Le Mans, February 21, 2021

Dear Sisters, Family and Friends,

Every year, the time of Lent calls us to take the path of conversion and to draw from the heart of God the strength to love as Jesus loved us.

God took the risk of love

By sending his Son into the heart of our wounded humanity, to reveal his love to us, he took the risk of being rejected. The humbling of Jesus, taking on our human condition and dying on a cross, is an act of humility that demonstrates the ‘All-Powerfulness of Love’, despite rejection and refusal.

"The love of the Father does not need to seek reciprocity in order to be. He loves unconditionally, with a love that is always supreme, whatever the response of the person that he loves... The Father is not able to impose his authority on men. He can only respect, in an infinite way, that is to say not at all in our way, our freedom as people...

The Father will reveal to us the true face of his Power in Jesus who kneels before the disciples to wash their feet, in Jesus who, reduced to the most complete impotence of the crucified one, continues to love without ever condemning. The Omnipotence of God is the ‘All-Powerfulness of Love’ without any defense...

From the Book "His Tenderness Is Inexhaustible" by Jean Civelli

As we reread the stories of the Passion, we see Jesus who, in the face of refusals and aggressions claims nothing in return, does not defend himself, but keeps silent. He does not condemn but begs forgiveness for those who harm him... His only power and his only defense is to love, to give himself in love to the very end.

Our Constitutions invite us to contemplate the Son of God in his abasement to lead us little by little to humility, truth before God, our brothers and ourselves. And Mother Mary Magdalene tells us to imitate the gentleness, humility, patience, zeal of the suffering Heart of Jesus. See Constitutions No.5

In Jesus, let us contemplate the true face of our God, a humble and modest God, given up out of love. Let us dare to take the risk of true, humble and modest love ourselves, which often makes us vulnerable and may not be understood, but which makes us grow 'in his likeness'.

Fasting, prayer and almsgiving

In Pope Francis' letter for Lent 2021, we read:

“Fasting, prayer and almsgiving, as preached by Jesus (cf. Mt 6:1-18), enable and express our conversion. The path of poverty and self-denial (fasting), concern and loving care for the poor (almsgiving), and childlike dialogue with the Father (prayer) make it possible for us to live lives of sincere faith, living hope and effective charity.”

Fasting: the path of poverty and scarcity... Fasting can be something other than depriving yourself of something you love... As Pope Francis says, "fasting helps us to love God and our neighbour."  

Fasting can be refraining from labelling people, enclosing them in a certain image that we make of them and thus no longer giving them the right to change, to grow ... Fasting can be refraining from constantly stressing the negative, and falling into destructive criticism, putting ourselves above others... This fast enables us to experience our lack of love and truth and opens our hearts to the One who comes to us, poor in all things but 'full of grace and truth' Jn 1.14 and as Pope Francis continues to say:  "Fasting frees our existence from all that clutters it...    »

Almsgiving: gazes and gestures of love towards wounded humanity… Almsgiving can be something other than sharing with the poor what we have set aside when we deprive ourselves... Almsgiving can be giving others a look of tenderness, encouragement, appreciation, compassion... All of us have our wounds and need a look, a gesture that can help us to get back on our feet.

Prayer: filial dialogue with the Father... In all circumstances, Jesus turns to the Father in a prayer that constantly conforms him to the Father's plan of love.

At the heart of his passion, he lived a true dialogue with his Father:

My Father if it is possible that this cup will pass away from me! However, not as I want, but as you will. Mt 26, 39 

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.  Mt 27.46; MK 15.34.     

Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing. Lk 23.34

Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.  Lk 23.46

Let us join in Christ's prayer to conform our lives to the Father's will, to present to him our doubts, our questions, our cries of distress, to receive and give forgiveness, to put our lives in the hands of our Father.

Resurrection means that God is always victorious in love. It is also the triumph of three ‘faithfulnesses’: that of the Father who does not abandon Jesus in death, that of Jesus who does not abandon the disciples in their excesses, and that of the women who, very early in the morning, go to the tomb, who are sad at first, but then become confident, because they have experienced that the faithful love of Jesus is still there and that he has conquered death.

Wishing you a fruitful journey towards Easter, may the humble love of our God triumph more and more in each of us and may the Presence of the Risen Christ be the light and hope of our lives!

Sister Josette