Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 9:22-25

THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Repent, says the Lord;
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt. 4:17

Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 9:22-25

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We are privileged to enjoy another Season of Lent, a time when we prepare our lives, our souls, our hearts for a new springtime of grace and love. May we use this time of grace well by rooting out all that is unworthy of children of God. Thank You for another opportunity to begin anew, to set our hearts and lives right once again and follow the commandments in order that we might live in Your grace and love. May we do cheerfully all that the Season demands for our good through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. 

You desire to give us life in abundance, let us reach out and receive all that You wish to pour into our hearts of grace and blessings not only for us but also those we love and hold dear.

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

It is easy to be children of God who find delight in belonging to Him if we remain childlike and obedient. You have spoken clearly and shown us what is pleasing to God and You have made grace available to us through Your Holy Spirit and the Sacraments. It is possible Beloved, to always choose life by choosing to do what give life not death. 

We are to remain grafted in You. Receive Your Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. Allow the Holy Spirit to have complete freedom in directing our lives. Then we will bear good fruit that will last and our lives will be pleasing to You and a blessing to those around us.

Remain in Me, Beloved, and help me to remain in You as long as I live. Amen. 

Luke 9:22-25

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We live in a world where we are constantly being bombarded by the culture, by people with influence, people who are prominent, to live a life of self-indulgence. They preach the gospel of anything goes as long as we do not infringe on the rights of others. But this is totally contrary to the Gospel that You came to teach and to live.

You have said that it is better to give than to receive. It is better to turn the other cheek when we are struck. Unless we die to self we cannot truly be alive.

If we are to be Your follower and disciples, we must expect rejection, we must expect to suffer, we must expect persecution and even death for everything that the world did to You, they will do to us as well. You were a Sign of Contradiction to the world, and we too are a sign of contradiction that the world hates for they hate and refuse the greatest Sign of all the Sign of the Cross. On this tree of shame, You took upon Yourself our wickedness, our evil, our guilt, You bore our death and our shame in order that we may receive Your Life and live with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit forever in glory.   

Thank You, Lord.