Over 30 years ago, in Latin class with Fr. Reginald Foster, we had homework sheets called “ludi domestici” which translates as “homework” or even better “home games.” Each sheet would contain several short paragraphs from various Latin writers from antiquity on subjects which were interesting to college-age students. As we translated the paragraphs from Latin to English at home, the idea was to spend time having fun with Latin as if playing a game. As with any game, the more one practices, the better one gets.
In the Middle Ages, St. Thomas Aquinas compared contemplating wisdom to getting lost in play: “Then I was beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, playing before him all the while” (Prov 8:30). We can apply this same analogy to God creating the world and all of us. God did not have to create the world but God did and God rejoiced over it much like a child at play in his or her own little world.
In our own complex, fast-paced, achievement-oriented lives, how much time do you and I take to play simply for the sake of playing and having fun? Have you ever thought of the Mass itself as a spiritual game, as a time of God granting his people the rest they need for their spirit as they make their way toward heaven? Do you take the time regularly to think about how God is present in our life or even that God exists at all?
Recognizing our life as a gift from God and not just how much we can achieve, I invite you to approach the upcoming 40 Days of Lent as a time to play spiritual games for the “soul purpose” of playing and having fun. Simply set aside some time for God, to be with God—and don’t worry about the outcome for God moves in our hearts as God wants to move.
We’re not adding a lot of “things” to the schedule but encouraging you to use the things that already exist like contemplating the Scriptures, spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, and coming to Mass. The Church already gives us these spiritual games to play again and again. As with any game, practice makes perfect!
We are making a few tweaks to help with your Lenten journey:
Both The Little Black Book and The Word Among Us will be available in the back of church beginning next weekend.
We will be tweaking the daily Mass schedule with 9:00 am Mass at St. Francis moving to 6:00 pm on Mondays and the 8:30 am Mass moving to 6:30 am on Fridays at St. Benedict. This gives one evening opportunity and one early morning opportunity to attend Mass besides Sunday.
Stations of the Cross will again be on Friday afternoon and evening.
We will be beginning the Alpha program on Wednesday evenings at the end of March. Watch for more details to follow.
Lent starts in 10 days on Wednesday, March 5. As God takes the time to delight in us, which spiritual games will you take part in this year to play, have fun and delight in God? Let the games begin!