Saturday of the 3rd week of Lent
St Frances of Rome (1384 – 1440)
Gospel – Luke 18:9-14
“Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else”. This happens when we feel happy and virtuous about our own accomplishments without any relationship with God or with our brothers and sisters around us. Everything is around me. I do a lot of good things and the relationship is not with God or with others but with myself. I do prayers or fasting but these prayers or fasting have no connection to my relationship with God. My activities are just actions to make myself happy and to make me feel different from others. Once we are in this vicious circle, we will start despising others also. Then we become more and more centered around ourselves. This is what we can see in this Pharisee. Whereas the tax collector relates his life with God, he recognizes the need for the mercy of God. He gives the apt space for God in his life. Let’s reflect: Lent is to assign the right space for God in our life by eliminating our pride.
Saturday 9 March
