you.

This reflection from Messages of Trust for Lent, originally published by Ave Maria Press, was reprinted with permission of the authors, Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran. For more parish resources, visit https://www.rebuiltparish.com/.

Responsorial psalms are excerpted from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Other scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran offer Messages of Trust for Lent. The brief, three-minute, scripture-based reflections, to pray with from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday, offer practical, everyday wisdom that will allow you to see the power of trusting God in all circumstances. Be ready to welcome the joy of Easter morning.