How can I, on this Monday of the First Week of Lent—when the Gospel challenges me with “When did we ‘#see’ you❓”—remain aware of the agricultural oligopolies warned about in Laudato si’, see in Mary the shining model of a synodal and merciful Church, rejoice in the new chick hatching at The Glenn, and trust in the miracle I seek for Daniel through the intercession of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen—believing in the real wealth of faith rather than fictional riches—“When did we ‘see’ you❓”
The farmer owns real wealth as distinguished from a fictional wealth in the form of stocks and bonds.
Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink❓
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you❓
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you❓’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
Then they will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs❓’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”
Lent Day 5 Lectio Divina on the word “see“
I see that the land I care for is a gift, one that provides in ways beyond mere financial wealth. At The Glenn, I see the cycle of life unfold, from planting seeds to watching new chicks hatch, and I remember the words of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen about the farmer’s true wealth. He gave us this land flowing with milk and honey, yet do I always see it as the blessing it is❓
I see red when I witness injustice in the world—whether in the control of resources, the suffering of the poor, or the struggles of those around me. Yet, this Lectio Divina reminds me to shift my vision, to see with the eyes of Christ, recognizing His presence in those who are overlooked and in the miracles I long for.
I see how easy it is to overlook the presence of Christ in the ordinary moments of my day. Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble, especially when my worries blind me to the ways You reveal Yourself. I see the struggles of those around me, yet do I truly see You in them❓
Just as the movie On a Clear Day You Can See Forever explores uncovering hidden truths and seeing beyond the ordinary, this Lectio Divina challenges me to recognize Christ in places I might overlook. I pray for the clarity to truly see His presence in my life, especially in the miracle I seek for Daniel.
I see how the world is shaped by power, how a few control the food that sustains many. In various countries, I see the rise of monopolies over seeds, forcing dependency rather than allowing freedom. Yet I trust that God is enriching all who call upon Him, providing abundantly even when the world seems unfair.
in the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ, of the Church and of humanity.
I see Mary as the model of a merciful and missionary Church, her life a reflection of complete trust. One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. If I see with the eyes of faith, will I recognize the miracle I seek for Daniel❓
Lord, open my eyes so that I may see You in all things. But still, I ask—
In various countries, we see an expansion of oligopolies for the production of cereals and other products needed for their cultivation. This dependency would be aggravated were the production of infertile seeds to be considered; the effect would be to force farmers to purchase them from larger producers.
FROM PARAGRAPH 134 OF THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME