Tuesday, Third Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 9, 2010
First Reading: Dn 3:25, 34-43;
Responsorial Psalm: 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9 ;
Gospel: Mt 18:21-35 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

First Reading:  Dn 3:25, 34-43
Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud:
“For your name’s sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant.
Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.
For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.
We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,
no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,
no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
But with contrite heart and humble spirit
let us be received;
As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks,
or thousands of fat lambs,
So let our sacrifice be in your presence today
as we follow you unreservedly;
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.
And now we follow you with our whole heart,
we fear you and we pray to you.
Do not let us be put to shame,
but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
Deliver us by your wonders,
and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

Responsorial Psalm  25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9
R.         Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R.        Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R.        Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R.        Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Gospel   Mt 18:21-35
Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had him put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master
and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

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Commentary: For me, today's readings remind me of something I am so thankful for. God knows me, through and through - yes, the good stuff, but I would be wise to give that credit to God - but also, all the stupid and annoying parts about me too. The parts that are angry, tweaking, bullheaded, prideful, self absorbed (ok, I do not need to go on here - HA! I can forgive myself too. You do the same please.) And even knowing all that stuff - God still loves me. Suggestions to self - 1) ask God to help me do the same to others. 2) Do my best to do this too, with all my heart.

I love the story of Azariah... years ago, I had a confirmation class, and our "name" for the class was Azariah's Prayer. So - here's two multimedia files in honor of those wonderful kids. First, one from last year - a group called The Golden Gate Quartet recorded this song about the story in Charlotte many years ago. Check it out. And second, here's an audio file - of one of the kids (Janelle) in that Azariah's Prayer confirmation class, reading a story called The Parable of the Lilly. The kids are now much older, in college - I am so thankful, I saved those audio files. I hope it puts a big smile on your face and that your mind wanders to that place, when you were just a little kid.

Monday, Third Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 8, 2010
First Reading: 2 Kgs 5:1-15ab;
Responsorial Psalm: 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4 ;
Gospel: Lk 4:24-30 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  2 Kgs 5:1-15ab
Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram,
was highly esteemed and respected by his master,
for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram.
But valiant as he was, the man was a leper.
Now the Arameans had captured in a raid on the land of Israel
a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife.
“If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,”
she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.”
Naaman went and told his lord
just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said.
“Go,” said the king of Aram.
“I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.”
So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents,
six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments.
To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read:
“With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you,
that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
When he read the letter,
the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed:
“Am I a god with power over life and death,
that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy?
Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!”
When Elisha, the man of God,
heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments,
he sent word to the king:
“Why have you torn your garments?
Let him come to me and find out
that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Naaman came with his horses and chariots
and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
The prophet sent him the message:
“Go and wash seven times in the Jordan,
and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.”
But Naaman went away angry, saying,
“I thought that he would surely come out and stand there
to invoke the LORD his God,
and would move his hand over the spot,
and thus cure the leprosy.
Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar,
better than all the waters of Israel?
Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?”
With this, he turned about in anger and left.
But his servants came up and reasoned with him.
“My father,” they said,
“if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary,
would you not have done it?
All the more now, since he said to you,
‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.”
So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God.
On his arrival he stood before him and said,
“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
xcept in Israel".

Responsorial Psalm  42:2, 3; 43:3, 4
R.         Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
As the deer yearns for the running streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
R.        Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R.        Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R.        Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R.        Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Gospel   Lk 4:24-30
Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth:
“Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel
in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Commentary: I love the story in the first reading - it is all too often, so true - that we expect God to make some massive entrance, like something out of a movie - or whatever supernatural aura you might put God in. The skies open up, the sun turns blue, the Earth shakes - whatever. Yet in so many cases, it is never one big thing, but a million little things. Thankfully, Naaman had a good friend to suggest trying the advice offered, and also - thankfully Naaman trusted in his friend's advice and tried the simple remedy. Perhaps it might be helpful to focus on trying harder to see God in every little thing and every person's face, and all the glorious events that take place all around us. Allow the love inside you to pour out on everyone. If our hearts and minds were really "there", then every creature would be a mirror of the divine and be holy.

Psalm 42 - is a personal favorite. What a lovely song this must have been back in the day. Sometimes I try and imagine how the music and melody went when it was first sung by King David. I bet it was really something. And I have always been fascinated by the thought - that everyone has this deep yearning for God within them. It crosses language, cultures, and generations - throughout all of  time. It is kind of neat to think about that. This psalm always reminds me of psalm 63 too. They seem very similar to me, as if the feeling is so intense, it needed to be put into another song. One of my favorite renditions of feeling, comes from a musician named Steve Agrisano.



Finally, in today's Gospel - Jesus says some simple words that are truthful, and boy oh boy - the people get so mad, they want to toss him off the mountain at the edge of the city and kill him. Well what did he say that got them so angry? He tweaked their pride. His message seems to say that God does not only love you, He loves everybody. Don't be discouraged, He loves you no less.

Saturday, Second Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 6, 2010
First Reading: Mi 7:14-15, 18-20;
Responsorial Psalm: 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 ;
Gospel: Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

First Reading:  Mi 7:14-15, 18-20


Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
That dwells apart in a woodland,
in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old;
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,
show us wonderful signs.
Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us,
treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;
You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and grace to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our fathers
from days of old.

Responsorial Psalm  103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R.         The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.

Gospel   Lk 15:1-3, 11-32
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So to them Jesus addressed this parable.
A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’

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Commentary: Whenever I hear the Gospel reading of the Prodigal Son, I always remember a homily I heard many years ago. I can't remember which priest, monsignor or bishop offered the homily and I guess it doesn't matter - I do know the "food for thought" remains many many years later. He said something like - we all want to identify with one of the three charactacters in this story, and for the most part, depending on whether you see yourself as a rascal or a goodie-goodie - you pick one of the two sons to identify with. But think for a minute, the one person we should all hope to be, is the gentle father. He loves both of his sons unconditionally. He welcomes home the son - who wasted a good deal of his life on dissipation (i love that phrase... wasting a life on dissipation, such a nice way of putting it - ha). He tries to help the other son who has behaved well, and tells him not to be angry or feel cheated. The interesting thing to consider in this story - is that at one time or another in our lives - we have acted like each one of the three characters. Sometimes, we are the person who just does what we wanted to do in spite of how it might hurt others. Sometimes we get angry when a person we see as a lout gets off easy. Sometimes, we are the person who tries to heal, forgive and have mercy. Knowing that we have all played each part in this story - makes it lot easier to be more patient, kind and forgiving. If you are honest with yourself, you will probably admit that at one time or another, you were just like each of these characters.

Thursday, Second Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 4, 2010
First Reading: Jer 17:5-10;
Responsorial Psalm: 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 ;
Gospel: Lk 16:19-31 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Jer 17:5-10
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.

Responsorial Psalm  1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R.          Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R.        Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R.        Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so, the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R.        Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Gospel   Lk 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’

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Commentary: Each year for Lent, we are asked to focus on 3 things - prayer, fasting, and alms giving.  Today's readings seem to point to alms giving and prayer. What is prayer? For me, it is about talking and even better, listening to God and developing that relationship. After all, relationships do take time and energy - why would it be any different in our relationship with God? And alms giving is not only about charitable works involving poor folks - it is also about giving of your heart and your time. So today, after I read this Gospel - I did something that I wanted to do for an older sick person I visit. We have been meeting now for some time, and I am honored to call her a friend too. Try it yourself - do something. Whatever it might be - and do more of it this Lenten season. Grow.

Another habit during Lent for me involves more time in prayer and meditation. I try and read a short Bible story that is not that well known, but one of my personal favorites. It is called Tobit - and it is very short, but wow - what a story. Years ago, Rembrandt made a wonderful painting of Tobit, and his wife Anna. It appears to capture the moment described in chapter two, where Tobit scolds his wife for doing something, she is perfectly innocent of doing. But then, she upbraids poor Tobit with a few short terse words, that is the straw that breaks the Camel's back so to speak. And he utters one of the saddest prayers in the Bible at the beginning of chapter 3. The poor guy is so distraught, he essentially tells God, that he (Tobit) is a despicable creature, and worthy of death. And asks God, please - in your mercy- please... end my miserable life. But before you judge this old man, read the story - he is quite a good man. He has lost everything, trying to be a good man. And he has pulled himself up countless times, and kept on trying. But - it only took one little comment by his wife, to be - that final straw. And don't judge Anna harshly, Tobit had it coming. So, I thought about that today, and then re-read the Gospel. And reminded myself that is is still early in "lent time" and as such, I have time to make amends where needed. I do not want to be that - last straw - for anyone. Pray for patience, I say to myself. Pray for patience.

And if you have a few minutes, check out this wonderful story - Tobit. Trust me, it's short. You will finish it in less than 30 or 40 minutes, even if you are a slow reader like me. It is a story of healing, of hope, of giving alms to the poor, fasting and prayer. It has a wonderful archangel in it, love, sickness, fear, demons, miracles, and adventure too. It a glorious happy story, but you must get through to the end of it to understand. Wait till you hear Tobit's prayer at the end. It is totally different from his first prayer, offered in the depths of despair. His final prayer is wonderful and joyous. Have faith - the ending is great. 

Monday, Second Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 1, 2010
First Reading: Dn 9:4b-10;
Responsorial Psalm: 79:8, 9, 11 and 13 ;
Gospel: Lk 6:36-38 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Dn 9:4b-10
“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.”

Responsorial Psalm  79:8, 9, 11 and 13
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.

Gospel   Lk 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.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Commentary:
Be merciful. You can have your cup filled to overflowing. Or
find yourself on the receiving end of condemnation. It seems like
an easy and obvious choice, but we all know - often it is harder in
practice. Trust Jesus. He does not disappoint. Be merciful.