Thursday of the 2nd week of Lent
Saint Frances of Rome, Religious
First reading – Jeremiah 17:5-10
The reading from the book of Jeremiah continues. He clearly tells us the difference between a person who puts his trust in man and a person who puts his trust in God. This is especially true when it comes to a difficult situation. For many of us, when we are in a crisis or in a hard situation, the first complaint is that there is no one to help us. But when we read this passage, this complaint has no value because we have the Lord to put our trust. When we turn to Lord the help is assured. When we turn to others, it depends upon different situations. This must become a habit. This must become automatic. We must understand the difference in trusting the Lord and trusting man or trusting in oneself. A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands: if good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited. ‘A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green; it has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to reaffirm our trust in the Lord knowing the difference from trusting in oneself or others around.
Thursday 9 March
