I can hardly believe it, but we are only 1 week away from Nun Run 2012.  It’s been really exciting to see the registrations trickling in.  From the looks of the numbers, we think there will be a GREAT crowd at Kiwanis for the Run.  Slowly but surely the number of Shadow Participants is growing and growing.  It is NOT too late to register, shadow runners!!! 


For those EWTN fans out there: Life on the Rock hosts, Fr. Mark Mary, MFVA and Doug Barry, will be onsite for the Nun Run.  Even if you aren’t participating in the event, come on out and meet them!  

MEDIA ALERT: On Tuesday, Tune in to see Sr. John-Mark on Sonoran Living Morning Show – beginning at 9:00 a.m. – on Channel 15!  

Amidst all of the busy-ness and preparations for Nun Run, we certainly have NOT lost sight of the fact that it is Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; a time of spiritual renewal and transformation; a time of drawing near to Our Lord, embracing the cross and carrying it with Him; a time to prayerfully meditate on the Passion of Christ.  


As ‘food for the journey’ of Lent, I wanted to share the conclusion of Pope Benedict’s Lenten message:  

“To stir a response in love and good works“: walking together in holiness.

These words of the Letter to the Hebrews (10:24) urge us to reflect on the universal call to holiness, the continuing journey of the spiritual life as we aspire to the greater spiritual gifts and to an ever more sublime and fruitful charity (cf. 1 Cor 12:31-13:13). Being concerned for one another should spur us to an increasingly effective love which, “like the light of dawn, its brightness growing to the fullness of day” (Prov 4:18), makes us live each day as an anticipation of the eternal day awaiting us in God. The time granted us in this life is precious for discerning and performing good works in the love of God. In this way the Church herself continuously grows towards the full maturity of Christ (cf. Eph 4:13). Our exhortation to encourage one another to attain the fullness of love and good works is situated in this dynamic prospect of growth.

Sadly, there is always the temptation to become lukewarm, to quench the Spirit, to refuse to invest the talents we have received, for our own good and for the good of others (cf. Mt 25:25ff.). All of us have received spiritual or material riches meant to be used for the fulfilment of God’s plan, for the good of the Church and for our personal salvation (cf. Lk 12:21b; 1 Tim 6:18). The spiritual masters remind us that in the life of faith those who do not advance inevitably regress. Dear brothers and sisters, let us accept the invitation, today as timely as ever, to aim for the “high standard of ordinary Christian living” (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 31). The wisdom of the Church in recognizing and proclaiming certain outstanding Christians as Blessed and as Saints is also meant to inspire others to imitate their virtues. Saint Paul exhorts us to “anticipate one another in showing honour” (Rom 12:10).

In a world which demands of Christians a renewed witness of love and fidelity to the Lord, may all of us feel the urgent need to anticipate one another in charity, service and good works (cf. Heb 6:10). This appeal is particularly pressing in this holy season of preparation for Easter.