Lent

Lent at UIW – An Introduction

From February 26 to April 9, we will enter into a special time of the liturgical year known as Lent. In other words, from Ash Wednesday to the day before Easter Sunday, we will be invited to devote ourselves to seek the Lord in prayer (especially by reading Scriptures), service (especially through almsgiving), and sacrifice (especially fasting).

In the past, the office of Mission and Ministry has endeavored to mark this Holy Season with various activities. This year I have invited high-level administration, faculty and staff, and students to help us link our Catholic identity and the celebration of this Holy Season with our own identity as the University of the Incarnate Word.

For that reason, our President, our Provost, and those deans who responded to my invitation will share with us their thoughts and reflections based on the Lenten Sunday Gospels on the University’s website and in The Word Today. As leaders of our institution and as role models, they will invite us to see how the Word transforms our world, both here at UIW and beyond. 

At the same time, some of our faculty and staff will lead us in short reflections every Lenten Friday at the end of Mass as we are sent forth. In a two- to three-minute format, they will inspire us, challenge us, and show us how the Word is alive and acting in their own areas of influence and how the Word can act in ours.

Finally, some of our faculty and students will invite us to learn how their specific religious traditions understand and promote peace and reconciliation through short, written reflections, which will be published in The Word Today. The overall purpose of these activities will be to promote inclusion, to engage in ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, and to refine and deepen our understanding and commitment of our Catholic tradition to further peace and reconciliation.

It is my sincere hope and prayer that these Lenten exercises allow our entire university community to grow in knowledge and in wisdom with regards to our Catholic identity and the ways in which we can make the Word change our entire world.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Sr. Walter Maher, CCVI
Vice President
Office of Mission and Ministry
ministry@uiwtx.edu

Download a printable copy of Sr. Walter's introduction (PDF).

Ash Wednesday — Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Matthew 6:1

By Dr. Darlene Carbajal

• “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”
• 2: “When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your almsgiving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
• 16: “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

The Lenten season is a time to deepen our relationship with Christ. Although often associated with the widespread practice of giving something up, this contradicts the teaching of Christ and can minimize the focus to inwardly reflect on our daily relationship with God. Today’s Gospel reminds us that Lent is an invitation to re-center on love and acceptance, thus “learning Christ”. Rather than be self-concerned with individual trials, the Gospel encourages us to come to God with an open heart, and to understand His concern for us.

As we enter this season of Lent as members of the University of the Incarnate Word, we are encouraged to connect our hearts and minds to an inclusive education that is centered on compassion and mutual understanding. During this season of Lent, we establish the importance of acceptance and gratitude that transfers into the classroom. Let us pray to understand the teachings of Christ and allow Him to accompany us in life. Let us form habits that transcend our hearts and minds to a way of life that seeks to improve the lives of other people.

“Learning Christ”
Teach me, my Lord to be sweet and gentle.

In all the events of life—in the disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the insecurity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied

Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path.

Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable, that it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within my influence. No one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow-traveler in our journey toward ETERNAL LIFE.

As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper from time to time, a word of love to Thee. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity.

Download a printable copy of Dr. Carbajal's essay on "Learning Christ." (PDF).

Metanoia, Changing Who We Are – How do We Begin?

“Man shall not live by bread alone….”  This is a phrase that we hear every time the Gospel story of Jesus’s temptation in the desert is read, but it meant something different to me with this rehearing of it.  After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry.  It would be difficult to imagine thinking about anything other than food at that time.  Yet when he was tempted with turning the rocks into bread, he was able to refocus and realize that this immediate answer to his body’s hunger was not the right thing to do. 

In reading the passage this time it reminded me that as Christ’s hunger must have been an overwhelming consideration for him, we sometimes get fixated on things in our life that we cannot look beyond.  However, to move forward we must put those things into perspective as Jesus did.

There is a need to step back from the day-to-day things that can consume all our attention and adjust our view of that around us.  What we perceive as the best way in the short term may not be the way we should proceed.  A phrase attributed to many sources says, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you treat every problem as a nail.”  When we are too close to something it is possible to not be able to tell where it fits into the whole. 

Lent is a time of year that reminds us to do just that — to step back and reorient ourselves.  To take in our surroundings and determine exactly where we are and if we are headed in the right direction.

There is no better place to gain that perspective than on a university campus.  The university has a rich and diverse atmosphere.  We have students, faculty, and staff that come from many backgrounds for many reasons to create a vibrant place to live.  By interacting with each other and learning from all those different perspectives we gain a larger picture of where we are in the world and how we should move forward.  Taking the time to contemplate those perspectives helps us grow.

Reflection on the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent
Dr. Timothy Wingert
Dean, Rosenberg School of Optometry

Download a printable copy of Dr. Wingert's thoughts on change (PDF).

The Transfiguration

The story of the Transfiguration in Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus enveloped in a radiant light. Moses and the prophet Elijah appear at his sides and the voice of God coming from within the bright cloud commands all to "listen to him." The apostles with Jesus were naturally terrified by the miracle they were witnessing – a scene that would likely have brought anyone to their knees. Although this scene is striking in many different ways and levels, God's voice and Jesus' message after the event is over offer two important messages, messages we find elsewhere in the Gospels.

The first message comes from the Father's voice and is addressed to the disciples and to us: “Listen to him!” This command finds echo in the Blessed Mother’s urging to the servants at the wedding of Cana. "Do whatever he tells you," she said, and a first miracle occurred. Jesus turned water into wine and in doing so, he prefigured the Eucharist and blessed all marriages, inviting us all to enjoy the feast of life and of His love. It is interesting to me that the Father's command during the Transfiguration is so similar to the message Jesus’ Mother gave to the servants, namely, to listen to Jesus and to do what he tells us to do.

The second message comes from the first words uttered to the disciples by Jesus following the Transfiguration event. “Do not be afraid” is a phrase Jesus often repeats throughout the Gospels--and is an echo that resounds throughout the Bible. This phrase reminds us, time and again, that we are to love and serve with courage, trusting in the Lord. How many times in our lives are we afraid? Our list of fears could be long: failure, public speaking, flying, people’s opinions, profound losses, disease, and death itself—to mention just a few. Yet it is clear that Jesus wants us to live our lives without worry, concern, fear or anxiety; he asks us to live our lives to their fullest, with certainty, confidence, and joy. Yes, Christ offers us His peace, and his gentle command that we “be not afraid” resonates at our cores.

This Lent, as I reflect on my role as President, I realize I am to do the same. I am to trust in Jesus, do what he has told me to do, and follow His gentle command, as well as those of God the Father and our Blessed Mother. I am reminded whenever I do that, things tend to go well. I also realize that we, members of the University of the Incarnate Word, should live our personal and professional lives knowing that God loves us and trusting He will see us through. So, my invitation to all of us this Lent is “listen to him” and “do not be afraid.” If we do this, things will go according to God’s magnificent plan for each of us, and we will be able to work and live in peace.

Praised be the Incarnate Word!

Dr. Thomas M. Evans, President

Download a printable copy of Dr. Evan's contemplation on the Transfiguration (PDF).

Is He the Messiah? Am I the person at the well?

This is the question asked by the Samaritan woman after leaving her jar beside the well and running back to the village. Like me, she was an ordinary person. She was going about her day and accomplishing necessary tasks (like drawing water from the well). Unaware that she was in the presence of the only begotten Son, she spoke to Him as one living in the natural world, inquiring, “How will you draw this living water without rope or bucket?” Yet, He persisted in pursuing her supernaturally, offering “My water brings eternal life.”

In awe of Him, she ran back to the village and urged others to see a man who could tell her all she had done. Transfixed on His ability to know her past, she might easily have missed what He offered for her future. Bewildered and perhaps overwhelmed, she runs away to her village and beckons that others come and see this man. She even ponders, “Could he possibly be the Messiah?” And because of her many Samaritans from the village came out to see, listen, and, ultimately, believe in Jesus.

John’s account of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is beautiful and gripping. It is beautiful for many reasons. Jesus reveals Himself to be the Messiah. He proves to be radically inclusive, making way to salvation for all who believe. And as we read, many Samaritans came to know and believe Jesus because of the woman at the well. We know that she and her village were moved by Him. His presence in their village was alive and real. They discovered a food they previously knew nothing about.

It is also a beautifully gripping story because her question raises another question. Could I possibly be the woman at the well? As I reflect on this story of an imperfect human who was focused on meeting her day-to-day needs, I am convinced that, of course, I am her. Or, at least, I recognize that her sins are no greater than mine and that my existence is no greater than hers. We are both imperfect humans in need of living water.

I have the benefit of growing up with her story. I have imagined what if it had been me at the well and how I might hope to have responded had I met the Messiah that day. For those growing up with scripture, it can be a bit like watching a movie you’ve seen plenty of times before. At times, I almost plead with the characters, as if it might redirect the outcome. I beg the woman at the well to stay with Him a bit longer. I find myself encouraging her, “Yes, you are right! IT IS THE MESSIAH! Kiss HIS feet! Do not leave His presence! His living water gives eternal life and to live in His presence on this earth is the only hope of an abundant life. Forget your past, focus less on ordinary tasks and more on what is eternal, and follow HIM wherever HE leads.”

But just then, as I hear myself pleading with her, I discover that I am looking down into the well, seeing my own reflection, and delivering the message to myself: Jesus is the Messiah. He gives living water. Follow Him wherever He leads.

Dr. Trey Guinn

Download a printable copy of Dr. Guinn's thoughts on Jesus meeting the woman at the well (PDF).