Lent 2005, Prayer, Reflection, Action for All

Thursday, First Week of Lent

"Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)

Reflection.

The object of our prayer-life is to empty ourselves and be filled with the Trinity. The first thing Jesus did when He became Man was to empty Himself.
"His state was Divine, yet He did not cling to His equality with God, but emptied Himself to assume the condition of a slave and become as men are; and as all men are, He was humbler yet." (Phil. 2:6,7)
Our mission in life, then, is to cooperate with God's Grace and empty ourselves and be filled with the Trinity.
We are not to seek detachment to be free of responsibility, but to enable us to love both God and man with a pure love.
We are not to withdraw from the world to be alone, but to be with God.
We are to do penance, not because it erases our guilt, but because it wipes away the traces of sin.
We are to empty ourselves, not for the sake of self-control, but to be filled with God- transformed into Jesus.
There is no definite method by which we can become selfless. Each one of us has a particular virtue and faults that make the process of becoming like Jesus different. We must look at Jesus, read His Word in Scripture and ask His Spirit to enlighten our minds and give us that particular way by which we can best attain the goal He has set for us .... Mother Angelica

Lenten Question

Q: Why is giving up something for Lent such a salutary custom?
A: By denying ourselves something we enjoy, we discipline our wills so that we are not slaves to our pleasures. Just as indulging the pleasure of eating leads to physical flabbiness and, if this is great enough, an inability to perform in physically demanding situations, indulging in pleasure in general leads to spiritual flabbiness and, if this is great enough, an inability to perform in spiritually demanding situations, when the demands of morality require us to sacrifice something pleasurable (such as sex before marriage or not within the confines of marriage) or endure hardship (such as being scorned or persecuted for the faith). By disciplining the will to refuse pleasures when they are not sinful, a habit is developed which allows the will to refuse pleasures when they are sinful. There are few better ways to keep one's priorities straight than by periodically denying ourselves things of lesser priority to show us that they are not necessary and focus our attention on what is necessary.

Lenten Action.

Pray a rosary for the conversion of all who are far from the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, look upon us and hear our prayer. By the good works You inspire, help us to discipline our bodies and to be renewed in spirit. Amen.

Friday, First Week of Lent
The Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.

"Unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 5:20)

Reflection.

HOW TO FAST

Fast from judging others;
Feast on Christ dwelling in them.

Fast from apparent darkness;
Feast on the reality of light.

Fast from pessimism;
Feast on optimism.

Fast from thoughts of illness;
Feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from words that pollute;
Feast on phrases that purify.

Fast from anger;
Feast on patience.

Fast from worry;
Feast on Divine Providence.

Fast from unrelenting pressure;
Feast on unceasing prayer.

Fast from negatives;
Feast on positives.

Fast from complaining;
Feast on appreciation.

Fast from hostility;
Feast on non-resistance.

Fast from bitterness;
Feast on forgiveness.

Fast from anxiety;
Feast on hope.

Fast from yourself;
Feast on a silent heart.

Lenten Question

Q: Why are the forty days called Lent?
A: They are called Lent because that is the Old English word for spring, the season of the year during which they fall. This is something unique to English. In almost all other languages its name is a derivative of the Latin term , or "the forty days."

Lenten Action.

Be generous with your compliments today, especially to those who appear to be "down".

Prayer

I enter on this path of repentance so that in dying to self I might rise to new life.

Saturday, First Week of Lent

"If you love those who love you, what merit is there in that?" (Matthew 5:46)

Reflection.
St. Dominic Savio was born in Italy in 1842. One day when he was just four, he disappeared and his good mother went looking for him. She found the little fellow in a corner praying with his hands joined and his head bowed. He already knew all his prayers by heart! At five, he was an altar boy.
When he was seven, he received his First Holy Communion. On that solemn day, he chose a motto: "Death, but not sin!" and he kept it always. "A teenager such as Dominic, who bravely struggled to keep his innocence from Baptism to the end of his life, is really a saint," said Pope St. Pius X. At the age of twelve, Dominic entered the school run by St. John Bosco. Don Bosco examined him first and at the end of the questions, Dominic asked, "What do you think of me?"
"I think you're good material," answered the priest, with a big smile.
"Well, then," said Dominic, "You are a good tailor, so if the material is good, take me and make a new suit out of me for Our Lord!"
Everyone in the school saw from the way he prayed that this boy was different. He greatly loved all the boys, and even though he was younger, he used to worry about them. He was afraid that they would lose the grace of God by sinning.
One day, a fellow brought a magazine full of bad pictures to school. In a minute, a group of boys had gathered around him to see it.
"What's up?" wondered Dominic, and he, too, went to look. Just one peek was enough for him. He grabbed the magazine and tore it to pieces! "Poor us!" he cried in the meantime, "Did God give us eyes to look at such things as this? Aren't you ashamed?"
"Oh, we were just looking at these pictures for the fun of it," said one boy.
"Sure, for fun," answered Dominic, "and in the meantime you're preparing yourselves to go to hell!"
"Oh, what's so wrong about looking at these pictures anyway?" another fellow demanded.
Dominic had a ready answer. "If you don't see anything wrong," he said sadly, "this is even worse." It means you're used to looking at shameful things!"
No one said anything after that. They all realized that Dominic was right. Another time he stopped a terrific stone-throwing fight between two angry boys. Holding up a little crucifix between them, he said, "Before you fight, look at this and say, 'Jesus Christ was innocent and He died forgiving His murderers. I am a sinner, and I am going to hurt Him by not forgiving my enemies.' Then you can start - and throw your first stone at me!"
The two boys were so ashamed of themselves that they apologized, and promised to go to confession too.

One day Dominic began to feel sick and was sent home to get better. While at home he grew worse, instead, and received the last Sacraments. He was only fifteen then, but he did not fear
death. In fact, he was overjoyed at the thought of going to Heaven. Just before he died, he tried to sit up.
"Goodbye," he murmured to his good father. Suddenly his face lit up with a smile of great joy and happiness. "I am seeing such wonderful things!" he exclaimed. Then he spoke no more, for he had gone to Heaven.
Dominic is the patron saint of choir boys and of the falsely accused.
This latter title was given to him due to the following incident. One time, two boys filled the school stove with snow and garbage during the cold winter months. When the teacher came back into the room, they falsely accused Dominic of doing the "dirty" deed. Although disciplined in front of the entire class, Dominic refused to tell on the two mischievous boys. When the truth was later revealed, Dominic was asked why he didn't confess to his innocence. He remarked that he was imitating Our Lord, Who remained silent during His persecutions and crucifixion.

Lenten Fact
Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is celebrated in many parts of the world with feasting. The French call it
"Mardi Gras". The Germans call it "Fausching". The feasting comes from the custom of using up household fats prior to the 40 days of Lenten fasting, when no fat is used.

Lenten Action.

In a prayerful spirit, get up early and watch the sun rise.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you spoke peace to a sinful world and brought mankind the gift of reconciliation by the suffering and death you endured. I love you and joyfully bear the name 'Christian.' Teach me to follow your example. Increase my faith, hope and charity so that I may struggle to turn hatred to love and conflict to peace.

FAMILY CORNER

Naming Our Values

By Judith Dunlap

I remember reading somewhere that unless a family consistently articulates its values, its members will assume the values of the culture around them. Perhaps there was a time (in TV's Ozzie and Harriet days) when that statement might not have been scary. But not now. Today if we want our children to grow up with Christian values we need to name those values as well as live them. If we want our youngsters to identify themselves as Catholics, we have to articulate that too.

One of our household rules was "no hats at the table." I remember hearing our middle son apologize to a friend by telling him that his dad had this "thing" about hats at the table. In truth, we had all sorts of "Dunlap do's and don'ts." Our rules and customs sometimes distinguished us from other families (TV families included), and gave us a reason to act out of sync with perhaps more prevalent, but not-so-Christian values.

We also need to name ourselves Catholic (not just Christian) and articulate what it means to be Catholic. For example, when you make the Sign of the Cross remind your children that this is often how Catholics begin and end their prayers. Celebrate your favorite saint's day and let your youngsters know that Catholics like to remember such feast days because saints are our heroes and heroines; they remind us of God's holiness. Help your children understand that they are Catholic just as they are a Smith or a Jones. Let them know Catholics have their own set of do's and don'ts.

Finally, make sure one of your family don'ts is having to be perfect. We don't want youngsters ever to think that mishaps or even big mistakes can separate them permanently from their family, including their Catholic family.

For Family Response:

Spend some time around the dinner table talking about what distinguishes your family from other families and what distinguishes Catholics from other believers.

Sunday, Second Week of Lent

He was transfigured before their eyes and his clothes became dazzlingly white. (Mark 9:2-3)

Reflection.

"This is the remedy to fix my gaze on You, Incarnate Word, hanging on the Cross. As soon as You see a humble soul looking at You in this way, you are quickly moved to look at it, and the effect of Your divine glance is like that of a ray of sunshine on the earth; it warms it and prepares it to bring forth fruit. This is the way You act, O Divine Word, who by the light of Your glance, drain my soul of all its pride, and consume it in Your fire. No one acquires humility if he does not fix his gaze on You, O Word, on the Cross." ... St. Mary Magdalen dei Pazzi

Lenten Fact

During Bach's day, often the organ and choirs were silent during Lent.

Lenten Action.

Talk about today's scriptures with a friend after Mass.

Prayer

Father of light,
in you is found no shadow of change but only the fullness of life and limitless truth.
Open our heart to the voice of Your Word. and free us from the original darkness that shadows our vision.

Restore our sight that we may look upon your Son who calls us to repentance and a change of heart, for He lives and reigns with you for ever and ever.

Monday, Second Week of Lent

"Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36)

Reflection.

LENT: A TIME FOR FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION
By Jennifer Jordan
Lent is a time for forgiveness and reconciliation. An acquaintance of mine recently shared an experience that shows the beauty reconciliation can bring. Mrs. Winston's story begins with an automobile accident that nearly claimed the life of her 35-year-old son, Robert.

After seven weeks of daily visits to the hospital and many "life and death" complications, it looked as if Robert was going to survive. Despite the hardship, Mrs. Winston, a gentle, spiritual woman, was quick to be positive about her situation. She believed in the power of prayer and was confident God was healing her son. "The doctors, the nurses--they were the Lord's instruments, and they were good instruments," she said. "The people at the hospital were all as nice as they could be," she said. Then with hesitation, she added, "except for a problem I had with one nurse." She continued to explain the incident. Robert had been in the hospital a long time, and his mother was hoping he could leave to attend their family reunion. "Well, I asked this nurse about it, and she just blew up at me," she said. "The nurse called my request 'unreasonable,' and said there was 'no way' the doctors would approve it." Mrs. Winston, a soft-spoken woman in her 60s, was shocked and hurt by the woman's cold response. "I couldn't understand why she was so nasty," she said. Another nurse who witnessed the encounter added, "Ignore her, she's just temperamental."

When Mrs. Winston went home, she couldn't forget the incident. She returned to the hospital the next day and the same nurse was in her son's room. She called her aside and said to her, "I think a great deal of you and the other nurses here." She then went a step further. "I don't think I have ever done anything to hurt you or offend you. But, if I have, I apologize." She continued to tell the nurse that she didn't understand what provoked her angry tone. "I hugged her and told her how much we appreciated her work with Robert." "Well, she just melted," Mrs. Winston said in her soft southern voice. "It seems she was going through some hard times, and it hadn't been a good day." As I listened to her story, I thought about how others might respond to the rude nurse. Some might report the incident to the woman's supervisor; some might reply in the same tone the nurse used; and, some might vindictively walk away and wish the woman a flat tire on her way home. Then, there are rare souls--such as Mrs. Winston--people who inspire us to reach for the Christ within us and to treat others with love and compassion.

I reflected on her wonderful example. She put aside her anger and pride and offered forgiveness. Christ invites each of us to reconcile with those who hurt or disappoint us. It is a call to forgive the stranger who cuts you off in traffic; the family member who has been a bit "too honest"; and, the ex-spouse who may continue to drive you crazy.
After Mrs. Winston left my home I wondered why this acquaintance had shared such a personal story. She had come to my home on business --to repair my washing machine. Then, as I reflected on it, I knew why our paths had crossed. She was bringing a wonderful example of how to deal with hurt in our lives. This Lent, take the big step. Surrender any "eye for an eye" notions and pray for help in learning to love and forgive the way our Lord taught us.

Lenten Question

Q: Is the custom of giving up something for Lent mandatory?
A: No. However, it is a salutary custom, and parents or caretakers may choose to require it of their children to encourage their spiritual training, which is their prime responsibility in the raising of their children.

Lenten Action.

Wear a cross or other religious article; you will be surprised how many times this will start a conversation about your faith.

Prayer

Father of light,
in you is found no shadow of change but only the fullness of life and limitless truth.
Open our heart to the voice of Your Word and free us from the original darkness that shadows our vision.
Restore our sight that we may look upon your Son who calls us to repentance and a change of heart, for he lives and reigns with you for ever and ever.

Tuesday, Second Week of Lent

Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord. (Isaiah 1:18)

Reflection.

If most problems come from unforgiveness, we can understand why Jesus emphasizes forgiveness to an extreme degree. When Peter suggested to Jesus that we should forgive seven times, he was correct. (Mt 18:21) Seven in the Bible stands for an indefinite number of times, so Peter was saying we should forgive indefinitely. This is the correct answer but not the correct emphasis. Jesus proclaims we should forgive "seventy times seven," indefinitely times indefinitely. (Mt 18:22) Jesus further emphasizes forgiveness by saying God's kingdom is a matter of forgiveness and those who do not forgive are handed over to torturers. (Mt 18:23, 34)

And when the disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, Jesus told them to pray they be forgiven as they forgive. (Mt 6:12) This means prayer will hurt rather than help us if we do not forgive. This is the only point in the Lord's prayer on which Jesus commented. He reiterated: "If you forgive the faults of others, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours.

If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you." (Mt 6:14-15) Jesus insists on forgiveness. We must pass on the forgiveness He has given us by the shedding of His blood on Calvary ...Father Al Lauer

Lenten Question

Q: Are acts of repentance appropriate on other days during Lent?
A: Yes. "All Fridays through the year and he time of Lent are penitential days and time throughout the universal Church" (CIC 1250).

Lenten Action.

Forgive someone who has wronged you; Ask for forgiveness from someone you wronged.

Prayer

Forgive my sins against the unity of your family; make me love as you loved me.

Wednesday, Second Week of Lent

"Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest." (Matthew 20:27)

Reflection.

Deny
oneself
Carry
one's cross
To follow
Jesus Christ

If you are ashamed of the Cross of Jesus Christ
he will be ashamed of you before his Father

Love
the Cross
Desire:
crosses
contempt
pain
abuse
insults
disgrace
persecution
humiliations
calumnies
illness
injuries

May Jesus prevail
May his Cross prevail

Divine love
Humility
Submission
Patience
Obedience:
complete
prompt
joyful
blind
persevering

.....St. Louis de Montfort

Lenten Question

Q: Is the balance of fasting the same for all people?
A: No. For example, with the good of food, people who are by nature physically larger need more food than people who are physically smaller. Similarly, people who have higher metabolisms or who do manual labor for a living need more food than people with slower metabolisms or who have less active lifestyles.

The same is true with regard to other goods than food. St. Paul speaks of this in regard to the good of married life: "I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion" (1 Corinthians 7:7-9). Thus some are given the gift of being able to live without the good of married life in order that they may pursue greater devotion to God (1 Cor. 7:32-34) or to pursue greater ministry for others (2 Timothy 2:3-4), as with priests, monks, and nuns. God gives these people special graces to live the life which they have embraced, just as he gives special graces to the married to live the life they have embraced.

Lenten Action.

Read for 20 minutes from Scripture or an inspirational book.

Prayer

Lord, watch over Your Church, and guide it with Your unfailing love. Protect us from what could harm us and lead us to what will save us. Help us always, for without You we are bound to fail.

Thursday, Second Week of Lent

"At his gate lay a beggar named Lazarus." (Luke 16:20)

Reflection.
Lent is a time for each of us to increase our knowledge of the "faith that is in us" in order that we can fulfill our vocation as Christians to extend this rich blessing of faith to others. We accomplish personal renewal and revitalization of our faith through penance, prayer and instruction.

Lenten Question

Q: On what basis does the Church have the authority to establish days of fast and abstinence?
A: On the authority of Jesus Christ. Jesus told the leaders of his Church, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19, 18:18). The language of binding and loosing was a rabinnic way of referring to the ability to establish binding or rules of conduct for the faith community. It is thus especially appropriate that the references to binding and loosing occur in Matthew, the "Jewish Gospel."

Thus the states: "BINDING AND LOOSING (Hebrew, . . . Rabinnical term for 'forbidding and permitting.' . . . "The power of binding and loosing as always claimed by the Pharisees. Under Queen Alexandra the Pharisees, says Josephus (1:5:2), 'became the administrators of all public affairs so as to be empowered to banish and readmit whom they pleased, as well as to loose and to bind.' . . . The various schools had the power 'to bind and to loose'; that is, to forbid and to permit ( 3b); and they could also bind any day by declaring it a fast-day ( . . . 12a . . . ). This power and authority, vested in the rabbinical body of each age of the Sanhedrin, received its ratification and final sanction from the celestial court of justice (9; 23b). "In this sense Jesus, when appointing his disciples to be his successors, used the familiar formula (Matt. 16:19, 18:18). By these words he virtually invested them with the same authority as that which he found belonging to the scribes and Pharisees who 'bind heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but will not move them with one of their fingers'; that is 'loose them,' as they have the power to do (Matt. 23:2-4). In the same sense the second epistle of Clement to James II ('Clementine Homilies,' Introduction [A.D. 221]), Peter is represented as having appointed Clement as his successor, saying: 'I communicate to him the power of binding and loosing so that, with respect to everything which he shall ordain in the earth, it shall be decreed in the heavens; for he shall bind what ought to be bound and loose what ought to be loosed as knowing the rule of the Church.'" ( 3:215). Thus Jesus invested the leaders of this Church with the power of making for the Christian community. This includes the setting of fast days (like Ash Wednesday).

To approach the issue from another angle, every family has the authority to establish particular family devotions for its members. Thus if the parents decide that the family will engage in a particular devotion at a particular time (say, Bible reading after supper), it is a sin for the children to disobey and skip the devotion for no good reason. In the same way, the Church as the family of God has the authority to establish its own family devotion, and it is a sin for the members of the Church to disobey and skip the devotions for no good reason (though of course if the person has a good reason, the Church dispenses him immediately).

Lenten Action.

Pray for RCIA Catechumens and Candidates.

Prayer

O Jesus, Divine Strength, I come to You to seek support for my weakness, and infirmity.

Friday, Second Week of Lent
Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat.

Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age. (Genesis 37:3)

Reflection.
O Divine Word, You humbled Yourself even unto death and willed to be treated as the least of men by sinners, by demons, and even by the Holy Spirit and by Your Eternal Father. You did all this to glorify your Father, to make reparation for the offenses committed against Him by pride, to confound and destroy our arrogance and to teach us to detest vanity and to love humility. Oh! how truly can we see that pride dishonors God and is very displeasing to Him, since it is necessary for you, the Son of God, to be so humiliated in order to atone for such dishonor!
We can truly say also that vanity is a monstrous thing since in order to destroy it, You were willing to be reduced to such humiliation! Oh! how firmly must we believe that in the eyes of God humility is an infinitely precious treasure and a jewel most pleasing to Him, since You, His divine Son, willed to be so humiliated to make us love this virtue, and to urge us to imitate You in the practice of it, and thus merit the grace to perform its works.' ..... St. John Eudes

Lenten Question

Q: What is a day of fast and abstinence?
A: Under current canon law in the Western Rite of the Church, a day of fast is one on which Catholics who are eighteen to sixty years old are required to keep a limited fast. In this country, one may eat a single, normal meal and have two snacks, so long as these snacks do not add up to a second meal.

Children are not required to fast, but their parents must ensure they are properly educated in the spiritual practice of fasting. Those with medical conditions requiring a greater or more regular food intake can easily be dispensed from the requirement of fasting by their pastor.

A day of abstinence is a day on which Catholics fourteen years or older are required to abstain from eating meat (under the current discipline in America, fish, eggs, milk products, and condiments or foods made using animal fat are permitted in the Western Rite of the Church, though not in the Eastern Rites.) Again, persons with special dietary needs can easily be dispensed by their pastor.

Lenten Action.

Share an answered prayer with a friend—give God credit in words. Remember to give thanks to God for what you received.

Prayer

Merciful Father, may our acts of penance bring us your forgiveness, open our hearts to your love, and prepare us for the coming feast of Your resurrection

Saturday, Second Week of Lent

"Let us eat and celebrate because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life." (Luke 15:23-24)

Reflection.

Salvation to all that will is nigh;
That All, which always is All everywhere,
Which cannot sin, and yet all sins must bear,
Which cannot die, yet cannot choose but die,
So, faithful Virgin, yields himself to lie
In prison, in thy womb; and though He there
Can take no sin, nor thou give, yet He'll wear
Taken from thence, flesh, which death's force may try.
Ere by the spheres time was created, thou
Wast in his mind, who is thy Son and Brother;
Whom thou conceiv'st, conceiv'd; yea, thou art now
Thy Maker's maker, and thy Father's mother;
Thou hast light in dark, and shut'st in little room
Immensity, cloistered in thy dear womb.
by John Donne

Lenten Action.

Go to a chapel and say Morning Prayer. Call your parents and tell them you love them.

Prayer

Forgive my sins against the unity of your family; make me love as you loved me.

Sunday, Third Week of Lent

"Zeal for your house consumes me." (John 2:17)

Reflection.
" O Divine Truth, You give so much strength to the soul which clothes itself with You, that it never falters under the weight of adversity beneath the burden of troubles and temptations, but in every struggle it gains a great victory. I am wretched because I have not followed You, O Eternal Truth; hence I am so weak that in every least tribulation I fall" ...St Catherine of Siena

Lenten Question

Q: Is there a biblical basis for abstaining from meat as a sign of repentance?
A: Yes. The book of Daniel states: "In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia . . . 'I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.'" (Daniel 10:1-3)

Lenten Action.

Say "I will pray for you" to someone who has shared a difficulty.

Prayer

Renew my eagerness to work with you in building a better world, so that my friends may hear your gospel of peace and justice.

Monday, Third Week of Lent

"Go and wash...and your flesh will heal." (2 Kings 5:10)

Reflection.
Although I know well, Margaret, that because of my past wickedness I deserve to be abandoned by God, I cannot but trust in his merciful goodness. His grace has strengthened me until now and made me content to lose goods, land, and life as well, rather than to swear against my conscience. God's grace has given the king a gracious frame of mind toward me, so that as yet he has taken from me nothing but my liberty. In doing this His Majesty has done me such great good with respect to spiritual profit that I trust that among all the great benefits he has heaped so abundantly upon me I count my imprisonment the very greatest. I cannot, therefore, mistrust the grace of God.
By the merits of his bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit for me all that I can suffer myself, his bounteous goodness shall release me from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my reward in heaven besides.

I will not mistrust him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how Saint Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Christ and pray to him for help. And then I trust he shall place his holy hand on me and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning.

And finally, Margaret, I know this well: that without my fault he will not let me be lost. I shall, therefore, with good hope commit myself wholly to him. And if he permits me to perish for my faults, then I shall serve as praise for his justice. But in good faith, Meg, I trust that his tender pity shall keep my poor soul safe and make me commend his mercy.
And, therefore, my own good daughter, do not let you mind be troubled over anything that shall happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be the best. ..a letter by St Thomas More to his daughter Margaret

Lenten Action.

Forgive one who has betrayed you and ask forgiveness from one you have betrayed.

Prayer

Jesus, may we know that when a person is forgiven and begins to walk in the path of righteousness he will go on to become the recipient of many spiritual blessings. May this be the inheritance of every true believer.

Tuesday, Third Week of Lent

"Lord, when my brother wrongs me, how often must I forgive him?" (Matthew 18:21)

He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.'..... Saint Bernardine of Siena

Reflection.

I had confided the painful story of my father to my friend. My parents separated bitterly when I was in high school. My father turned against his three sons. He circulated a letter of vicious lies in town to destroy our reputations and moved to Canada to avoid paying child support.

I last saw my father in 1964, when I was sixteen. After that, I spoke with him only twice. The last time, he claimed he was not my father and threatened to harm me if I ever contacted him again. Years later, in 1990, I learned that my father had died--and changed his last name!

It was now 1993. My friend knew my pain. In a gentle way we debated our subject over the phone. Citing Jesus' words, "if there is repentance, you must forgive," I clung to my anger and the reverse idea that Christians need not forgive, when there is no repentance.

My friend and I had debated this issue before. Finally, in this conversation he said, "Here's what I'm concerned about. What happens to me when I don't forgive?" This time his words struck me. Beyond my clinging to any proof text, his words spoke to my soul.
My journey included prayer, self-reflection, sharing my journey with others, and my desire to be freed from re-living these nightmares of my past. Above all, I trusted our God of love and forgiveness to go with me, no matter how arduous my journey.
Weeks passed into months. Slowly my intense anger began to cool. Finally, after more than two years, a day came when I realized I no longer bore ill will toward my father. With God's help, I had forgiven him!
I still considered his actions to be wrong. But even so, what a difference! After all those years of simmering anger, I had come to a place where I felt a real sense of peace with my father's memory--and myself! This experience touched my life and faith deeply..... Dr. Douglas Showalter

Lenten Action.

Forgive one who has betrayed you and ask forgiveness from one you have betrayed.

Prayer

O Lord, the hour of your favor draws near, the day of your mercy and our salvation - when death was destroyed and eternal life began. We acknowledge our sins and our offenses are always before us. Blot out all our wrongdoings and give us a new and steadfast spirit. Restore us to your friendship and number us among the living who share the joy of your Son's risen life.

Gracious Saint Joseph,
protect me and my family from all evil as you did the Holy Family. Kindly keep us ever united in the love of Christ, ever fervent in imitation of the virtue of our Blessed Lady, your sinless spouse, and always faithful in devotion to you. Amen.

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