“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: 44-45)
Our Father expects from us, His beloved children, that we will follow His example—“for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” He loves us not because we are good, but because we are His children and He is our Father. And as a Father, if it is needed—He shows us where we went wrong and how to find strategies for improvement. But first of all—He loves us. And His love precedes everything else.
“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (MT 5: 23-24)
Forgiveness is the first step in building a strong and lifelong relationship. We are sinners; we have our limits and weaknesses, and if we start with expectations and demands from the others, instead of respect and a gift of self, we will finish at a dead end. “Go first and be reconciled with your brother” helps me also to improve my relationship with God, who expects “my gift at the altar” only when I am reconciled with my brothers and sisters—so important to Him is our unity.
“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” (MT 7: 11)
I like this description very much—“how much more.” This explains that what we receive from Our Father—is always “much more” than we can expect, than we can imagine, or than we can understand. Our Father, Who loves us beyond any imagination, knows “how to give good gifts to His children.” The difference between us and Him lies in the “much more.” He expects from us only—that we “ask him.”
“A clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” (JON 3: 10)
“When God saw” (I don’t know if God is visually oriented), but for sure, when we change our lives, it is somehow visible to Him. Our new actions—“they turned from their evil way”—show that we are different, that we have changed and that we have started a new life. He is “gracious and merciful,” and always happy and proud of us, like a father who is leading His children to growth and maturity. He is never focused on our failures, always focused on loving and inspiring us.
“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful. (Gospel Acclamation)
“This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (MT 9: 6-13)
This is one of the most important prayers: “Our Father who art in heaven.” Too often reduced to Mass or as a part of the Rosary, this prayer deserves all our attention because this is the prayer, which Our Lord used to pray. He was asked how to pray, and that was His answer. We can always start with this prayer, especially when we don’t know how to pray or for what to pray.
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
How close we are to Our Lord and how much He identifies with us. It doesn’t matter how much we are in trouble—hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, ill or in prison—He is always there; He is always with us, He is always there to answer our needs. For the hungry He has food, for the thirsty drink, for the stranger a welcome and for the naked clothing, for the ill and in prison, He visits them. Different needs call for different answers, but because He loves us, He knows how to answer.
“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”” (MT 4: 3-4)
We should focus as much time as we can on Scripture, so we can appreciate the beauty of God’s word. He reminds us how powerful His words are–more important than bread—“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” When we read His words daily and when we spent even only a few minutes meditating on them, we become closer to Him, and His strength comes to us.
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” (LK 5: 31-32)
When we recognize ourselves as sick and sinners, we can put all our trust in Him. He will take care of us; He will come as a physician and as a protector; Saviour and Redeemer. When we think that we are healthy and righteous, He can’t help us. Lent is the perfect time to stay in truth and recognize our weakness and wickedness, which is not an obstacle but an amazing place of encounter with God’s love and power.
“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” (IS 58: 6-7)
When we make promises for Lent, we are often focused on some details like no FB, no sweets or less television or social media. But more important is to ask HIM what is the fasting He wishes from me? Maybe our steps from the Program will be more appropriate fasting? Maybe a new level of gentleness or respect will be better instead of being focused on MY achievements? Ask Him and He will show you what “is the fasting that He wish[es].”
“Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord will be with you.” (Gospel Acclamation
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” (LK 9: 23-25)
Our Lord wants us to gain Him, not “to gain the whole world.” Only Our Lord can save our lives; only He can answer to our deepest desires, and only He can lead us to our destination. He calls us to “take up his cross daily and follow Him.” With Him “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
“Repent, says the Lord; the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Gospel Acclamation
