Shake off all your sins – it is the Lord who speaks –
and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. EZK 18:31
ISAIAH 1:10,16-20
My Soul's Beloved,
We are created for life in You, for joy, for fullness in all the good things that were created for our fulfilment. All this is possible only if we live a life pleasing to You. Beloved, as long as we are in a right relationship with You and with each other, we will be happy, we will be blessed, we will experience lasting peace only if we listen to Your Word and keep it. Sin brings death. Sin separates us from You. Sin opens wide the door to evil and gives it a home, and when sin reigns in us, nothing good remains.
The worldly are extremely good at living compromised lives and justifying their choices, and the fruit of these choices is evident in the culture, hedonism, and idolatry of material things. Humanity and compassion are sacrificed on the altar of self-interest and personal gain, and there have never been more unhappy people than there are now. All who attempt to live their lives with You are doomed to be restless and dissatisfied.
The remedy is to believe in You and in Your Word. To turn away from evil and do good. To return to You with all our hearts and begin anew. You are the God of second chances, and we never run out of them for as long as we are alive. Have mercy on us, O Lord, and grant us the wisdom to repent and be healed and receive in abundance every good and perfect gift so we can build Your Kingdom of love, peace, and joy in the world.
Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the command of our God,
you people of Gomorrah.
‘Wash, make yourselves clean.
Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good,
search for justice,
help the oppressed,
be just to the orphan,
plead for the widow.
‘Come now, let us talk this over,
says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
‘If you are willing to obey,
you shall eat the good things of the earth.
But if you persist in rebellion,
the sword shall eat you instead.’
PSALM 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,
your offerings are always before me.
I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from among your herds.
‘But how can you recite my commandments
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise my law
and throw my words to the winds,
‘You do this, and should I keep silence?
Do you think that I am like you?
A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me
and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the command of our God,
you people of Gomorrah.
‘Wash, make yourselves clean.
Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do good,
search for justice,
help the oppressed,
be just to the orphan,
plead for the widow.
‘Come now, let us talk this over,
says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
‘If you are willing to obey,
you shall eat the good things of the earth.
But if you persist in rebellion,
the sword shall eat you instead.’
PSALM 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,
your offerings are always before me.
I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from among your herds.
‘But how can you recite my commandments
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise my law
and throw my words to the winds,
‘You do this, and should I keep silence?
Do you think that I am like you?
A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me
and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
MATTHEW 23:1-12
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
There is no easy or better way to enter into a right relationship with You than humility. Nothing is so pleasing to God our Father than that we imitate You in Your sublime humility in taking on Yourself the punishment that was ours in totality, our sins, our guilt, our shame, all our sorrows, and all the ways in which man dehumanises man by willingly submitting Yourself to the cruelty and injustice of evil men.
The world is filled with Pharisees and Sadducees, and Scribes as well as Pontius Pilates. They are only concerned with ensuring that nothing interferes with the way they live their lives of total compromise with the Word of God. They use their positions of power, whether ecclesial or secular, not just for personal gain, but use them as a whip against the poor, the illiterate, and the ignorant.
Lord Jesus, You suffered every deprivation, humiliation, and horrific suffering as the Son of Man, as is the lot of so many in the world, so no one can say that You do not understand. You do. This is why we can come to You with any human experience and be confident that You will understand, having suffered it all Yourself.
Thank You, Jesus. This Lent, give us a better understanding and appreciation of what our salvation cost You so we can love You more and be more appreciative of all You have done to redeem us.
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
