Dear Friend,  

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Reflection by Dianne Traflet, J.D., S.T.D.

“No one gets to heaven on a solo flight.”  I’ve been pondering these words of Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, OFM Cap., Archbishop of Boston, as I continue my Lenten journey.   Is my search for the face of Christ a solo search?

I think of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s spiritual journey, one that was full of darkness, yet she did not succumb to the torment, but continued to seek the face of Jesus in her daily vocation of ministering to the poorest of the poor.

Even when she did not feel the presence of Christ, she sincerely desired to radiate His presence, indeed, to reflect His face. After receiving Holy Communion each morning, she prayed for those she might encounter during the day that they might not see her, but Jesus.  Personalizing the prayer of St. Cardinal John Henry Newman, she prayed in part:

“Dear Jesus….
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly,
That my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me
That every soul I come in contact with
May feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine,
So to shine as to be a light to others….”

I ask Jesus today to give me the grace to appreciate that this time of Lent is not a solitary journey, but one that calls me to pray for others, to enter into community, and to serve in a way that inspires others in their search for Christ.

Lord, may my words, actions, and countenance help others to see you. Let nothing about my life be an obstacle in others’ paths preventing them from drawing close to you. Help me, too, Lord, to see your face in those I meet today. Amen.

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Dianne M. Traflet, J.D., S.T.D., Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Administration and Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology , earned a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, an M.A. in Catholic Theology and Pastoral Ministry from The Institute of Advanced Studies of Catholic Doctrine, St. John's University, and an S.T.L. and an S.T.D. from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (The Angelicum), Rome. Dr. Traflet is a key leader in the Center for Diaconal Formation, and she gives numerous lectures, retreats, and days of recollection, including some specific to wives of deacons and deacon candidates. She is the author of Edith Stein: A Spiritual Portrait (Pauline Media, 2008).