Saturday of the Second Week of Lent - March 23, 2019

-

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20  Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 

I believe there are many different perspectives we can ponder in today’s readings. They are words we can live by as a father, a son, a brother and a student of Christ. My initial response to the readings is the enormous amount of wisdom that can be gained if pondered daily.

The first reading offers guidance to a father. Applying it to our daily lives, it provides some insight as to the responsibility that men have as fathers in their children’s lives. It also places significance on the role that God, the Father of all of us, has in our lives and the importance of his unfailing love and forgiveness. Understanding that our Father forgives us, offers great relief. Early in the reading we hear, “shepherd your people with your staff…as in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs.” I interpret this as an indication that our Father does not intend for us to be enslaved by our sins forever, but that he is capable of “freeing” us from our sins. A father can offer this gift to his children through love and forgiveness.

The gospel’s parable of the lost son continues with a similar theme from the perspective of a
father, son and brother. Jesus metaphorically equates financial stability to spiritual enlightenment. True wealth is available to us through our Father when we are accepting of the gifts that he has given us. An attempt to define our own path without the grace offered to each of us by the Father will most certainly lead us to a life of spiritual poverty. We need to accept and appreciate the gifts of our Father’s inheritance with grace, celebrate the gifts of spiritual wisdom (our own and others) received through failure, and appreciate the gifts we have been entrusted.

Q:  What “wealth” have you inherited from your Father in heaven?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Passion of the Lord (Good Friday) - April 7, 2023

-
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1—19:42  Every morning when I go to Mass and the Priest asks for our intentions for the day, my response is for “wisdom, courage, comfort and trust.” Wisdom to fi gure out the answer, the courage to carry it out, and the comfort that it is the best solution and the trust to know God is guiding us in the best way. When I read the Psalms for today, I was taken back by David’s trust in the Lord to guide him and keep him safe. “In you, Lord, I take refuge”  A good friend coined this prayer when I was helping my parents navigate through my brother’s cancer. He passed away, but I continue to take comfort in those words and try daily to TRUST. Many people have commented on how they appreciate that petition so I continue to pray it.  There are big things and little things that come into our lives that require us to trust as David did. Some things are as small as smiling at the person at the traffic light or as big as standing up for another’s r
Read more

Monday of the First Week of Lent - March 11, 2019

-
Leviticus19:1-2, 11-18  Matthew 25:31-46 As I read my assignment for today, I felt relief. I knew these readings; I could relate to them. I had heard them multiple times and thought that I understood them well. The first reading from Leviticus tells me to love my neighbor as myself and to judge my neighbor justly. I know this! I believe this in my head! I often find it difficult to carry out, but I do believe it. Today’s gospel, Matthew 25, many of us know well through readings, songs, and social concerns committees, "Whatever you do for one of the least of …mine, you do to me." Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; comfort the sick; visit the prisoner. We try to do these things in our life. I decided to read our parish book, Stranger God by Richard Beck, to see how it could expand my understanding of Matthew 25 – and expand it did! After I read the book, I realized that I had been reading Matthew 25 literally.
Read more

Monday of Holy Week - April 3, 2023

-
Isaiah 42:1-7 John 12:1-11  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be more mindful about how I spend my time. When we started having kids, everyone was always telling us, “enjoy it while it lasts because they grow up so fast!” I’d look at my tiny baby and think, yeah okay, we’ve got a long way to go. Fast forward 6 years, we have a kindergartener, and I am constantly asking myself, “where did the time go!?!?”  This Gospel is a reminder to me that I need to take advantage of every moment just as Mary decided to take advantage of that special moment with Jesus when she anointed his feet. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and fi nd ourselves just going through the motions without putting much thought into the importance of our actions. When I am at church, am I really present? I often fi nd that my focus is on how my children are behaving and if they are disturbing the people around us. When I am at home, am I making the most of my time with my family? Sadly,
Read more