PRAYER - STUDY - ACTION
SECOND WEEK OF LENT
March 8-14, 2020

 

Below you'll find our second PSA (Pray-Study-Act) e-bulletin for the second week of Lent beginning this upcoming Sunday. This PSA offers several possible resources for you and your community to pray, study and act for peace with justice during this Lenten season. You'll also find  a special Lenten webpage with more resources which we hope will deepen the experience of Lent for you, your family, your local group and your larger faith community.

One of those resources that I would like to highlight is the incredible booklet we published for Lent co-authored by Sr. Rose Marie Tresp, RSM and Michael Vazquez. I've found it to be a rich source of reflection for me so far this season, and while we are out of the hard-copy print booklets, you can purchase and download it in English or Spanish right now for use throughout the rest of Lent. My thanks to Sr. Rose Marie and Michael for sharing their gifts with us!

If you know of other resources you'd like us to feature on the website for Lent, please send them our way and I'll add them to the page. And if you're planning a Way of the Cross public prayer and witness for Good Friday, let us know so we can add your event and the details to our page here. 

Peace be with you!  

In peace,

Johnny Zokovitch
Executive Director, Pax Christi USA
PRAYER

by St. John XXIII

Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, who are yourself our peace and reconciliation, who so often said, "Peace to you," grant us peace. Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the great gift of peace. May all peoples of the earth becomes as brothers and sisters. May longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all. Amen.
STUDY

A reflection for the Second Sunday of Lent, March 8
by Johnny Zokovitch


transfiguration
[L]isten to him. ~Matthew 17:5

"'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.' When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid." The disciples' fear immediately follows the command to "listen to him" that issues forth from the voice in the clouds. In Matthew's gospel, the passage that comes just prior to the transfiguration may help us to understand the fear of the disciples. 

In Matthew 16:21-28, Jesus first predicts to his disciples the suffering and death that await him in Jerusalem. Peter in turn rebukes Jesus for even suggesting such a thing, to which Jesus chastises Peter harshly, even calling him Satan. Then Jesus offers the paradox of discipleship to those who would follow him: "Whoever wishes to save their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." ...

ACTION


Join the Back from the Brink campaign and get your local government (state, city, town or county) to adopt a resolution to prevent nuclear war! 

Can you imagine the United States abolishing nuclear weapons? The Back from the Brink campaign is the next step toward making this a reality. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the U.S. decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we extend this invitation to Pax Christi USA regions, local groups, and members to participate in a one-year campaign to call on your local legislatures to pass the Back from the Brink anti-nuclear war resolution. We have already had over 250 organizers sign up to work on this in their communities and have had a handful of successes in getting local governments to pass resolutions.

Thanks for making the commitment to pray, study and act for peace with justice this Lent! If you have the means and can make a contribution to help support Pax Christi USA, we'd be grateful! Just click the button above and to the left to give securely and quickly online! Thank you!