Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology (ICSST) is set to continue its annual tradition of daily Lenten meditations, starting Wednesday, February 18. The reflections, authored by members of the ICSST and Seton Hall communities, will be distributed to subscribers via email and posted on the Seminary’s website throughout Lent, from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. The initiative is part of ICSST’s Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program.
This year’s series is titled “Welcoming and Embracing the Stranger: Lenten Reflections with the Artwork of James Tissot.” Each meditation will include the day’s Scripture reading and a Visio Divina featuring artwork by French painter James Tissot. His works, which illustrate scenes from the Gospels such as the Transfiguration and the Lord’s Passion, are known for their detailed representation and unique viewpoints. The meditations blend scriptural interpretation, Tissot’s art, and personal reflection to invite readers to prepare for Easter.
Past participants have expressed gratitude for the reflections’ diverse perspectives. One reader shared: “There are so many blessings hidden beyond what we actually see and hear and I don’t want to miss them. Blessings to you and thanks for such excellent writings.”
The Seminary encourages current subscribers to invite others to join in receiving these daily messages during Lent.
The Preaching as Hospitality Formation program at ICSST aims to train seminarians, diaconal students, as well as religious and lay graduate students in theology to become effective preachers who embody hospitality when delivering sermons. The program offers resources such as video interviews with experienced clergy, public events like Evenings of Recollection, an annual University Parish Mission, daily Advent and Lent reflections, graduate courses on related topics, and preaching clinics focused on Pauline texts. It also provides opportunities for newly ordained priests and deacons or recently appointed pastors to reconsider their approach to preaching through the perspective of Christian hospitality.
