Friday 17 March
Friday of the 3rd week of Lent Saint Patrick, Bishop, Missionary First reading - Hosea 14:2-10 In these words of Prophet Hosea, we can see the unconditional love of God. The love of God despite our sins and our shortcomings. The forgiving Love. I will heal their disloyalty, I will love them with all my heart, for my anger has turned from them. The healing love of God which will heal our disloyalty. And this love is without any reservations because of our past sins. But He will love with all His heart. How beautiful and unconditional! Not only that He want to fall like dew upon us. He wants to give His grace, so that we shall flourish in all senses. He shall bloom like the lily, and thrust out roots like the poplar, his shoots will spread far; he will have the beauty of the olive and the fragrance of Lebanon. They will come back to live in my shade; they will grow corn that flourishes, they will cultivate vines as renowned as the wine of Helbon. The love of God is unconditional in forgiving and in giving. This love is that we must understand and repent if we have sinned. We must say, “Take all iniquity away so that we may have happiness again and offer you our words of praise”. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to understand the unconditional forgiving and giving love of God and repent our sins.
Thursday 16 March
Thursday of the 3rd week of Lent First reading - Jeremiah 7:23-28 In the words of Jeremiah, we can read how one can go against God. But they did not listen, they did not pay attention; they followed the dictates of their own evil hearts, refused to face me, and turned their backs on me. Not listening, not paying attention, following the dictates of their own evil hearts, refusing to face God, and turning the back on God. These are the actions by which we move away from the way God indicates us. Begins by not listening to the Word of God, not reading nor listening. Then the second step is not to pay attention to the Word of God. Listen but without attention. This becomes clear when we continue to act in the way our evil hearts dictate and not according to the Word of God. We follow our selfishness. When we follow our selfishness, we can never face God. We refuse to make changes, to repent, to do penitence. And finally, we turn our back on God. We turn towards our selfishness and our ego, turning our back on God. The Lent is the time to analyze our actions and to find out whether we are in any of these steps or whether elements of these steps are in our actions. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to analyze our attitude towards the Word of God.
Wednesday 15 March
Wednesday of the 3rd week of Lent First reading - Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9 In this passage we can see two important elements. What is the purpose of the all the laws and customs? It’s very clear. Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. To have life and to possess the land God had promised. Again, it is said; Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. This is live with wisdom and understanding. So ultimately the purpose of the laws and customs are to have life, to possess the promised land, to live with wisdom and understanding. In other words, the laws and customs are for our integral development. To find light and to live in light. The second element in this reading: about what we should be proud about in our life? And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? If we want to be proud about something, it should be about the closeness of God with us. God is close to us in the Eucharist, in other sacraments and in the Word of God. This is what makes us happy in our life. The closeness of God despite our sinfulness. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to find the beauty of the laws of God and His closeness.
Tuesday 14 March
Tuesday of the 3rd week of Lent First reading - Daniel 3:25,34-43 “Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray”. This is beautiful. Standing in the midst of the fire and praying. Standing in the midst of our problems which could consume us, which could destroy us, which could finish us, and pray. Here prayer is not something out of the mouth but out of the heart. Here prayer is a reviving of a relationship. Here prayer is a reliving of a relationship. A relationship of trust. A relationship of confidence. A relationship of understanding oneself and of understanding of God. “Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord”. These words explain it. Deliverance is requested based on what. A deliverance worthy of the wonderful deeds of the Lord. And the motive of the deliverance is the glory of the Lord. So, the relationship with the Lord is a relationship where the Lord is the center. His wonderful deeds are the basis of this relationship, and His glory is the objective of this relationship. That is why Azariah can say this prayer in the midst of the fire. When the wonderful deeds of the Lord become the basis of our relationship with God, when His Glory is the objective of our relationship, we could also pray standing in the middle of our difficulties. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to assure that the wonderous deeds of the Lord are the basis of our prayer and His glory is our objective.