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Fri. 5th March Mt. 21:33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chiefpriests and the elders of the people: ‘Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted avineyard; he fenced it round, dug awinepress in it and built a tower; thenhe leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants tocollect his produce. But the tenantsseized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third... Finallyhe sent his son to them. ‘They willrespect my son,’ he said. But when thetenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over hisinheritance.’ So they seized him andthrew him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to thosetenants?’... ‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from youand given to a people who will produce its fruit.’
The people were not living out their Covenant way of life; God sent many prophets to call them back tohim. Jesus was warning the chief priestsand elders what would happen if they reject and persecute the Son of God whomthe Father had now sent. Jesus came to invite us into the Kingdom of God. We need however to, notonly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but to follow his Way that we maybear fruit. We are halfway through the season of Lent. Are we making the effortto spend more time in prayer and to reflect if we are obeying and applying theWord of God in our lives? Let not our worship be superficial like the Pharisees who prayed andfasted but not with sincere and repentant hearts.
Lord teach me your Way!
Sat. 6th March Lk.15: 1-3, 11-32
So Jesus spoke thisparable to them: ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.’ So the father divided the property betweenthem. A few days later, the younger songot together everything he had and left for a distant country where hesquandered his money on a life of debauchery. When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, andnow he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the localinhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs...Then he came to hissenses and said, ‘How many of my father’s paid servants have more food thanthey want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father...’
While he was still a longway off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his armsand kissed him tenderly. Then his sonsaid, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’But the father said to his servants. ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put iton him; put a ring on his finger andsandals on his feet. Bring the calf wehave been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebrationbecause this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
How many fathers would be so loving and forgiving? If we had done what the younger son had done,we too would be afraid of going home. Noone would blame the father if he had thrown this prodigal son out. He deserved to be punished. Even if he was accepted back into the family,there would be a lot of conditions etc. Instead, the father not only forgave him, but embraced him and calledfor a celebration. Yes, this is how muchour Heavenly Father loves us!
Very often when we sin, we know we have done wrong but out of fearof punishment, we try to find excuses or push the blame to someone else. Most likely our experiences of being punishedby parents, teachers, authorities are embedded in our minds. This is reinforced by stories and movies ofthe wicked being punished and the good rewarded – which is right and just. This is why we have laws and prisons. This however does not take in the fact thatwe are not perfect, we all make mistakes, we are all weak and fall intotemptation and the Evil One is active in our midst.
Jesus came to introduce us to our Heavenly Father who loves usunconditionally. His justice is temperedwith mercy and forgiveness. He calls usback to him again and again and waits with open arms to embrace us.
Abba Father, thank you forloving me, accepting me, and believing in me so unconditionally!
Third Sunday of Lent
Sun. 7th March Lk.13: 1-9
Some people arrived andtold Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that oftheir sacrifices. At this he said tothem, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greatersinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish asthey did...
He told this parable: ‘ Aman had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on itbut found none. He said to the man wholooked after the vineyard, ‘Look here, for three years now I have been comingto look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?’
When disasters happen, we tend to question ‘Why?’ – why did so manythousands of people perish in the tsunami, floods, hurricanes and the morerecent earthquake in Haiti? Why did Godallow it? Was God punishing the people?Jesus stated very clearly that the Galileans who suffered were not greatersinners than the others.
God does not use such means to punish and threaten sinners. On the contrary, God gives us time and manyopportunities to repent and be saved. Let us however not be complacent. We need to be concerned, not just with our physical death, but more importantly, with our spiritual life. Where are we in our relationship withGod?
Lent is a special time of grace for us to reflect and respond toGod’s call to repent and turn back to him. Let us take stock and examine ourselves. The fig tree was planted to bear figs; if it did not, it would not befulfilling its purpose and would be cut down. Are we bearing fruit? Are we fulfilling God’s purpose and plan forus?
Holy Spirit, guide me to doGod’s will and be fruitful!
Mon. 8th March Lk. 4:24-30
So Naaman came with histeam and chariot and drew up at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent him a messenger to say, ‘Goand bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean oncemore.’ But Naaman was indignant and wentoff, saying, ‘Here was I thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and standthere, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over thespot and cure the leprous part... And he turned round and went off in arage. But his servants approached himand said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult,would you not have done it? All the morereason, then, when he says to you, ‘Bathe and you will become clean.’ So he went down and immersed himself seventimes in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became cleanonce more like the flesh of a little child.
Returning to Elisha withhis whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘thatthere is no God in all the earth except in Israel.’
Very often, we have expectations of how God should act and what heshould do. God however, more often than not, chooses to work in simple ratherthan spectacular ways. All he asks of usis to have faith and do what he tells us.
Do we acknowledge the miracles God works in our midst, each day andevery day? eg the gift of life: howbabies are conceived and brought to birth; how trees, flowers and fruits
grow from seeds; how birds, fish and animals reproduce...? God heals us through doctors and medicines -we need not chase after world renowned specialists and pay exorbitant amountsof money and use extraordinary means. God provides for us and heals us in theway that is best for us.
Lord, you are the Lord ofLife. You created us and keep us in being. Holy Spirit, renew me and make mewhole in mind, body and spirit.
Tues. 9th March Matt. 18: 21-35
Peterwent up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if hewrongs me? As often as seventimes?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, butseventy-seven times.’‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a kingwho decided to settle his accounts with his servants... ’You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelledall that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound then, tohave pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?’ And in his angerthe master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all hisdebt. And that is how my heavenly Fatherwill deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’
Christian love is not justloving those who love us and never hurt us, but to love also those who have wronged us. In any relationship, thereare bound to be misunderstandings, hurts and wrongdoings. Genuine love does not mean never disagreeing or hurting a person, but rather being able to forgive and accept each other’s weaknesses, misdeeds, bad habits etc and trying to bring out the good in each other.
Jesus came to reconcile us to God and to one another, to teach ushow to love and forgive. Lent is a timeto specially reflect on this. Let us notcling on to our hurts, resentment, anger and the injustices we have suffered.These will be our stumbling blocks for the measure that we forgive others isthe measure that we ourselves will experience God’s mercy and forgiveness. Each time, we pray the ‘Our Father’, let uspray for the grace to be more loving and forgiving as we say ‘forgive us oursins as we forgive those who sin against us.’
Lord, help me to forgive,to be compassionate and merciful as you are compassionate and merciful.
Wed. 10th March Deut. 4:1, 5-9
Moses said to thepeople: ‘And now, Israel, take notice ofthe laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you mayhave life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the Godof your fathers is giving you... Keepthem, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom andunderstanding... And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods sonear as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him?
...’But take care what youdo and be on your guard. Do not forgetthe things your eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart all the daysof your life; rather, tell them to yourchildren and to your children’s children.
Jesus is the new Moses through whom God would carry out the finalstage of his plan of Salvation – Jesus, the Son of God, has been sent to saveus and lead us into the Kingdom of God. Jesus has come to reveal to us the Father and his plan for us. He has given us a New Commandment to love God and love one another. We are called to follow him and his Way of life.
Our God dwells in us and in our midst; He cares for us, provides for all our needsand answers our prayers. Have you seenand experienced the wonderful love and saving help of God in your own life andin your midst? We are called to ‘tell them to your children and to yourchildren’s children.’
Lord Jesus, help us towitness and to share your Word and love that we may encourage one another andbe a witness and light to the world.
Thurs. 11thMarch Lk. 11” 14-23
Jesus was casting out adevil and it was dumb; but when the devil had gone out the dumb man spoke, andthe people were amazed. But some ofthem said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts outdevils.’ Others asked him, as a test,for a sign from heaven; but, knowingwhat they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itselfis heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can hiskingdom stand? - since you assert thatit is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your ownexperts cast them out? Let them be yourjudges, then. But if it is through thefinger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God hasovertaken you... He who is not with meis against me; and he who does notgather with me scatters.’
It would be pointless for Jesus to call upon Beelzebul to drive outhis own devils whom he has placed in our midst to create evil and chaos. OnlyGod has the authority and power to drive out evil spirits. Jesus in doing this,proved that he is God. Yet, the peopleasked for a sign from heaven!
United we stand, divided we fall. One of Satan’s most successfulstrategy is to instigate us against one another, to divide us and break usup. We see this happening all around us– in families, in societies, in the world. Even in the Church and in Christiangroups and communities, Satan tries to infiltrate.
Jesus calls us to love God and love one another, so that we will beunited in him and protected from the work of the Evil One and his devils. Weneed to be on our guard, to keep close to Jesus and be united in his Spirit andhis love. Let us work together withJesus to build his Kingdom.
Come Holy Spirit,
bind us together and
make us one!
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