Stuffed Pews

February 20, 2026 // Friday after Ash Wednesday // Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 58:1-9a

Reflect on the Word //

The kids were in the midst of the great stuffed animal purge. Somehow these plushies had multiplied as they tend to do. The girls were struggling with what to keep and what to share. While they truly treasure every claw machine-, arcade-, or carnival prize-stuffed animal they have ever won or had been gifted to them, the downsizing was to help reorient their hearts. The youngest was satisfied with her offerings and even mentioned how proud of herself she was—as six-year-olds typically do.

After Sunday Mass that weekend, we walked over to a family we had just met a couple of weeks ago. My daughter had chosen this particular family to give her stuffed friends to. There was so much smiling and hugging that the joy outweighed the actual value of what was in the bag. The mom lowered her body to meet her daughter’s eyes and whispered in her ear, "Tell your auntie thank you.” I was struck with my new title, felt the demonstration of affection deeply, and marveled at how easily this mother gave her love away.

In today’s First Reading, it is not the mere act of our fasting the Lord is interested in, but rather of how well we love others in our fasting, how responsive and willing we are to be Jesus in the flesh to our brother or sister in Christ. The Lord offers us His self-giving love, and in Lent we are called to offer that same love to others. Every Lent the opportunities for almsgiving are countless. The real work is giving of ourselves to the people next to us sitting in our pews.

We can begin exercising the corporal works of mercy within the walls of church, where we learn that generosity is an extension of a greater type of love. It can be something as simple as a stuffed animal, and then we can allow the Lord to work from there.

Relate to the Lord // How can you extend Jesus’ self-giving love today?

Be a Woman of the Word

About Mytae Carrasco Wallace

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Mytae Carrasco Wallace est née et a grandi à Las Vegas et détient une maîtrise en administration publique. Elle et son mari ont le privilège de diriger des retraites pré-Cana pour leur paroisse d'origine. Au quotidien, vous pouvez la trouver en train d'élever ses trois enfants, de chorégraphier des mouvements de danse pour divertir ses enfants et de faire sa propre version du karaoké en covoiturage. Elle a contribué à All She Had . En savoir plus sur elle ici . Mytae est créé et nacida à Las Vegas, NV. Tiene su Maestría en Administración Pública. Ella y su esposo tienen el privilegio de dirigir los retiros de Pre-Cana para su parroquia. Diariamente puedes encontrarla criando a sus tres hijos, coreografiando movimientos de baile para entretener a sus hijos y cantando su propia versión de karaoke en el carro. Fue autora contribuyente de All She Had . Conozca la mejor aquí. .