Saturday, March 30, 2019

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

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts. Ps 95:8



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


Hosea 6:1-6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You always woo us back to Yourself. You keep no record of our wrongs all You desire is that we come back to You with repentant hearts because sin kills, sin destroys and You desire that everyone be saved. Too great a price was paid Beloved for even one soul to be lost. It is unthinkable and incomprehensible to our Father that even one of His children be lost to Him forever. 

This is why God pleads with us to come back to Him. This is why He sometimes allows us to go through suffering and trials so we may turn our gaze back to You for You alone have the power to save.  Help me always to remember that You desire love not sacrifice. Love is able to do all things and this is why we are commanded to love You first and our neighbour as ourselves. Continue to pour Your grace upon us so we may love as You desire us to love.

Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21AB

 It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
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.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
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.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness
by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts.

Luke 18:9-14


Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — 
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
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.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

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