Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

Saint Peter Damian (1007-1072)

Readings of the day: RB 18:1-6 The Order for Reciting the Psalms

Mass: Jon 3:1-10; Resp. Ps 51; Lk 11:29-32

Even now, says the Lord,

return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.

(Verse before the Gospel, Mass)

In this year’s Lenten message, Pope Francis references the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. Before doing so, the Holy Father asks, ‘What are the signs that indicate that our love is beginning to cool?’ Some signs follow: greed for money and the rejection of God and his peace which together lead to violence against anyone we think is a threat to our own ‘certainties’, for example, the unborn child, the elderly and infirm, the migrant, the alien among us, or our neighbor who does not live up to our expectations. Pope Francis then turns to Evangelii Gaudium listing signs of love gone cold in communities: selfishness, spiritual sloth, sterile pessimism, spiritual worldliness, warring among ourselves, and lack of missionary zeal. For more thoughts on the signs, see paragraphs 76-109 of the Exhortation. One will find much to reflect upon during this Lenten journey. Para. 109 summons us: ‘Challenges exist to be overcome! Let us be realists, but without losing our joy, our boldness and our hope-filled commitment. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of missionary vigour!’ 

THERE IS SOMETHING GREATER THAN JONAH HERE!

For Pope Francis on the 17^th Anniversary of Being Named a Cardinal.

For Pope Francis and Members of the Roman Curia during their Spiritual Exercises.

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

Readings of the day: RB 17 The Number of Psalms to be Sung at the Hours

Mass: Is 55:10-11; Resp. Ps 34; Mt 6:7-17

IN PRAYING, DO NOT BABBLE.

Let us pray as God our master has taught us. To ask the Father in words his Son has given us, to let him hear the prayer of Christ ringing in his ears, is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer. Let the Father recognize the words of his Son. Let the Son who lives in our hearts be also on our lips. We have him as an advocate for sinners before the Father; when we ask forgiveness for our sins let us use the words given by our advocate. He tells us: Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. What more effective prayer could we then make in the name of Christ than in the words of his own prayer?

(St Cyprian)

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,

HALLOWED BE THY NAME,

THY KINGDOM COME,

THY WILL BE DONE,

ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;

AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES,

AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US;

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

If you forgive others their trespasses,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

but if you do not forgive others,

neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

IS IT TIME TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS?

IS IT TIME TO FORGIVE?

Monday of the First Week of Lent

Readings of the day: RB 16 The Hours of the Word of God During the Day

Mass: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Resp. Ps 19; Mt 25:31-46

 

A surprise snow fall at Redwoods today

THREE QUOTATIONS FOR REFLECTION:

Brethren and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given to us by God’s gift…Let us not labour to heap up and hoard riches while others remain in need…Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on the just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction. To all earth’s creatures he has given the broad earth, the springs, the rivers and the forests. He has given the air to the birds, and the waters to those who live in the water. He has given to all the basic needs of life, not as a private possession, not restricted by law, not divided by boundaries, but as common to all, amply and in rich measure. His gifts are not deficient in any way, because he wanted to give equality of blessing to equality of worth, and to show the abundance of his generosity.

(St Gregory Nazianzen)

Time is made for dying in a thousand ways,

so why be afraid of dying when a kind of dying could come all the time?

Live every day like you’re terminal.

Live every day like your soul’s eternal.

Because it is.

1. Voskamp, The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life)

Just as you did it to one of the least of these

brothers or sisters of mine, you did it to me.

(Mt 25:40)

First Sunday of Lent

Readings of the Day: RB 15 When the Alleluia Should Be Said

Mass: Gn 9:8-15; Resp. Ps 25; 1 P 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15

The Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness.

He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan;

and he was with the wild beasts;

and the angels waited on him.

First, the Spirit descends like a dove on Jesus at his baptism. Now, the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness. Jesus immediately faces trials. He has paved the way. We all face our own wild beasts—day in and day out. We cannot run away. St Augustine comments: ‘Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial. We progress by means of trial. No one knows himself except through trial, or receives crown except after victory, or strives except against an enemy or temptations.’ The option is to face trials head on. Augustine offers this approach: ‘See yourself as tempted in Christ, and see yourself as victorious in him. He could have kept the devil from himself; but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation.’ Lost, bewildered, confused, overwhelmed? Jesus waits with love and patience. He teaches us; he leads us to our heavenly home where he sits ‘at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.’ Keep going. 

Jesus has to enter into the drama of human existence for that belongs to the core of his mission; he has to penetrate it completely, down to its uttermost depths, in order to find the ‘lost sheep,’ to bear it on his shoulders, and to bring it home.

(Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, p. 26)

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order: Mendicant Order, founded 1233 in Italy

Seven Founders of the Order of Servites, Rosselli Matteo

Readings of the Day: RB 14 The Celebration of Vigils on the Feasts of Saints

Mass: Is 58:9b-14; Resp. Ps 86; Lk 5:27-32

Jesus’ words for Levi are few: ‘Follow me.’ Tomorrow we enter the First Week of Lent. How might we prepare ourselves today in order to follow Jesus more closely during the coming weeks? 

Only those able to acknowledge their mistakes and ask pardon

receive understanding and forgiveness from others.

(Pope Francis, Twitter, Feb. 17, 2018)

Friday after Ash Wednesday

Readings of the Day: RB 13:12-14

Mass: Is 58:1-9a; Resp. Ps 51; Mt 9:14-15

A day acceptable to the Lord

loose the bonds of injustice

undo the thongs of the yoke

let the oppressed go free

break every yoke

share your bread with the hungry

bring the homeless poor into your house

when you see the naked, cover them

not turning your back on your own kin

How might these words from the Prophet Isaiah come to life on this Friday after Ash Wednesday? A few ways come to mind: seek to reconcile a broken relationship; invite a neighbor for a meal; contact an estranged family member; spend time with an elderly or lonely person; pray with Psalm 51, the Responsorial Psalm for today’s celebration of the Eucharist. What ways come to your mind?

O Lord, make me know your ways, teach me your paths.

(Communion Antiphon, Mass)

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Readings of the day: RB 13:1-11 Lauds on Ordinary Days

Mass: Dt 30:15-20; Resp. Ps 1; Luke 9:22-25

Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.

It seems to me that each one of us has these words of Moses presented to us each and every day. It is up to each one of us to choose our response.

Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live,

by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.