Hosea 5:15,6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4,18-21, Luke 18:9-14

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hosea 5:15,6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4,18-21, Luke 18:9-14 

Hosea 5:15,6:1-6

My Beloved, during this period of Lent the Church gives an opportunity to fix our gaze on the Crucifix, behold You nailed to the Cross and contemplate the price of the Father’s love. The prophet speaks about the punishment that was rightly ours. We were to be shattered to pieces, we were to be struck down in order to be healed of our iniquities and transgressions which had separated us from You. But instead the Father aware that we could never make adequate reparation for our sins as our relationship with God was ruptured beyond repair He turned to You my Beloved and in meeting His gaze You are one with the Father knew what it is He was asking of You. You were to be shattered to pieces, You were to be struck down and buried in the womb of the earth and throughout Your passion death and glorious Resurrection our wounds would be healed, our transgressions could be pardoned only by desiring it and we would be made a new creation in the new life we would now receive from You hard won by You for us on the Cross.

You made the ultimate sacrifice so none is required from us accept to offer up to the Father the only Sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to Him, the one, holy and perfect Sacrifice on Calvary as an eternal holocaust for the forgiveness of sins. All that is required from us to love the God who gave up His only, Firstborn Son that we may be saved. Thank You Father, than You Beloved, thank You Holy Spirit. 

Psalm 51:3-4,18-21

My Beloved, now in the era of the New Covenant when we look up the Father and ask Him to have mercy on us and in His great love for us to be compassionate and blot out our sin and wash us thoroughly of our guilt and cleanse us from evil He does precisely as we ask for now we have the perfect remedy and antidote for sin. The blood of rams and bulls, sheep and goats had not power to remove sin or atone for guilt and this is why the psalmist said that God no pleasure in them. They multiplied their sins and they multiplied their sacrifices which were ineffective as they did not please God.
The Father showered us with His favor when You became the willing Victim for the sins of the world and You reestablished the relationship that was severed between God and us. Yours was the only fitting Sacrifice acceptable to God now there is need for no other all that God asks of us is a contrite heart, broken with sorrow for our sins as we offer Him the Sacrifice on Calvary.

Luke 18:9-14

My Beloved, You address the stiff-necked, self-righteous, overly critical, Pharisees and religious leaders when You narrate the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The proud Pharisee who stood by himself to pray separated himself from the others because he thought he was better than they. He may have been speaking truly about himself as he listed his virtues and touted his strict compliance to the demands of the law. His error lay in boasting about it and comparing himself favorably as he looked down with contempt at the tax collector. The poor tax collector knew he was a sinner he did not need society to brand him one as well. He was well aware of what he was and of his own sins and this is why he stood at a distance, not daring to look at You. He was ashamed and contrite as he beat his breast and confessed what he knew himself to be – a sinner in his own eyes, a sinner before God and recognized as a sinner by society. You cannot abide by hypocrites and no amount of good works publicly advertised in order to be praised and admired can move God’s heart to forgive us. Meekness, humility and a contrite heart alone can obtain God’s mercy and forgiveness and we can go home content and confident that we are set right with God.