Tag: Word

“Whoever is not with me is against me.” | Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

From the responsorial psalm: “Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:14-23, today’s readings)

“When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

God says to his people through Jeremiah: “They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.” If they were not listening to God, who are they listening to? This is the same God who said: “Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people.” Satan guards his palace, the scattered realm where evil holds power and people subject themselves or listen to a legion of voices. But when Jesus comes, he attacks and overcomes Satan and takes away his power so that once again God’s own people can see his face and hear his voice. “Whoever is not with me is against me,” says the Lord, “and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” O Most Holy Trinity, undivided unity, bring about your kingdom!

God, whatever I have in my possession that I allow Satan to guard, let Jesus come and take away. I want to hear your voice and turn to you to see your face. The psalmist sings, “Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.” For this, there is reason to joyfully sing hymns, to listen to you, Lord, and respond with joy to you who made me. Throughout the day, help me take to heart and sing in my soul this simple refrain: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

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.

“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” | Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

From the responsorial psalm: “Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:17-19, today’s readings)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.”

Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that to break the commandments is to step away from God’s love but to keep the commandments and teach others to keep them is to remain in his love. This same source of love came from God, when he gave the commandments to Moses for the sake of the Israelites “so that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. . . . to [teach] your children and to your children’s children.” Jesus, the Word of God, points to God’s commandments and is the giver of all that is just and good.

God, broaden my understanding of who Jesus is in relation to the law, to the commandments. He did not come to overturn or destroy but to bring them to fulfillment. The commandments are your gift given to humanity and at the same time spoken into the hearts of each person you call by name. Give me the grace, Lord, to know in my heart that Jesus is the ultimate Word spoken and that he calls us to everlasting life with you. The Gospel acclamation is “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.” Jesus, living Word of God, I trust in 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.