Tag: ash-wednesday

Greetings on this the Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Readings: Hosea 6:1-6; Psalm 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab; Luke 18:9-14

Summary

For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings (Hos 6:6).

There is a tight relationship between the need to say your sorry and the divine love rain.

“Love means never having to say you’re sorry,” a quote from 1970 film “Love Story”. Tomorrow is the Prodigal Son parable. Note the words are never said: I forgive you. Did he forgive him. Yes! Did the Son say a perfect act of contrition? No, not in words anyway. But as Father Brian said to me yesterday when I made a mistake at Mass, ‘God knows what you meant to do. Don’t give it another thought”.

Love is the most written about topic in all of human writings. I write with care as I do not possess the writing skills of the greats.

He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth. (Hos 6:3).

In our first reading today, the prophet Hosea reminds us of the prayer concept to “rain down‘. This figuratively expresses the nature of the divine love upon us. The rains for agriculture is a necessity (after all, another saying, All Sun makes a Desert) and the gentle rains make for the growth of food. The rains sustain us for drinking water as we need water to survive and thrive. Beyond the obvious physical needs for rain we need the divine love to rain upon us – to sustain our souls when we are good or not so good. Rain is broadcast – everyone benefits even if you get a little more than me, or I a little more than you – this moment in time.

When we seek rain in prayer, especially in the season of Lent, we desire the forgiving love of God to rain down on us, copiously and without reservation or condition.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn (PS 51:19). Our contrition and humility comes from the realization we squandered the love rain from the Lord either by dissipation or by acquisition. We wasted the rain and it soaked into the earth to be given again.

The rain of the love of God greatly surpasses the burning sensation of sin. A cooling balm!

Reflection

Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming, and his judgment shines forth like the light of day! He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth (Hos 6:3).

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else (LK 18:9). [contrasting the tax collector and the leadership] But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner’. (LK 18:13).

Personal Reflection

Lord, I know you rain blessings down upon me every day. Many times I just let it flow away. Sometimes I even use an umbrella. Even worse, sometimes I use it against others!
But Lord I desire to be right with you and let the rain have its effects intended. Every single drop.

Put away the umbrella!

Rain down your love on me!

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032925.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Greetings on this the Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Readings: Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Luke 11:29-32

Summary – Our need as person and society

Our Psalmist sets the stage for understanding the Old Testament and Gospel portions today.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.

A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

The great city of Nineveh – the capital of the Assyrian empire

Jonah (and his famous fish belly encounter) was in no mood to preach repentance to this city. The capitol city of the archenemy of the people. His attitude is due to a well documented defeat and occupation of a most brutal form. Nevertheless the Lord demands of his followers to teach and preach repentance. And more directly for today.

We each, person and society, need to be a forgiving people. It is not a trivial almost casual thought in our modern age. A slogan, at best. We are tempted to discount, disregard and dispute with the Lord any necessity to forgive. Even go so far as to demand a sign. Today more than ever the greatest resistance to holiness is our demand for a sign.

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
"This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Judgment is the penalty

It is most revealing that the words of Jesus show the depths of the need to repent, much like the people of Nineveh and only hinted at for Jonah’s response.

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here."

Understand the conversion wasn’t a conversion of one religion for another but one way of thinking and action to another. Honesty before God and right relation among men. This is at the level of person and society.

Personal Reflection

As we continue our Lent observance, may we repent. Repent in the (1) first case of doing wrong (Nineveh) and in the (2) second case of not forgiving (Jonah).

There is NO AVOIDING the requirement to forgive. The sign is self-evident. Without forgiveness we ARE the ultimate destructive force.

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031225.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry