Tag: Lent

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is in his hometown talking to people in the synagogue who must have been made up of family, neighbors, and friends. They would have known Jesus well as the carpenter’s son, the son of Joseph and Mary. How could they be expected to accept Jesus as the Messiah? That is exactly who he claimed to be. In the same chapter as today’s reading, Luke tells us that Jesus unrolled the scroll in the synagogue to these words: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” He then said, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Among my family and neighbors and friends, how do I proclaim this good news, and is it accepted?

God, compared to the grandness of the Gospel, things that happen close to home seem mundane and no miracles ever seem to take place. Yet in the first reading, at Elisha’s bidding, Naaman washed in the Jordan seven times and his leprosy left him. His skin again became like the skin of a little child. Give me the grace today to see you amid the ordinary, among the mundane events of the day. Having been baptized and partaking of the sacraments, I can say as Jesus did: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” I can choose to be an instrument of his healing—to bring hope to the poor, to free others, and to bring light to the darkness. How is it that through the risen Christ I become Christ to others in my own native place? And how can I open my eyes to others—those closest to me—who have been Christ bringing glad tidings? Help me take all of this in.

Lord, be with me today in my own native place. Send forth your Spirit, O Lord!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Third Sunday of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

In today’s Gospel for the third Sunday of Lent, Jesus encounters the woman at the well alone as the disciples go off to town to buy food. He asks the woman, a Samaritan, for a drink. She says, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” Jesus says to her in reply, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman’s eyes open to the realization that Jesus is a prophet and something greater. Her thirst for the living water grows as she sees that Jesus thirsts for her faith. When the disciples arrive, she leaves the well behind and returns to town, saying to the people: “Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Christ?” As a result, John tells us, many Samaritans from that town began to believe in Jesus because of the word of the woman who testified. With a little act of testifying, not even in full confidence, the woman brings Christ to the people. And after Jesus stayed with some of them, they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

God, I want to take in the fullness of today’s readings. Help me understand that just as the Israelites thirsted for water in the desert, the woman at the well also thirsted. Moses struck the rock, and water flowed from it after the Israelites tested you, saying, “Is the LORD in our midst or not?” And from the water that flowed, the Israelites would drink again and again. The woman at the well opened her eyes to Jesus’ divinity, testifying, “Could he possibly be the Christ?” I see in myself the same tentative faith as the woman at the well, I drink from the living water of your Son; through him, I drink from the spring of water welling up to eternal life. With the Gospel acclamation I pray, “Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again.” Strengthen my faith, God!

Thank you, Lord, for your presence in the desert of this life. In each new day, I thirst for many things that are not you and that slake my thirst for a while but leave me parched. Give me the gift today that is you—the peace of your presence in this life as only you can give. And sustain in me today and always the welling up of hope of eternal life with you.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Saturday of the Second Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

“My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the well-known parable of the prodigal son, explaining to the scribes and Pharisees how tax collectors and sinners were coming to him to listen to him. The scribes and Pharisees believed Jesus and his disciples should not associate with such people. The parable of the prodigal son teaches that God’s mercy and forgiveness are available to all who repent and return to him, no matter how far they may have strayed. It also warns against jealousy and the danger of thinking that one’s own righteousness makes for superiority to others. To be able to return to the Father is to experience his great mercy.

God, help me understand the nature of your mercy and generosity expressed in this parable. The father rejoices in the return of the younger son—dead and come to life again—but he also affirms the older son’s place at home with him and the inheritance he will come into. For the father, the joy is doubled because the son who was lost returns and the faithful son has all that belongs to the father. That generosity extends beyond possession; the father has nothing he calls exclusively his own. Good Father in heaven, you take me back when I have been away and return, when I have been lost and again find my way to you, when I die to whatever is not you and through you come back to life.

Lord, help me receive your embrace today—the same way I have countless times in absolution after going to confession. From the first reading from Micha: “Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt?”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Readings

Friday of the Second Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to them, “Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the chief priests and the elders of the people a parable about a landowner who planted a vineyard, built a fence around it, and leased it to tenants. When the landowner sent his servants to collect his share of the produce, the tenants beat, killed, and stoned them. Finally, the landowner sent his son, thinking the tenants would respect him, but they killed him too. Jesus then asked the chief priests and elders what the landowner would do to those wicked tenants, and they responded that he would put them to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants. Jesus quotes them Scripture, saying the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. They understand that Jesus is speaking about them, and they sought to arrest him, but they feared the crowds because they regarded Jesus as a prophet. I can’t help asking myself which figures in this parable I most closely resemble. Am I a good steward of God’s gifts, or do I expect the lion’s share and demand my inheritance?

God, help me slow down today and ask myself where all good gifts come from and whether I care for them properly. What will I do today with the gifts you give me—the gift of time, the gift of sunlight and fresh air, the gift of food, and the gift of relationships with others? The Gospel acclamation reminds me that the gift Jesus gave for his kingdom was the same as the son gave to his vineyard, his very life: “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son; so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.” Help me today, God, take joy in caring for the gifts you give me to produce fruit as I go to work, a tenant in your vineyard.

Lord, let me know you are near today. Keep me in your care and give me the grace to recognize the goodness of your gifts.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Thus says the LORD: More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it? I, the LORD, alone probe the mind and test the heart, To reward everyone according to his ways, according to the merit of his deeds.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who ignored the needs of a poor man named Lazarus, who lay at his gate begging for scraps. When both men died, the rich man found himself in torment, while Lazarus was comforted in the bosom of Abraham. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers about the consequences of their actions, but Abraham told him that they had Moses and the prophets to guide them. In the first reading, Jeremiah voices the words of the LORD, warning against trusting in human strength and turning away from God, who alone can search and know our minds and hearts. Together, these two readings direct us to place our trust in God rather than in earthly things and prioritizing compassion and love for others over selfishness and greed.

God, help me understand the ways that I have been like the rich man in the parable. His hard-heartedness and indulgence in the things of this world ultimately led to his torment, while Lazarus’s faithfulness and trust in God led him to eternal reward. In his reliance on your providence, Lord, Abraham is like the woman Jesus encounters who begs him to heal her daughter. She says to Jesus: “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” God, give me the grace today to keep my eyes fixed on your hand and on the good gifts you provide me with. Let me trust you and help me be aware of it, be alert to it, and give witness to it.

From today’s entrance antiphon: “Test me, O God, and know my thoughts. See that my path is not wicked, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Readings

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said, “Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As Jesus goes toward Jerusalem with the Twelve disciples, he tells them that he will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, condemned to death, mocked, scourged, and crucified, and then raised on the third day. About that time, the mother of James and John asks that Jesus command that her two sons sit beside him in his kingdom. He said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” The other disciples are disturbed at hearing this, but Jesus says that among them, authority is not flaunted as it is among the Gentiles. Instead, Jesus says, “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.” Jesus served by giving his life as a ransom for many. What will God present to me today as an opportunity to serve others?

God, help me see today’s Gospel account in relation to this day. It isn’t likely that by serving others today I will give to the point of agony. Yet, in whatever way I do serve, help me remember to do this in unity with your suffering for the glory of your Father. Jesus said to James and John, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give.” Give me today, God, the knowledge of your will and the courage to carry it out with love.

Lord, when the mother of James and John approached you, you asked her, “What do you wish?” Just as you were attentive to her, you hear whatever I ask. Give me the grace today to remember to ask for what I need and hear your response. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Readings

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

These words from today’s Gospel follow Jesus’ denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees. Although not rejecting them altogether as he says do and observe what they tell you, he tells the people not to follow their example because they don’t practice what they preach. They burden people yet do nothing to ease their burden. They perform works to be seen, and they love places of honor at banquets, in synagogues, in marketplaces, and the salutation “Rabbi.” Of this, Jesus says, “Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ.” What places of honor do I go routinely seeking, even among family members, and how can I find ways to humble myself instead?

God, you guide us through the words and actions of your Son away from the pursuit of honor and pride. Rather than giving you glory, seeking honor and upholding pride result in a sustained delusion of one’s worth and the mistreatment of others. “You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers,” Jesus says. Open my eyes, Lord, to the dignity of my brother and sister, however I encounter them today, and let me be their servant in accomplishing your will. “He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me,” today’s Psalm says, “and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.” Let me praise you alone, God, for your glory.

Lord, in the commotion of this day, give me the grace to remember that you are my one Father in heaven. Stay with me; show me the way to accomplish the work of the day as I do your will and put mine aside.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Readings

Monday of the Second Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

In today’s reading, Jesus speaks not to the scribes and Pharisees but to his disciples. He speaks privately to them about mercy, forgiveness, and generosity. He tells them to stop judging and stop condemning, which echoes the proscriptions of the Ten Commandments, such as “You shall not steal” and “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Then Jesus goes on to name other ways to be merciful: “Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.” For every act of mercy, mercy is returned. “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

God, help me understand the overflowing measure of your mercy. It isn’t the result of a kind of recompense, where the measure of mercy given comes back as a reward for being merciful to others. Instead, you invite us to be merciful as you are merciful and to forgive as you forgive. You set the standard high yet are merciful when we fail to reach it. “So be perfect,” Jesus says, “just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Yet for every wrong I acknowledge in my heart and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you restore me to your grace and friendship in forgiveness. And the measure of it you give is “packed together, shaken down, and overflowing.” There is no greater model for this kind of mercy than Jesus your Son.

From the Gospel acclamation, let me remember today: “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Readings

Second Sunday of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

While [Peter] was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, 
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

Matthew describes the Transfiguration of Jesus and its overwhelming effect on its witnesses Peter, James, and John. It is as if the appearance of Moses and Elijah is just enough for them. Seeing Jesus’ face shine like the sun as he converses with the two prophets, Peter suggests that they build three tents, one for each of them. And then, even as he is still speaking, Peter and the others hear the voice of God speaking to them from a bright cloud that overshadowed them. The disciples fall prostrate in fear, and it is Jesus’ touch and gentle command “Rise, and do not be afraid” that allow them to raise their eyes.

God, help me take in today’s reading. I can’t know what it means to experience the Transfiguration as the disciples experienced it. Fear and awe follow it as the disciples hear your voice on the mountain. Seeing their fear, Jesus touches them and commands them to rise and be unafraid. Yet, what I have access to, the disciples did not have: your presence in the Eucharist and in the sacraments. Is there any less awe and fear in knowing that you are present in that form, no less real than you were present to the disciples? Lord, let me hear and know your voice today with the reverence it deserves, and let me rise unafraid to do your will.

From the prayer of Saint Padre Pio after Holy Communion: “Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Readings

Saturday of the First Week in Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the disciples about love of enemies as part of the Sermon on the Mount. He teaches them about the fulfillment of Mosaic law, about anger, adultery, divorce, and retaliation. In today’s passage on love of enemies, Jesus begins with the Old Testament way of thinking—love your neighbor and hate your enemy—and turns it upside down by telling the disciples to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. The reason for this, Jesus goes on to say, is so that the disciples may be children of the heavenly Father.

God, help me understand your ways. To love my enemies is to go against instinct and to call me to perfection. “So be perfect,” Jesus says, “just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Part of what makes it hard to love my enemies is to admit that I have enemies and hold grudges that keep them my enemies. Open my eyes, God, to my inability to pray for those who have hurt me and forgive them; help me make a return to you in childlike love and trust.

Teach me, Jesus, to love my enemies—the ones I encounter today and the ones I don’t see coming—so that your Spirit within me prays for them and forgives them. Lord, let me know you are near!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2W-KSOPWWBY

Readings