"Elizaveta Iurievna Kuzmina-Karavaeva Skobtsova, later known as Mother Maria, was a Russian Orthodox religious thinker, poet and artist. Her multi-faceted legacy includes articles, poems, art, and drama. In the 1910s she was part of the literary milieu of St. Petersburg and was a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. She fled Russia soon after the Bolsheviks' takeover and lived in Paris, where she became a nun. In 1935, she participated in organizing the so-called Orthodox Action, which was designed to help Russian immigrants in France. She and her fellow-workers from Orthodox Action opened a house for homeless and sick immigrants in Paris. During the Nazi occupation of the city, the house was transformed into a refuge for Jews and displaced persons. Mother Maria and her son were arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and died in the Ravensbruck camp in Germany. Mother Maria's selfless devotion to people and her death as a martyr will never be forgotten. In 2004, the Holy Synod confirmed the glorification of Mother Maria." - from Columbia University Libraries Special Collection link

What If for Lent We Fasted From Selfishness

What if for Lent this year we saved one can of food each day.  And each week we took the bag to a shelter, a pantry, or dropped it off (anonymously) at the house of a person in need.  What if for Lent this year we baked fresh bread and took it to a nursing home or assisted living and shared it - with some butter and jam - with the residents, and sat with them for a bit.  What if for Lent we purchased a pair of socks, or some shirts each day and took them to a children's home and gave them to the staff to distribute.

What if this year during Lent we fasted from selfishness, jealous, and greed.  What if we gave up ignorance, sloth, and sin.  What if we longed for the greatest gift of all - the Holy Presence - and then we shared that with someone who is alone.

What if this year we really found Jesus.


Peace,

Tom +

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