The Daily Dose

Peace be with you.

If you’re anything like me, this sheltering in place might be starting to lose its luster. Working at home felt like a snow day for the first few weeks, but now I’m anxious to get back to “real life.” I feel like the world has slowed and for an extrovert, that’s not my favorite thing. I can feel myself getting antsy - ready to fly the coop. It feels like all this quiet time is going to my head!

But, while I’m chomping at the bit to get going, the Lord is issuing a beautiful invitation.

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“He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

Last week, I decided to give online dating another shot. I picked a website I hadn’t used before and created a profile. I vowed that this time it would be different from all my previous ventures. I vowed that I would be 100% myself, that I wouldn’t hide anything, and that I would resist the temptation to check it 10x a day.

Ha! Yeah, right. The fact is: online dating is hard. We’re all playing the game, but no one knows the rules.

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“The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

This Easter has been full of wonderful blessings and renewed life, but, for me, there have also been moments of great frustration. Someone near and dear to me is struggling to hope in God’s goodness. The hope that we find in the resurrection has been veiled to her and overshadowed by the current circumstances of life.

This someone that I love so much collects worries and fears like Easter eggs and can’t seem to see the blessings within the trials of life. And it’s hard.

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“It was impossible for Him to be held by it.”

He is RISEN!! Happy Easter!! We’ve waited a loooong 40 days for this time of rejoicing, and it’s a welcome gift to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Our first reading reminds us that it was impossible for Jesus to be held by the grave and that truth comes with a healthy dose of hope.

Even amidst this craziness with COVID 19, we can have hope that no matter what’s going on, Jesus isn’t held by death - and because He isn’t, neither are we.

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“I Thirst”

On a day like Good Friday, there’s little to say. So instead of my own words, I offer you a meditation written by Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta entitled, “I Thirst.” I pray it brings you closer to Him on this day when He so desires Your love.

“It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there: waiting for even the smallest signal of your response, even the smallest suggestion of an invitation…

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“He loved His own in the world and He loved them to the end.”

Back in February, I bought a new sweatshirt with the text, “Be Still” slathered across the front. Little did I know, the coronavirus would prompt a hefty amount of stillness this lent, which isn’t what I bargained for. Turns out, I wasn’t as ready to ‘be still’ as I thought. I’ve discovered that being still doesn’t come easily to me.

For me, being still is pretty uncomfortable. I’m a ‘do-er’ by nature, and I like that about myself.

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“[Judas] went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?’”

In today’s Gospel, we watch Judas gauge how much Jesus is worth to him. At some point, he must have decided the price he was willing to accept. At some point, he must have decided that 30 pieces of silver were worth more than the Lord. At some point, he started asking the question, “I forsake Jesus, what will I get in return?” And I’m convicted by it.

It turns out that I forsake Jesus all the time.

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“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and He will glorify Him at once.”

Jesus is remarkable. Truly. In the moment after Judas leaves and His fate is sealed, Jesus turns His attention to the glory of God. He turns away from the betrayal and into the gaze of the Father. Judas leaves to hand Jesus over, and Jesus is only concerned with the Father’s glory.

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“The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”

Last week, I bought a new candle to bring a little joy to my makeshift, at-home workspace. It smells so pleasant, and it fills the whole house with the scent. While it was lit last week, my roommate couldn’t help but comment on how good it smelled throughout the day, and one morning she walked in the room and snapped a pic of the label on the candle so she wouldn’t forget the name.

There’s something powerful about smell. And Mary knew it.

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“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and He heard my voice.”

Sisters, as soon as I read today’s psalm, I knew that God had given it to us for a reason. We are living through some crazy times right now, and God knows it. He’s not unaware or uninvolved or uninterested, and He knows that we need Him.

It’s tempting to panic and glue yourself to the news. But while you’re getting informed and staying informed, just don’t forget who wins the battles. Don’t forget the one who claims victory over the grave.

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“If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me.”

I’m in awe of Jesus’s humility in this gospel. “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me.” It’s all about the Father, and this scripture demonstrates Jesus’s perfect communion with the Father. Every glory was turned towards God. Every wonder was done in prayer and in communion with the Father. Jesus was in complete communion with the Father all the time.

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“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Well, sisters, it’s been a minute since you’ve heard from JOANIE. I was laid up in bed with a cold for two weeks, and then I (unintentionally) took my sweet time transitioning back into the real world. But we’re kicking back off in April! Sisters, I can’t lie, it’s been a tumultuous few weeks. Being at home 24/7 has thrown off my normal rhythms of life pretty dramatically.

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“Remember the marvels the Lord has done.”

Sisters, as I battle for my Lenten sacrifices and give myself over to the Lord again and again, I’m reminded to remember what I’m fighting for. I’m reminded to remember the marvels that God has done. I’m reminded to focus on who Jesus is - not just the box I put Him into, but the true Jesus.

He is the one, true, living God. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and the end. And He loves me. And He loves you.

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“He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream”

Often, Lent feels like a season in the desert with Jesus. For me, fasting isn’t very cozy or fun and as you know from yesterday’s post, I usually fail pretty quickly. But today’s first reading brings us hope.

The Lord says that a woman who trusts in the Lord and hopes in Him “is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream. I did a little research on trees in the desert.

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“Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.”

I have a confession. I have already failed at my Lenten sacrifices. Last week, I found myself making excuses and concocting lots of great ideas about why I should be lenient with myself. And when I failed. I felt like crap. So I pushed Jesus away.

I failed Him (so soon!), and so I hid. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, I hid. I hide my heart. I pushed Him away because I was ashamed of myself. I failed, and I wasn’t okay with it. But that is all about me.

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“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.”

A few months ago, I had the privilege of speaking to a room full of lively college students at the end of a retreat. It was awesome to watch so many vibrant, fun, holy men and women give their lives to Jesus. My talk was the last of the retreat, and I got to talk about what I’d do if I were them - how to leave this retreat and head back into the real world.

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“My soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn.”

Sentinel: a soldier or guard whose job is to stand and keep watch. Does my soul wait for the Lord more than a sentinel? Does it stand and keep watch? Truthfully, I don’t watch like that all the time - I don’t stand and keep watch with more fervor than a sentinel all the time, and I found myself asking why.

A sentinel watches because it’s his job. He stands and waits for the dawn because it’s his job to stand guard and watch.

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“How much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him.”

Last week, I had a tense moment with God, and He brought me to today’s Gospel. I was praying about an upcoming trip - trying to decide if I should go or not, and I couldn’t shake a heavy feeling about going. I was pushing to “make it work,” and I wanted to “make it happen” - and my spirit could tell. Finally, I realized that God was asking me to give the gift back to Him. I was offered a trip, and I immediately said yes.

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“A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.”

During Lent, the idea of a “steadfast spirit” always strikes a chord because Lent is really hard for me. Fasting is hard, and self-control doesn’t usually feel like my greatest strength. But, at the end of the day and despite my failings, I want a clean heart and a steadfast spirit. I want a clean heart - a heart unmarred by disappointment and frustration and anxiety and bitterness. I want a heart that trusts His goodness.

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“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Some of my friends are amazing at anticipating needs. When I’m having a bad day, they show up with flowers. When I’m struggling with accountability, they text. When I’m sick, they pop over with medicine. And I feel SO loved. When they know what I need before I even ask, I feel seen. And I forget that God anticipates my needs even better than my girlfriends do.

The Father sees me, and He knows what’s coming around every corner.

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