Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Lectionary: 230
Lectionary: 230
“Lord, great and
awesome God,
you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you
and observe your commandments!
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.
We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,
our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
we are shamefaced even to this day:
we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, near and far,
in all the countries to which you have scattered them
because of their treachery toward you.
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
Yet we rebelled against you
and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God,
to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”
you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you
and observe your commandments!
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.
We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,
our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
we are shamefaced even to this day:
we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, near and far,
in all the countries to which you have scattered them
because of their treachery toward you.
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
Yet we rebelled against you
and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God,
to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”
Responsorial PsalmPS 79:8, 9, 11 AND 13
R. (see 103:10a) Lord, do not deal with us according to our
sins.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Verse Before The GospelSEE JN 6:63C, 68C
Your words, Lord,
are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
you have the words of everlasting life.
GospelLK 6:36-38
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”
Meditation: Forgive, and you will be
forgiven
Do you pray for God's mercy and pardon for
yourself and for those you know who need his mercy? Do you promptly forgive
those who wrong you, or do you allow resentment and ill-will to grow in your
heart? Daniel was 'shamefaced' before God because he recognized that many of
God's people had been unfaithful to God's commands and to his covenant with
them (see Daniel 9:4-10). He acknowledged the sins and failings of his own
people, and he pleaded with God for compassion and pardon.
When we are confronted with our own sins and
personal failings we experience guilt and shame. This can often either lead us
to cast off pride and make-belief or it can lead us to lose our inhibitions and
fall into more shameless deeds! If we are utterly honest and humble before God,
we will admit our own sins and ask for his mercy and forgiveness. The Lord
gives help and strength to those who choose to do what is right and to turn
away from whatever would lead them into hurtful and sinful desires. Do you know
the joy and freedom of heartfelt repentance, forgiveness, and a clean
conscience?
Do not judge
Why does Jesus tell his followers to "not judge lest they be judged"? Jesus knew the human heart all too well. We judge too quickly or unfairly with mixed motives, impure hearts, and prejudiced minds. The heart must be cleansed first in order to discern right judgment with grace and mercy rather than with vengeance.
Why does Jesus tell his followers to "not judge lest they be judged"? Jesus knew the human heart all too well. We judge too quickly or unfairly with mixed motives, impure hearts, and prejudiced minds. The heart must be cleansed first in order to discern right judgment with grace and mercy rather than with vengeance.
Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), a wise early
Christian teacher and writer, comments on Jesus' exhortation to not condemn:
Do not judge, that is,
unjustly, so that you may not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the
judgment that you judge shall you be judged. This is like the phrase
"Forgive, and it will be forgiven you." For once someone has judged
in accordance with justice, he should forgive in accordance with grace, so that
when he himself is judged in accordance with justice, he may be worthy of
forgiveness through grace. Alternatively, it was on account of the judges,
those who seek vengeance for themselves, that he said, "Do not
condemn." That is, do not seek vengeance for yourselves. Or, do not judge
from appearances and opinion and then condemn, but admonish and advise. (COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 6.18B.)
Grace and
mercy
What makes true disciples of Jesus Christ different from those who do not know the Lord Jesus and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with forebearance, mercy, and loving-kindness. God shows his goodness to the unjust as well as to the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God always seeks what is best for each one of us and he teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and unkind towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
What makes true disciples of Jesus Christ different from those who do not know the Lord Jesus and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with forebearance, mercy, and loving-kindness. God shows his goodness to the unjust as well as to the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God always seeks what is best for each one of us and he teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and unkind towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
How can we possibly love those who cause us
grief, harm, or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and
grace to those who trust in his love and who seek his wisdom and help. The Lord
is ready to work in and through us by his Holy Spirit, both to purify our minds
and hearts and to help us do what is right, good, and loving in all
circumstances. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been
poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us"
(Romans 5:5) God's love conquers all, even our hurts, injuries, fears, and
prejudices. Only the cross of Jesus Christ and his victory over sin can free us
from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment, and give us the
courage to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Such love and grace has
power to heal, restore, and transform us into the image of Christ. Do you know
the power of Christ's redeeming love and mercy?
"Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom,
pardon, and joy. Transform my heart with your love that nothing may make me
lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, or make me bitter towards
anyone."
 Forgiveness from the Heart |
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March 2, 2015.
Monday of the Second Week of Lent
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By Luke 6: 36-38
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful,
just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be
forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed
together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the
measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, too often I compare myself with
others. It´s easy for me to find or imagine my superiority to them. I ignore
you and your great goodness. I forget that everything I have comes from you
and that I can´t claim the credit for any quality and virtue, although I
would like to. I wish to keep this truth in mind and to have an attitude of
genuine humility in my heart. Here I am, Lord, to know and love you more
through prayer.
Petition: Lord, help me to forgive from the heart.
1. The True Battlefield: Although it is difficult, we can usually
bring ourselves around to excuse an injustice we have suffered. We forget
about what happened, and we try to move forward. However, it is more
difficult for us to forgive when we look into our offender’s heart and refuse
to turn a blind eye to the goodness that is there. Our hearts are a
battleground for good and evil, and to forgive is to be willing to help both
the offender and ourselves overcome the logic of evil. It is to wager on the
side of good and to trust that goodness is ultimately more attractive to the
human heart than the idol of evil. Christ always looked into the heart and
wagered on the side of good.
2. Turning the Other Cheek: “For if you love those who love you, what
credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them” (Luke 6:32).
Christian forgiveness involves waiving our claim to damages. It means turning
the other cheek. It means giving up our cloak as well. Yet all this is
relatively easy in comparison to giving over our good name, to proceeding in
charity even when we will be misunderstood. Even here, we must waive our
claim to damages, willingly die in the furrow, and patiently await the Father
to raise us up again.
3. Going the Entire Distance: The Christian ethic is positive. It does not
consist merely in not doing bad things but in doing good
things; building up positively. We change the world little by not
doing things. Christ was not satisfied with that. He gave up his
tunic, he gave up his good name, and he gave up everything—to the last drop
of his blood. So often we feel good about ourselves because we measure up to
our neighbor; but it is not our neighbor with whom we must compare ourselves.
It is God with whom we must compare ourselves, and he has shown us how to be
fruitful: by paying our ransom with his own blood. In forgiveness and mercy,
his generosity is without measure.
Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus, help me to seek perfection in
loving you and my neighbor constantly. I want to travel the path of generous
love because it is your path, and you are the source of all my happiness.
Resolution: I will be the first to offer an apology or a
solution to build unity in my home and workplace.
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MONDAY, MARCH 2, LUKE 6:36-38
Lenten Weekday
(Daniel 9:4b-10; Psalm 79)
KEY VERSE: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (v 36).
TO KNOW: In Matthew's gospel, Jesus told his followers that they must be "perfect" in imitation of God who is perfect (Mt 5:48). This might be intimidating for all of us imperfect human beings. In Luke's gospel, instead of perfection, God's "mercy" is stressed (Hebrew, 'rachamim,' common to the word 'rechem,' womb, the love of a mother toward her unborn child). The word 'mercy' appears over 250 times in the Old Testament and is usually translated as "loving kindness" (Hebrew, chesed). God's steadfast love was demonstrated by his covenant faithfulness with his chosen people. God’s provisions are limitless; God’s grace is endless; God’s love is boundless. God will shower down immeasurable blessings upon those who are gracious to others. God cannot be outdone in generosity. As long as we share the things that God has given to us, we will never lack what we need for ourselves. Jesus said that his loving Father will absolve our sins at the last judgment if we pardon the wrongdoings of others.
TO LOVE: Loving Father, thank you for showing mercy and compassion to me, a sinner.
TO SERVE: Is there someone I need to forgive this Lent?
Lenten Weekday
(Daniel 9:4b-10; Psalm 79)
KEY VERSE: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (v 36).
TO KNOW: In Matthew's gospel, Jesus told his followers that they must be "perfect" in imitation of God who is perfect (Mt 5:48). This might be intimidating for all of us imperfect human beings. In Luke's gospel, instead of perfection, God's "mercy" is stressed (Hebrew, 'rachamim,' common to the word 'rechem,' womb, the love of a mother toward her unborn child). The word 'mercy' appears over 250 times in the Old Testament and is usually translated as "loving kindness" (Hebrew, chesed). God's steadfast love was demonstrated by his covenant faithfulness with his chosen people. God’s provisions are limitless; God’s grace is endless; God’s love is boundless. God will shower down immeasurable blessings upon those who are gracious to others. God cannot be outdone in generosity. As long as we share the things that God has given to us, we will never lack what we need for ourselves. Jesus said that his loving Father will absolve our sins at the last judgment if we pardon the wrongdoings of others.
TO LOVE: Loving Father, thank you for showing mercy and compassion to me, a sinner.
TO SERVE: Is there someone I need to forgive this Lent?
Monday 2 March 2015
Daniel 9:4-10. Lord, do
not deal with us as our sins deserve—Ps 78(79):8-9, 11, 13. Luke 6:36-38.
Readings
‘Be merciful as your
Father is merciful.’
The dictionary says mercy is ‘undeserved kindness’. We give it to someone who may not deserve it. It is meant to be a free gift given out of loving kindness. That’s how Jesus wants us to think about his command to forgive.
The dictionary says mercy is ‘undeserved kindness’. We give it to someone who may not deserve it. It is meant to be a free gift given out of loving kindness. That’s how Jesus wants us to think about his command to forgive.
To forgive someone who
has wronged us is very challenging. It is also a powerful sign of God’s kingdom
on earth. This Lent let us ask the Holy Spirit to help make us merciful. Some
things take time to work through, and God knows how badly we may have been
hurt. Let’s not wait for the perfect moment or hold out for an apology that may
never come. We can begin to speak words of forgiveness even now, even if we
don’t yet fully mean it. With the Holy Spirit’s help we can come to the point
of forgiving genuinely. How freeing that will be.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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A Humble Prayer
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We do not need to pile up words upon words in order to be heard in
the heart of God. Jesus also has a very comforting message: The Father knows
what we need even before we ask for it.
March 2
St. Agnes of Bohemia
(1205-1282)
St. Agnes of Bohemia
(1205-1282)
Agnes had no children of her own but was certainly life-giving for
all who knew her.
Agnes was
the daughter of Queen Constance and King Ottokar I of Bohemia. At the age of
three, she was betrothed to the Duke of Silesia, who died three years later. As
she grew up, she decided she wanted to enter the religious life.
After
declining marriages to King Henry VII of Germany and Henry III of England,
Agnes was faced with a proposal from Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. She
appealed to Pope Gregory IX for help. The pope was persuasive; Frederick
magnanimously said that he could not be offended if Agnes preferred the King of
Heaven to him.
After
Agnes built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars, she
financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. In 1236, she and
seven other noblewomen entered this monastery. St. Clare sent five sisters from
San Damiano to join them, and wrote Agnes four letters advising her on the
beauty of her vocation and her duties as abbess.
Agnes
became known for prayer, obedience and mortification. Papal pressure forced her
to accept her election as abbess; nevertheless, the title she preferred was
"senior sister." Her position did not prevent her from cooking for
the other sisters and mending the clothes of lepers. The sisters found her kind
but very strict regarding the observance of poverty; she declined her royal
brother’s offer to set up an endowment for the monastery.
Devotion
to Agnes arose soon after her death on March 6, 1282. She was canonized in
1989.
Comment:
Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of patience and charity. The temptation to selfishness certainly didn’t vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that cloistered nuns "have it made" regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual exchange of our standards (inclination to selfishness) for God’s standard of generosity.
Agnes spent at least 45 years in a Poor Clare monastery. Such a life requires a great deal of patience and charity. The temptation to selfishness certainly didn’t vanish when Agnes walked into the monastery. It is perhaps easy for us to think that cloistered nuns "have it made" regarding holiness. Their route is the same as ours: gradual exchange of our standards (inclination to selfishness) for God’s standard of generosity.
Quote:
"Have nothing to do with anyone who would stand in your way and would seek to turn you aside from fulfilling the vows which you have made to the Most High (Psalm 49:14) and from living in that perfection to which the Spirit of the Lord has called you" (Clare to Agnes of Bohemia, Letter II in Murray Bodo, O.F.M., Clare: A Light in the Garden, p. 118).
"Have nothing to do with anyone who would stand in your way and would seek to turn you aside from fulfilling the vows which you have made to the Most High (Psalm 49:14) and from living in that perfection to which the Spirit of the Lord has called you" (Clare to Agnes of Bohemia, Letter II in Murray Bodo, O.F.M., Clare: A Light in the Garden, p. 118).
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 6,36-38
Lectio:
Monday, March 2, 2015
Lent Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Just and holy God,
our loving Father,
you offered us your hand in friendship
and you sent us your Son Jesus
to go with us the road
of obedience and loyalty.
God, we often hurt this friendship,
we act as if we were not your sons and daughters.
See the look of shame on our faces.
Forgive us, for we count on you.
Accept our thanks
for continuing to take us as we are
and loving us notwithstanding our sins.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
our loving Father,
you offered us your hand in friendship
and you sent us your Son Jesus
to go with us the road
of obedience and loyalty.
God, we often hurt this friendship,
we act as if we were not your sons and daughters.
See the look of shame on our faces.
Forgive us, for we count on you.
Accept our thanks
for continuing to take us as we are
and loving us notwithstanding our sins.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2)
GOSPEL READING - LUKE 6, 36-38
'Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Do not
judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be
condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and there will be gifts for
you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be
poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used
for you.'
3)
REFLECTION
• These three brief verses of today’s Gospel (Lk 6, 36-38) are
the final part of a brief discourse of Jesus (Lk 6, 20-38). In the first part
of his discourse, he addresses himself to the disciples (Lk 6, 20) and to the
rich (Lk 6, 24) proclaiming four beatitudes for the disciples (Lk6, 20-23), and
four curses for the rich (Lk 6, 20-26). In the second part, he addresses
himself to all those who are listening (Lk 6, 27), that is, the immense crowd
of poor and sick, who had come from all parts (Lk 6, 17-19). The words which he
addresses to this people and to all of us are demanding and difficult: to love
the enemy (Lk 6,27), not curse them (Lk 6, 28), offer the other cheek to the
one who slaps you on one and do not complain if someone takes what is ours (Lk
6, 29). How can this difficult advice be understood? The explanation is given
in the three verses of today’s Gospel, from which we draw the centre of the
Good News brought by Jesus.
• Luke6, 36: Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.
The Beatitudes for the disciples (Lk 6, 20-23) and the curses against the rich
(Lk 6, 24-26) cannot be interpreted as an occasion for the poor to revenge
against the rich. Jesus orders to have the contrary attitude. He says: “Love
your enemies!” (Lk 6, 27). The change or the conversion which Jesus wants to
bring about in us does not consist in merely turning something to invert the
system because in this way nothing would change. He wants to change the system.
The Novelty which Jesus wants to construct comes from the new experience that
he has of God Father/Mother full of tenderness who accepts all, good and bad,
who makes the sun shine on both the good and on the bad and makes the rain fall
on both good and bad (Mt 5, 5,45). True love does not depend nor it can depend
on what I receive from others. Love must want the good of the other
independently of what he does for me. Because this is how God’s love is for us.
He is merciful not only toward those who are good, but with all, even with the
“ungrateful and the evil” Lk 6, 35). The disciples of Jesus should radiate this
merciful love.
• Luke 6, 37-38: Do not judge and you will not be judged. These
last words repeat in a clearer way what Jesus had said before: “Treat others as
you would like them to treat you” (Lk 6, 31; cf. Mt 7, 12). If you do not want
to be judged, do not judge! If you do not want to be condemned, do not condemn”
If you want to be forgiven, forgive! If you want to receive a good measure,
give this good measure to others! Do not wait for the other one to take the
initiative, but you take it and begin now! And you will see that it is like
this!.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Lent is a time of conversion. Which is the conversion which
today’s Gospel is asking of me?
• Have you already been merciful as the Heavenly Father is?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Help us, God our Saviour,
for the glory of your name;
Yahweh, wipe away our sins,
rescue us for the sake of your name. (Ps 79,9)
for the glory of your name;
Yahweh, wipe away our sins,
rescue us for the sake of your name. (Ps 79,9)
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