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Opening Prayer:
Turn our hearts to you, eternal Father,
The Readings (alternate)
Deuteronomy 26:16-19; Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Matthew 5:43-48
In His Steps - A Lenten Series
Today:
Daily Meditation:
Turn our hearts to you.
In the new covenant, without condition,
God loved the world so much,
Today's Daily Reflection
by Kevin Kersten, S.J.
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Love Your Enemies
Life in our world has many sorts of enmity. Enmities between a husband and wife
on the brink of divorce, bullies and their victims, a person betrayed by a
friend, or a child abused by a parent. Enmities between nations at war or
adversaries in civil war. Between cheaters and cheated, criminals and victims.
Among the wealthy and among the poor, and between rich and poor. Whatever the
sort, only two options occur to me as possible for those embroiled in enmity.
Let it be, or deal with it. There really isn't any "in between."
Letting an enmity be will likely make it worse. Recrimination will increase. Old
hurts will get bruised and new ones will be perpetrated. Grudges and resentments
will fester. Violence and bloodshed may even happen. And all this will occur for
the enemies facing one another from the two sides of a divide.
Dealing with the enmity requires both parties to turn their faces to one another
and listen. Each needs to acknowledge to the other their own responsibility for
the division, and to forgive the hurt and misunderstanding the other has caused
-- more or less in that order. When all this takes root -- on both sides --
genuine reconciliation, which consists of deep down mutual forgiveness, becomes
a real possibility. But sometimes it will occur only with the grace of God. If
that is the case, then both sides will benefit from praying for the grace to
reconcile.
For reconciliation to stick, the process needs to grow towards mutual love –
which is more than mutual tolerance. Love, as reconciliation matures, will
emerge not only in our words but especially in our deeds: publicly acknowledging
(praising) the other's merit and worth, revering the other's dignity and
goodness, helping the other to heal, working with the other to reconstruct your
damaged relationship, and otherwise serving the other without grudge or
resentment.
To come to a point of praising, revering, and serving an enemy one needs to
experience the mutual forgiveness and healing which reconciliation makes
possible. Then, as reconciliation flourishes, union of hearts and minds becomes
a desired goal to work for, and the love that results will abide. When union and
love are achieved, they become the doorway to peace, a deep and enduring peace,
which is the polar opposite of enmity.
If what I have said here makes sense, then I think responding to these words of
Christ from today's gospel will strike at the root of enmity: "You have heard
that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say
to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be
children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the
good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust" (Mt 5:43-48).
This is the love that God wants to give grace for when we are experiencing
enmity, the same love Our Lord gave words to from the cross: "Father, forgive
them, they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).
and grant that, seeking always the one thing necessary
and carrying out works of charity,
we may be dedicated to your worship.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
The Saturdays of Lent have a grateful and uplifting tone to them.
Our lesson today reminds us of the covenant God made long ago:
you be my people
and I will be your God.
God is faithful to us, even if we are not.
Jesus calls us to a new way of being -
loving others as we have been loved -
which includes loving those who do not love us.
We are to be as pure in our love,
as God is pure in loving us.
he gave us his only Son,
that all who believe in him
might have eternal life.
John 3:16
Department of Communication Studies, Creighton University
Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Matthew 5:43-48
Preface for Meditation
Great Lent is a period of repentance and transformation of our body and spirit to
the LORD the creator. Fasting without repentance and changing one’s life becomes
useless. Unless the fasting person changes his life during fasting, he will only
be hungry and exhausted without gaining anything else. Therefore, the Church
constantly reminds us of the importance of repentance during fasting. Before
Great Lent, we fast Nineveh Fast and we live the story of Jonah and the
Ninevites' repentance.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast
out." (John 6: 37) Christ "has come to save that which was lost." (Matt. 18:11)
God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1Tim.
2:4). Christ is the True Physician who is needed by those who are ill by sin. He
did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2: 17).
Repentance is a result of divine action; it is the Spirit of God, Who moves the
hearts of sinners to repent. God’s pleasure is in the return of a sinner so that
he will not die in his sin. When God sees his sinful child returning to Him, He
has compassion and goes to him, kissing him, and welcomes his return by saying,
"It is right that we should make merry and be glad." (Luke 15: 32) The return of
a sinner and his repentance results in joy to God, as well as all those in
heaven, because, "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15: 7)."
Bible Reading:
Before Holy Qurbana
Holy Qurbana
Gospel Readings Mark 1:21-31 (KJV)
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he
entered into the synagogue, and taught.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one
that had authority, and not as the scribes.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and
he cried out,
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of
Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the
Holy One of God.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud
voice, he came out of him.
And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among
themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this?
for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they
do obey him.
And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region
round about Galilee.
And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they
entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell
him of her.
And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and
immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Bible Verse for the Day They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, 'What is
this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits,
and they obey him!' St. Mark 1:27
Intercessions:
To make us his new creation, Christ the Lord gave us the waters of rebirth
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, clothe us with compassion, kindness and
humility,
Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
May the Lord bless us,
Source: Portions from: Creighton University Praying Lent
by Prince Mathew
(Read all Gospels during the Great Lent)
and spread the table of his body and his word. Let us call upon him and say:
Lord, renew us in your grace.
- make us want to be patient with everyone.
Teach us to be true neighbors to all in trouble and distress,
- and so imitate you, the Good Samaritan.
May the Blessed Virgin, your Mother, pray for all those vowed to a life of
virginity,
- that they may deepen their dedication to you and to the Church.
Grant us the gift of your mercy,
- forgive our sins and remit their punishment.
Sometimes my heart
turns in every direction
except towards you.
Please help me
to turn my heart toward you,
to gaze upon you in trust
and to seek your kingdom with all of my heart.
Soften my hardened heart
so that I might love others
as a way to glorify and worship you.
Grant me this
with the ever-present guidance of your spirit.
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
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