Friday, March 5, 2021

FRIDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:
everyone who believes in him has eternal life. JN 3:16 

GENESIS 37:3-4,12-13,17-28 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The story of Joseph is a foreshadow of Your story. At his father's behest, he went to look for his brothers who were out watching his flock. So great was their hatred and malice toward him that when they way him they fell on him with the intent of killing him. Reuben's intervention results in him being thrown down an empty well instead. Later, the rest of the brothers got together and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver with no regard at all for the grief the loss of his beloved son would cause their aged father. Hate, malice, and vengeance caused them to commit a grievous sin against an innocent young man and a loving father.

The Father sent You to His chosen people and to the world, but they rejected You. Betrayed by a friend and sold for thirty pieces of silver to Your enemies, You became a captive for our sins and broke the chains that hold us captive to sin. You entered our death so we may enter Your life. You were sent by the Father to go in search of us and having found us we put You to death. This was the Father's plan all along - He gave You up so the rest of His children could be restored to Him through You.

Thank You, Lord.

PSALM 105:16-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You are the ultimate Joseph. You were sent into exile and You became the Giver of the True Bread that nourishes our soul and takes away our hunger. The soul is no longer famished for the Bread You give us is Your Body and as long as the world exists there will be plenty for all who desire the Bread of Life.

Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery. He was exiled and thrown into prison although he was innocent. There he languished with his feet in chains and his neck bound with iron until the time of his deliverance when all that He had foretold came to pass. You too became a captive for our sake. Although innocent You paid the price on behalf of the guilty. You were delivered to death and every prophecy foretelling our salvation is fulfilled in You. 

God has enthroned You and made You the Master, the Lord, and King of the heavens and the earth. To You belongs all that was, is, and shall be. To You is given all authority and dominion.  

Thank You for all the wonders that God has done for us in You. 

MATTHEW 21:33-43,45-46 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The truth pointed at us and revealing our weaknesses, our failings, and our sins, is often unpalatable. More often than not, when we lack humility, we are stirred to anger and rebellion, to violence and hate, rather than to repentance and contrition.

The chief priests and the elders listened eagerly to this parable about a landowner who planted a vineyard and after leasing it to tenants went on a long journey. At vintage time he sent his servants to collect what was owed to him. The tenants mistreated his servants and even killed one of them. Once the chief priests and the elders recognized that the parable was directed at them, instead of being ashamed that You knew their hidden evil intentions, they were furious. 

Over and over God sent prophets to remind His people of the Covenant He had made with them and all were treated in the same disreputable fashion as the tenants treated the servants in the parable. Until God sent His only Son believing that they would receive Him, and treat Him with respect. 

Directing their attention to this particular verse from a psalm as being fulfilled in Yourself, 

It was the stone rejected by the builders
that became the keystone.
This was the Lord’s doing
and it is wonderful to see?

You said, ‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.’ They were enraged and would have fallen on You and killed You just Joseph's brothers would have done and as the tenants in the parable did were it not for the crowds who considered You a prophet.

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