Jeremiah 17:5,7-8, Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 19:8-10, 15

Daily Mass Readings:   Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 19:8-10, 15

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Jeremiah 17:5,7-8,

5 This is what Yahweh says,

“Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings and depends on a mortal for his life, while his heart is drawn away from Yahweh!

7 Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Yahweh and whose confidence is in him! 8 He is like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots towards the stream.

He has no fear when the heat comes, his leaves are always green; the year of drought is no problem and he can always bear fruit.

Beloved, over and over You tell us in Your Word that if we put our trust in mortals we are doomed to disappointment and sorrow.  I have had experience of this often.  Believing the honeyed words of people who in the end did not honor their word or were lying in order to achieve their own ends. There are people who lie and lull you into a false sense of security and when you realize that you have been deceived the sense of betrayal is terrible.  Thank You for teaching me over the years to put my trust in You and You alone.

You neither deceive nor can be deceived and when I put all my trust in You, it is proof of my faith and confidence in Your love and Your power and You always reward such faith  with gifts that are beyond our imagining.

Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

There is much You say Beloved in today's reading.

1. Be holy as You are holy. 
2. I am not to lose my patience with those who have never heard about You or those that are weak in their faith.
3. I must not be an obstacle to those who are genuinely seeking to love You - rather I must help and encourage them.
4. It is a failing of the world to bow and kowtow to the rich or powerful in the world - it is something You warn me against.
5. Do not seek the death of your neighbor says Your word.  Our smallest neighbors in the womb are being slaughtered daily by abortion.  Help us do all we can to halt this murderous atrocity even if the only thing we can do is pray.
6. We are called to neither seek revenge nor even to harbor a grudge.  How often we go through our whole life carrying our wounded feelings and the wrongs that others have done to us instead of forgiving old injuries and moving on - walking in the freedom and knowledge of being sons and daughters of God.

 Matthew 25:31-46

The little ones of this world are the ones most easily hurt, wounded, disappointed and crushed.  It is so easy not to see the poor in the world, those who are sick, those who are forgotten in prison or in hospital wards or in mental asylums or remote villages.  They are the world's forgotten.  What can we do?  The least we can do is to bring them to mind in prayer and ask You to help them.  We can do whatever little we can.  A smile, a word of encouragement, a glass of cold water, some food.  Whatever is in our power let us do it.  Vote for a good candidate.  Give alms.  Fasting and prayer are the two most powerful weapons we have at our disposal as You have pointed out in Scripture.  Let us  use them.  Thank You for the wisdom of the Church that gives us the Corporal Works of Mercy.  Lent is a good time to practice them.

1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Clothe the naked
4. Shelter the homeless
5. Visit the sick
6. Visit those in prison
7. Bury the dead

Psalm 19:15

 15 May the words of my mouth

and the meditations of my heart

find favor in your sight,

O Lord – my redeemer, my rock.