Reading One: Is 55:10-11 ;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 ;
Gospel : Mt 6:7-15 ;
go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page)
And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)
A few days ago, I mentioned the Gospel reading from several weeks ago, on February 11 - and how the words just stuck with me. Basically, it said that we sin, a.k.a. how we mess up our relationship with God, by what comes from our hearts, not by what we eat. I bring it up again because for most folks, all we do for Lent to sacrifice is give up something that we eat, or drink - something that we put INTO our mouths. But Jesus tells us, that is not where sin comes from. He tells us it has much more to do with what comes OUT of our mouths, and how these bad words, come from the heart. In the course of my exciting life, I have had many situations where someone really came down on me very hard, and I was left with a difficult choice. Do I stay angry, and curse the day they were born - or do I follow Jesus' advice, and forgive. At many times during my life, what was done to me was beyond my capacity to forgive, and thank God, I was blessed to learn at an early age that I STILL needed to forgive and forget, otherwise I would carry a huge load, an unbearable burden, that was a lot like a cancer. But I could ask for Divine help, to forgive the unforgivable. I understood all too well - I needed to forgive, not only for the sake of the offending party, but I also needed to forgive in order to take care of myself. Today's Gospel continues along this line of thought and ends with these words.
If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.The words are quite serious, and I hope you get a better understanding of what is meant by "Fear of the Lord". The words are not couched in any disclaimers. Jesus is not a liar - he is indeed telling it like it is. As such, I urge you - if you are giving up a glass of wine each night, or chocolates, fast food, you are really missing the point. Raise the bar! Try this in addition to the tiny sacrifice, and follow the suggestion offered by God's beloved son, whose only wish is to make your joy complete - give up your anger and animus to the folks who wronged you. Forgive them. Give up the part in your heart that holds onto hatred and bitter feelings. If you do, I think you will have the same experience that countless folks have learned for themselves - you will get rid of the part of you, that is killing you.
And if it is too much for you to do on your own, because the hurt was so deep and all consuming, ask for Divine help. My own experience is that prayers of this nature are so warmly welcomed by God, that not only does he answer these prayers, and grants you the grace to forgive - he also in His infinite generosity, gives you blessings beyond what you deserve, just because you listened well and asked for help where you needed in it most, in matters of utmost importance. How deeply I hope at least one person who reads this, heeds the call, not from me, but from the perfect being who only told the truth. Jesus.
Seven years ago, and many times since - I was faced with this very situation and absolutely needed to forgive things beyond my strength and capacity. I asked for God's help. I asked again and again, because I was stubborn and foolish. He healed me each time, more and more each time - and my life has never been the same. Not only did I lose the cancer of the animus I held onto, but I was blessed beyond my wildest dreams for trying and trying again to simply do what was asked of me. FORGIVE.
Other areas to really focus on - is to love those who need it most. The folks who are alone, sick, abandoned and desperately poor. Reach out your hand and help them out of the hole, whether the hole was created by difficult times, or whether they dug the hole for themselves. As Jesus said in the Gospel on Sunday - what you do for the least of you. Offer your hand and help to God in those poor folks who need it most. God will remember his friends. He will also remember those who turned their backs on Him.
