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Stubborn Hope Daily Reflections
Stubborn Hope Daily Reflections
For over a decade, the Ignatian Solidarity Network has nourished “a faith that does justice” across the Jesuit and Catholic network through its annual Lenten reflection series.
During this Lenten season, let us cultivate a stubborn hope, like the trees in Psalm 1, planted near streams of water, yielding fruit in due season and never withering.
Featuring contributors such as Fr. James Martin, S.J., Ellie Hidalgo, Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., Kerry Robinson, and many more across the Ignatian network, the 2026 Lenten series returns under the theme, “Stubborn Hope.” Join us each day to allow your roots—be they abundant, brittle, or somewhere in between—to be nourished to bear the fruits the Holy Spirit has in store for you.
Greener Lent
Greener Lent
Lent is a time of enhanced prayer, alms giving and fasting. In Greener Lent, we do all these things through the lens of our centuries old teachings on Social Justice. With Greener Lent we especially focus on the call to “Care for God’s Creation” and on the call to be in “Solidarity” with the poor across the planet.
We remind ourselves that to love our neighbors as ourselves, we would wish them the same access to food that we have. Yet the planet does not have enough agricultural capacity to provide all our neighbors with access to beef multiple times a week (or even a month). The number of acres cattle need is extraordinarily greater than other sources of protein. Greener Lent provides a variety of meal planning options that reduce our beef consumption. No one is asked to give up all beef consumption. We are asked to prayerfully consider a meal plan that can work for our own family.
In the coming generations, the warming planet will impact every life on earth. Greener Lent is a step toward making a commitment to slowing the many problems that may be coming AND to show kids a way they can help.
Will we “stick to it” every week? all Lent? Maybe not. But every attempt is a step toward a deeper love of Christ as we learn to see Christ’s face in the hunger of our neighbors and to better appreciate God’s love and presence in God’s beautiful creation.
We may also discover that this “sacrifice” becomes a blessing; that eating a diet that is more sustainable for the planet is also healthier for us and our children. And our kids may grow healthier in the Spirit as well... seeing our commitment and knowing they can do something meaningful to help others and their future. Sometimes our traditions become habits that we “should do” because .... and we’re not sure what that is. With Greener Lent, there is more than self sacrifice in “giving up meat”. There is a real urgency for the planet and a serious focus on understanding why eating beef multiple times a week is not sustainable. Do what you can, where you can, when you can. Living in solidarity with God’s beloved poor is also living in solidarity with Christ.
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