As we begin the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday this week (March 1), we receive not just one, but two wonderful opportunities for inspiration, challenge, and transformation! Fr. Philip Chircop is a Jesuit priest born on the Mediterranean island of Malta, who now ministers as part of the Canadian Jesuit province. An internationally-known retreat master and spiritual director, with a love for art and poetry, and a delightful sense of humour, he is always seeking fresh ways to proclaim the Good News and engage people on a journey of transformation in Christ.

Here at St. Monica’s, this coming Saturday, March 4 at 9.30 AM, Fr. Philip will present a half-day retreat on the theme: HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD? Healing Our Images of God.

“We become the God we worship and adore. Spend enough time in the presence of a God who is a punisher, a judge, a police-officer waiting to catch you in a sin of weakness, and you will also become a punishing and judging person, waiting to catch your neighbour doing something wrong. By the same token, if we spend time in the presence of a God whose name is Mercy, a God who is compassionate, forgiving, slow to anger and abounding in love, we will be transformed into more merciful, compassionate, patient and loving people.

Who is the God you’re falling in love with? Is your God perhaps too small, created in your own image and likeness? A pocket-sized God that does not excite or challenge? Has your God grown since you were a child? In this day of recollection we will explore together some unhealthy, toxic images of God and how to replace them with the life-giving images found in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.”

We were able to get Fr. Philip on relatively short notice because he was already scheduled to preach a Lenten mission at St. Luke’s Parish in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, on the theme “GO BUILD MY CHURCH!” He invites us to come together as one community of faith to celebrate how we can become the living body of Christ, how we can build the Church. Over three evenings, Thursday, March 2nd to Saturday, March 4th we will explore together three simple themes that can transform us into becoming instruments of peace and artists of Good News. On Thursday he will talk about A Church that Rocks and Rolls: a church that is in movement, more than an institution. On Friday he will talk about A Church on Fire: how we can let the fire within be kindled and how to be artists with passion and zeal and enthusiasm. On Saturday evening, we will tackle together the beautiful practice of becoming A Church of Easter People; a joyful people, contagious Christians ready to go out and change the world. Let us accept the Lord’s invitation, in this Lenten season, to live our vocation as Easter people, to expand our vision of God and our identity as his Body, the Church.