Lent 2020: And So It Begins
Greetings, friends! I will confess that while I'm in line on Ash Wednesday to get ash'd, my mind is almost never on the fact that from dust I came and to ash I will return. Instead, I'm wondering what my cross is going to look like. This year's was pretty impressive, I must say. Now that that moment of self-centeredness has passed, I'm focusing on how to make my soul more pleasing to God. I'll be working on no between-meal snacks, with the savings going to a charity, and on holding my tongue.
Friends in Faith: Sister Mary Margaret Ann Schlather
Sister Mary Margaret Ann Schlather, SND, is my very favorite lector at my parish, and occasionally it's my honor to lector with her. Her voice carries well, she makes great eye contact, and the way she proclaims makes me feel like the writer is speaking directly to me.

Sister's also a great listener, especially to God. She's the dean of catechetical programs at Catholic Distance University   and is currently juggling the complex process of acquiring three accreditations for the university--all in order to convey the Joy of Truth more credibly throughout the world. 

Rightfully, this responsibility is taking takes up much of her time right now. That work and God are her focus, and that means saying no to some other things. I, on the other hand, tend to overcommit, not always giving my devotion to what the Lord wants. As Lent begins, I'm thinking about Sister Mary Margaret Ann and how I can emulate her graceful no's and not now's.  

"Christ said, 'I am the Truth'; He did not say,
'I am the custom'" -- St. Turibius of Mogrovejo
Have you ever been given a new task or job, maybe at home, maybe in your parish, maybe at your workplace, for which you knew you were utterly unqualified? You might be interested in the life of Turibius of Mogrovejo. He was born in Spain in 1538, and so impressed the king in his role in the Spanish Inquisition that the king nominated him as archbishop of Lima in what is now Peru. Turibius protested--after all, he wasn't even a priest!--but the pope agreed with the king, and so he became an archbishop the year after his ordination. In Lima, Turibius was known for his evangelization and service among the indigenous people and colonists.

It's great formation, learning about male saints as I write Brotherhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration, which will be published by Franciscan Media this October. (It's like Sisterhood of Saints , but profiling male saints.) Turibius's story reminds me of that adage, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."
On the Nightstand: Tuesday's Journal
by Penny A. Bailey and Laura K. Roland
I stopped by my business mailbox the day after Ash Wednesday. I had about a million things on my to-do list for the coming three days, and I knew I wouldn't get through all of them, even with having Friday off. But along with the usual magazines and solicitations was this lovely book, written by my friends Penny Bailey and Laura Roland, the founders of the Encounter Grace ministry to women.

At first I felt awful; I'd meant to order a copy of the book, fifty-two words, one per week, and two pages to write down thoughts or doodle, but hadn't gotten around to it. (It was on that to-do list, I swear.) But I smiled when I opened it up and saw the word for Week 1: CLEANSE, and a verse from my favorite psalm, Create in me a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51:10).

And suddenly, before I'd written a single word, the other items on that to-do list seemed a lot less important.

Marching On
Big news! Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century , will be available June 2, and the publisher, Franciscan Media, is offering 25 percent off if you preorder with the code Radical25! You can preorder all the other usual places, but if you go to Franciscan's site, not only will you get the best discount, but you'll also be supporting a Catholic publisher.

On March 13-15, I'll be in the Shenandoah Valley for the Faithbooking retreat (there are still some spots available if you're in the area!). I'll be breathing in the fresh air, gazing at the star-filled night sky, and writing.

On March 19, my pal Allison Gingras and I will be talking about saints and other fun stuff on her A Seeking Heart podcast. Please join us!

May you find peace on your Lenten journey this month. I'll be praying for you.

Melanie