Mar. 26 - Sunday
John 3:14-21
Readings
Ask a physicist to define light, and you might learn that light consists of electromagnetic radiation visible to the human eye. Ask a biologist to define life, and you might learn that it manifests itself in growth, reproduction, and response to stimulus. Ask one of the writers of the New Testament, however, and you’ll get an entirely different answer. Most likely, you’ll hear that light and life are divine gifts from God given to us in Jesus Christ.
There is so much more to the Christian life than the “light” of intellectual understanding. There is so much more to “life” than simply surviving in this world. Endless galleries of divine revelation and unmerited grace exist that can bring us to a personal knowledge of God and his plan for our lives—to his own light and life.
Where do we find this revelation? In Jesus Christ, the Word of God. According to the church, “in giving us his Son, God spoke everything to us at once—and he has no more to say” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 65). Now we can spend the whole of our lives digging ever more deeply into that revelation. “He is like a rich mine with many pockets containing treasures; however deep we dig we will never find their end or their limit” (St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle).
Why do we need the light and life of Christ? Because without him, we are dead. Scripture tells us that because of sin, we have forfeited our inheritance of divine life. The law of death holds sway over all of us, and there is no escaping it on our own power. Only the wooden cross and the open grave can restore this life to us. Faith in Christ can open so many more doors than we can imagine. Let us come to Jesus today and ask for a double portion of his light and his life.
“Lord Jesus, I believe that by your cross you have overcome my darkness and restored me to divine life. May I be like you, bringing light and life into a needy world.”
Mar. 25 - Saturday
Luke 1:26-38
Readings
The Annunciation of the Lord
What a powerful example Mary is! In her desire to honor Jesus, no cost was too great. Nothing meant more to her than being with him. The joy of being loved by him filled her heart to overflowing, and she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could.
How much the Lord must rejoice when any one of us comes to him with the same love and devotion! When we approach him as Mary did, our outpouring of love is like fragrant nard. Its perfume fills everything we do. It overflows into all the situations we face and makes the peace and contentment in our hearts shine out to others. Coworkers wonder why we seem so lighthearted and calm. Neighbors feel drawn to us and are more willing to seek our counsel. Family members are touched by the ease and selflessness with which we perform even the most menial of tasks.
How did Mary arrive at this place in her life? We make a mistake when we think she first loved Jesus and that moved him to bless her in return. Like John, Peter, the woman at the well, the man born blind, and so many others, Mary was first and foremost a recipient of Jesus’ love. It was Jesus who found her and whose love touched the deepest part of her heart. It was his love for her that awakened her love for him and moved her to such an extravagant act of worship.
As Lent progresses, be sure you are sitting with Jesus and allowing him to speak words of love to you. Let him show you a love that knows no bounds. He is a good and gracious Savior, and he wants to heal our wounds and shine his light into our darkness. He wants to change us by his glory so that our every action will fill our homes with the fragrant perfume of love for Jesus.
“Lord Jesus, I know that even if I were the only one who needed saving, you would have come and died for me. Help me to respond single-heartedly by praising and serving you with all my heart. I love you, Lord!”
Mar. 24 - Friday
Hosea 14:2-10 Readings
In Hosea’s time, more than seven centuries before Christ, the northern kingdom of Israel was locked in a power struggle with the Assyrian empire. For long years, Israel repeatedly put its trust in political solutions and military alliances instead of trusting in God. Making matters worse, they also began to worship false gods, hoping that these idols would make them more prosperous. Thus, they broke their covenant with God and took themselves out from under his protection. Finally, in 726 b.c., Israel was attacked and its capital, Samaria, destroyed after a three-year siege. Against the background of the growing Assyrian threat, the prophet Hosea called Israel to repentance.
At the same time, Hosea himself was married to an unfaithful spouse, Gomer. Yet, instead of choosing to divorce her, he sought her out, forgave her, and in time, won her back. Hosea understood that the drama that was playing out in his personal life—that of a spurned husband wooing back a wayward wife—mirrored God’s relationship with fickle Israel: He would chastise his people and woo them back, ultimately forgiving all their sins.
Just as God promised to heal Israel’s faithlessness (Hosea 14:4), he is always ready to restore our relationship with him when we have broken it by our sin. Just think: He is faithful even when we are unfaithful! He loves us unconditionally and freely! God never gives up on a single one of his people. He never withholds his love from the undeserving. He never thinks anyone is too far gone or beyond his power to heal and save.
Hosea didn’t give up hope that his wife would return to him, or that the Lord would reach down to lead his people back to himself. Despite both Israel’s and Gomer’s unfaithfulness, Hosea dared to pray with great confidence, trusting in God’s compassion, love, and mercy. Hosea’s example encourages us to pray confidently for the people and situations God has put on our hearts. Let’s take up the call to be ministers of God’s love in our intercession. It’s amazing what God can do through our prayers, especially when we place radical faith in him!
“How faithful you are to us, Father! Your compassion is limitless. No sin is too great for you to forgive it, no relationship so broken that you cannot heal it. Show us your mercy, Lord!”
Mar. 23 - Thursday
Luke 11:14-23
Readings
Have you ever thought about Jesus as a “strong man” who enters the fortified house of our lives and takes away our armor so he can rule? Of course, that brings up the question: “What is my ‘armor,’ and why would Jesus want to take it away?”
Today’s first reading gives us some insight. God’s command through his prophet seems simple: If we listen to his voice, we will be his people and know his blessings. We just need to walk in the ways he requires. But how often we turn faithfulness to God’s commands into legalistic observance of rules! We rely on our own actions to make us God’s people, forgetting our deep need to listen to the voice of the Lord.
Then, when Jesus comes to the house of our hearts, he finds it well fortified with all the regulations we have set up to prove ourselves. This is the “armor” he wants to take away so that we can be free to relate to him in love, not as if we were simply following the rules of a contract. For at the heart of all God’s commands is his desire to have a relationship with us.
God does not want us to be a bunch of robots following some precise set of rules. He wants to be our own God, not just some divine scorekeeper up in heaven. He wants us to learn how to hear his voice when we hear his commands. He wants us to learn how to see his face in the brother or sister we are “commanded” to love. So when we hear his voice today, let’s not harden our hearts by trying to fit his ways into our expectations. Let’s try to listen with love instead, so that we will be inspired to follow and obey.
Jesus truly is the strongman. He really does want to remove the armor that keeps him at a distance. His love will not let him rest until we can be “with him,” not “scattering” the blessings of the relationship he holds out to us (Luke 11:23).
“Lord Jesus, remove the armor in which I clothe myself. I want a relationship with you. I want to be truly yours. Help me let go of my legalism so I can walk with you in love!”
Mar. 22 - Wednesday
Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9
Readings
On the brink of the Promised Land, Moses exhorted the Israelites to remember. Over and over, he told them to pay attention to what God had done—how he had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, protected them in the wilderness, and provided for them throughout their forty-year journey. For Moses, this exhortation was not meant to stir nostalgia among the people. He wanted them to remember their past so that they would make good decisions in the future.
When we remember our experiences of God, we relive those moments. We allow the grace and power of those moments to strengthen us and revitalize us. We allow them to build our faith and reinforce the knowledge that we can trust and lean on God.
Our experiences with God can also help us to stand firm during those times when God seems distant. In those seasons when we cannot as readily perceive God’s presence, or when we are struggling with powerful temptations, we can lean on our memories of God’s faithfulness and trust that he will not desert us. We can recall the times when we have experienced his tender mercy and felt his healing strength. Over time, our memories will transform us and build us up.
Like the Israelites facing new challenges in the Promised Land, our memories of God’s work in our lives can help guide us toward sound decisions. By looking at past situations in which we saw God helping us, we can find answers to present challenges—answers that incorporate godly grace into our human reasoning.
Each and every time God works in us, he does far more than rescue us from a difficult situation or give us his comfort. He also gives us another glimpse into who he is. He reveals his constancy, his faithfulness, his mercy, his power, and his glory. It is these truths that God wants to become the foundation for our lives. So take some time today to recall how God has worked in you. What has God shown you about himself? Write these down, and let them become the foundation of your faith and trust in a loving Father.
“Lord, you have shown me that you are faithful and true. You have poured your mercy and love into my heart. I praise you and thank you for what you have done in my life.”
Mar. 21 - Tuesday
Matthew 18:21-35
Readings
Corrie Ten Boom, a renowned evangelist, had once been imprisoned in a German concentration camp. Years later, while giving a talk on forgiveness, she recognized a prison guard who had mistreated her. He didn’t recognize her, and came up afterwards to shake her hand. At that point she had only hatred for her former captor, and prayed for the grace to be able to love him. She felt the Lord calling her to put out her hand, and when she had obeyed, heard him saying to her, “Well done, Corrie, that’s how my children behave.”
Ten Boom’s initial response to the guard sounds a lot like the unmerciful servant. Someone owed him a debt, and he simply wanted it back. He couldn’t let go of what he thought was rightfully his. In the same way, Corrie knew that this man owed her something for the terrible wrong he had done to her. Even though he could never pay her back, she was reluctant to release him from his debt.
In each of our lives, there is a similar story. We have all been wronged at one time or another, and we are each given the opportunity to show forgiveness. The fact is, we seldom find it easy. The only power that can truly bring us to forgive others is the power of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Because of the blood he shed for us on Calvary, we can walk in his love and not be bound by our grudges and hatreds anymore. The old law of “an eye for an eye,” doesn’t have to apply to us. We have been set free!
As we reflect on Jesus’ power to restore relationships, we should also remember how crucial forgiveness is to our spiritual life. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus tells us to pray, “Forgive us, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” If we refuse to forgive our brothers and sisters, we prevent ourselves from receiving his love. With that in mind, let’s ask ourselves if there is someone we need to forgive. If so, don’t wait another moment to bring that situation to the foot of his cross—that’s where he can deal with it!
“Lord, I need your heart! I cannot love the way I should. Let your love flow into me, and I will truly be a child of the light!”
Mar. 20 - Monday
Matthew 1:16,18-21,24
Readings
Always working in wonderful and mysterious ways, God chose a simple carpenter to be the foster father for his eternal Son. How can this be? A mere man, charged with the upbringing of the Son of God? Much of this is mystery, but we do know that when God calls someone to do something, he pours upon them all the grace they need for the task.
Joseph was a man of mature faith who trusted in the Lord. Silent though he was, his actions speak more loudly than all the sermons, exhortations, and philosophizing of Christian history. At the beginning of Jesus’ life, when our redemption was about to occur, we read about one man whose strength, trust, and humility stand as a sign of the new creation that Jesus would make possible for all of us through his cross.
God spoke to Joseph through an angel in dreams, and every time Joseph heard from the angel, he promptly followed God’s directives (Matthew 1:20-24; 2:20-23). The situations Joseph faced were difficult. On the angel’s first visit, God told Joseph of Mary’s miraculous conception and that he should not fear taking her as his wife. Surely, he must have been tempted to doubt or to be concerned about what others might think or say. But, without asking for further understanding—without a single question—Joseph acted decisively.
Like Joseph, we too are called to be generous receivers of God’s grace, his power that enables us to obey the Lord. Let us open ourselves to God’s will. We can hear God speak to us in prayer, as we read Scripture, and while participating in the liturgy. Sometimes our situations will be difficult, and we may be tempted to doubt God. But we all have the Holy Spirit, who loves to instruct us in the ways of the Lord. When we do God’s will, our faith, hope, and intimacy with God mature, and we become more able to do the works he prepared for us.
“Lord God, you love us and have a perfect plan for our lives. In love you speak your plan to us; give us the grace to listen. We know you have work for us; give us the strength to be your obedient servants.”
Mar. 19 - Sunday
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
Readings
Pam was ready to buy a table at a flea market when a man came up and told her that the old table wasn’t sturdy and would not hold up well. While this presented a stumbling block, Pam bought it anyway.
About twenty-five years ago, a friend told Jim about a new software company, which he was thinking of investing in. Convinced it was a failure, Jim’s dad called the investment a waste of money, but Jim didn’t listen. He went ahead and bought some shares of the stock.
Two years later, Pam had her table appraised and was told it was a valuable antique worth $50,000. Jim’s investment, in a little-known company called Microsoft, has multiplied over and over again and made Jim a healthy sum of money.
A stumbling block? Foolishness? Perhaps. But these were the same words that St. Paul used in describing the gospel. The image of a crucified Messiah was a stumbling block to Jews. His life did not match up with the way they were expecting God to save them. Likewise, the logical Greeks could not fathom Paul’s explanation of salvation. To them, it was nothing more than a good story.
On the other hand, a few Jews and Greeks accepted Paul’s words, believed in Jesus, and gave their lives to him. The early Christian churches that these disciples built had one unique message that formed the foundation of their faith: the message of a crucified and risen Messiah that sounded like folly to Greeks and scandal to Jews.
Two thousand years later, this same Jesus is at the center of our faith. It is this “foolish” gospel that draws us together each Sunday. And how blessed we are to believe in such folly! We have found a magnificent God who loves us completely. Let’s make today’s celebration special. Let’s all tell Jesus that he is our God and we are his people.
“Dear Lord, you are wise and loving. Come make your home in me. I want to embrace the incredible ‘folly’ of your salvation.”
Mar. 18 - Saturday
Micah 7:14-15,18-20
Readings
O Lord our God, our great shepherd and leader, who is like you? Who else reaches out to the blind, the deaf, the lame, the weak, and the sick? You do not delight only in strength, but you reach out with compassion for those who walk with faltering steps. You sympathize with our weakness and seek to help us. You call to us, “Lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees” (Hebrews 12:12), then you gently brace what is sagging and tenderly build up what is weak.
Who is like you, who pardons all our sins? For whom no sin is too great, nor too often repeated, to forgive? Who else has compassion on us, wiping out the guilt of our errors? You do not blame! Instead, you cast our sins into oblivion. You don’t deal with us as we deserve or pay us back for our transgressions. No, you gather us into your arms, calming and quieting our guilty, anxious souls. Daily you shower us with mercy and treat us to your kindness.
Who is like you, who stands and watches eagerly for our return when we have strayed? Who runs to us when we are yet far off, and reaches out to draw us close with arms of love? You rejoice in our return and greet us with the love you have had for each of us from the beginning of time. When we have lost our way, you give us grace to help us return to you (Hebrews 4:16). And though we might deserve to be treated as slaves, you call us your sons and daughters, Jesus’ sisters and brothers.
Who is a God like you, who speaks to each one whom he has created? Who makes the ear and also opens it daily to hear from its maker? You speak a word, and it is so—how many words do you speak over us, Lord? O let us hear them, and let them be so in our lives! You are always faithful, always loving, always doing what you say you will, and able to do more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
“I want to meet you today, God, to grow in love and trust of you. Thank you, Father, for your goodness, your kindness, your mercy, your gentleness, your faithfulness, and your patient, untiring love for me.”
Mar. 17 - Friday
Genesis 37:3-4,12-13,17-28
Readings
What do Reuben and St. Patrick have in common? Strategy. Reuben used great wisdom when he saw how fiercely his brothers hated Joseph. Realistically, there was no way he could convince them to not harm Joseph—they were plotting to kill him! So working within the limitations that he faced, Reuben came up with a suggestion that led to Joseph being taken to Egypt. We know the rest of the story, where Joseph in due time rescued the children of Israel from famine.
In a similar way, St. Patrick, whose feast we celebrate today, demonstrated practical wisdom from the time he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland, through the time he escaped, up to the time he returned to Ireland as a bishop. As a youthful shepherd slave, he learned to rely on the vision God had for his life, even if he didn’t see how this vision could possibly come true. He learned how to make do with his situation, but never gave up his hope in Christ. And when he saw the opportunity for freedom, he seized it.
We too face situations in which we cannot possibly see the ultimate outcome. That doesn’t mean we have to give up. Developing a strategy in which we do the best we can within the circumstances we face doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us or won’t bless us. If “compromise” is the best option available, use it. A decision to let another person handle a job we’ve done in our parish for years could lead to a new ministry we never imagined possible. Not needing to have the last word in a dispute could be the beginning of a peaceful resolution. We may not see how our decision to spend time with the office outcast instead of our favorite friend may influence our entire workplace. In each situation, we do what we can and leave the rest up to God.
Neither Rueben nor St. Patrick could foresee the effects their decisions would have on history as they worked within the limitations that they faced. Like them, we can hold out great confidence and hope in God’s power to work miracles, even in constrained situations.
“Great God, I want to praise your power, presence, and persistence in using whatever gifts I have to build up your kingdom. Give me a heart to let you use me as only you know best.”
Mar. 16 - Thursday
Luke 16:19-31
Readings
The rich man in this parable had it all: fine clothes, the best food, and, we can assume, servants to attend to all his needs. As he told this story, Jesus said that this man “feasted sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19), to show that he lacked nothing for a good life. This man was so rich and powerful that he may have even had his own copy of the Torah. With such plenty before him, and Scripture behind, he certainly had no excuse for ignoring the needs of the poor man at his gate. But ignore him he did.
The rich man’s fault was not that he was rich. Rather, it was that he was so caught up in himself that he didn’t allow the words of Scripture—or the cry of the poor—to pierce his heart. As the word of God, Scripture has the power to pierce our hearts and open us to the truths of the gospel and the promises of God. This is just as true of the Old Testament as it is of the New Testament. Abraham told the rich man that his brothers had “Moses and the prophets” to teach them about God, his commands, and his love—and that this should have been enough for them.
All Scripture has the force to touch and change us. “Happy are those,” says the psalmist, whose “delight is in the law of the Lord” and who meditate on it “day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).
Our days are busy, crowded with the needs of our families, with the demands of work, and with a seemingly endless list of household chores. These are good and necessary responsibilities. If they become our sole focus, however, they can easily crowd out the “Lazaruses” in our lives and leave us, like the rich man, consumed with ourselves. God wants so much more for us. If we but open our hearts and yield ourselves to him, we will find boundless riches in his word, riches we can feast on sumptuously every day. May we always be open to receive them!
“Holy Spirit, give me an open, teachable heart. I may be very busy today, but I still ask you to help me yield my time and my focus to you, so that I may be touched by your word.”
Mar. 15 - Wednesday
Matthew 20:17-28
Readings
If we are familiar with the struggle of trying to live as a Christian, yet often having to deal with our self-centeredness, this story about James and John can give us great hope! These men are excellent examples of the battle between the fallen nature and the new nature available to everyone in Jesus.
Two of Jesus’ closest disciples, James and John, had given up much to follow him and were richly rewarded. They were privileged to see not only Jesus’ miracles but also the glory of his transfiguration. Yet, here, after so much time with Jesus, these two brothers made a surprising request. Actually, they were so conniving that they had their mother make it for them! While most teachers would have become frustrated with disciples such as these, Jesus didn’t get upset or chastise them. Instead, he used the opportunity to teach the disciples about the way to true greatness.
In spite of their momentary self-centeredness, James and John went on to become pillars of the church, and this is why we can take encouragement from them. No matter how “off-track” we may become, God is ever at work within us to separate flesh from spirit—sin from righteousness—within us. He knows all about our sin, but still loves us and continues to teach us, just as he remained faithful to James and John.
God wants to show us our sin so that we will cling to him more fully. God can set us free from everything that holds us back from him. All he asks—and it can be difficult at times—is that we turn from sin and turn toward him in trust and obedience. Jesus offers us the same “cup” that he offered James and John. It is a cup of suffering, and it is a cup of blessing. As we drink this cup, we will know the full benefits of being children of God. We will know the Father intimately as Jesus does, even as we see more clearly our sin and opposition to him. So open your heart and allow Jesus to reveal your sin so that you can be filled with his grace and love.
“Jesus, help me to experience your merciful love every day. I bring my sin before you so that you can purify me and teach me to walk in your ways.”
Mar. 14 - Tuesday
Isaiah 1:10,16-20
Readings
After a dramatic call to repentance, the prophet Isaiah offers extremely practical advice: Learn to do good. Seek justice. Correct oppression. Be willing and obedient. Don’t refuse and rebel.
Learn to do good. If I have betrayed someone’s confidence, asking forgiveness is only the beginning. Re-establishing a relationship of mutual trust will require transparency, humble service, and many small acts of kindness on my part. Similarly, it takes time to replace patterns of self-indulgence with habits of compassion and justice.
If I’m in the habit of gossiping, perhaps the best I can do at first is to bite my tongue instead of adding to the faulty data collected by former fellow gossipers. Perhaps I can offer a silent prayer for them, and for their victim. Next time, my previous self-control may embolden me to move away from the group, rehearsing a word of correction, or thinking of something positive about the person who is being maligned. And then, with a bit more practice and a few positive experiences stored in my memory, I will be able to speak what I have rehearsed.
Remember that sailing ships that have gone off course may not be able to reverse direction all at once. Every small course correction brings them closer to their desired destination. In the same way, every small correction we make is pleasing to our Father, who not only corrects us for rejecting his discipline but also promises salvation to those who order their way aright (Psalm 50:17,23). God promises that with every temptation he will provide a way of escape, so that we can endure and ultimately overcome it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
This promise of God is very personal: “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8). Empowered by the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, we can know true transformation if we persevere step by step. And the best part is we won’t be alone: God will not abandon us before that work of transformation is accomplished. Our Father is very patient as long as we are willing to be instructed. So let’s not be harder on ourselves than he is!
“Father, I am aware of my sinfulness, but I really want to do what is right. Turn your eyes upon me, Father, and show me the next step.”
Mar. 13 - Monday
Luke 6:36-38
Readings
Yesterday we talked about how merciful and loving God is—to the point that our consciences really can be completely cleansed by the blood of Christ. Today, we want to talk about the other side of the equation: our call to be as merciful as God is.
At the Vespers service on the night before Pope John Paul II’s fiftieth anniversary Mass, the Holy Father asked an eighty-four-year-old Jesuit priest to preach. This priest told of how he was ordained in 1946, shortly before a Communist dictatorship took over in his country of Albania with ruthless persecution. Many priests were shot and died as martyrs for their faith, and he himself was arrested in 1947. He lived in solitary confinement for seventeen years, and for many more years in forced labor. His first prison was a lavatory in a village in the mountains. They forced him to strip and hung him with rope under his arms. Then his torturers took him down and kicked and beat him all night.
That night, in that place of torture, this priest felt the comforting presence of Jesus Christ all around him. And because of that experience, he never felt resentment for those who had abused him. He was finally released in 1989, at the age of seventy-nine. He says that after his release, he met one of his torturers in the street. Forgiving grace flowed from his heart. Instead of cursing this man, he took pity on him; he went to him and embraced him. What a reflection of God’s mercy and forgiveness in this world!
According to St. Luke, Jesus said, “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). But according to Matthew, he said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). What a revolutionary thought! To forgive is to be like God. It’s to mirror his perfection to the world. The priest in the story above forgave not just in mere words but also in action. All of heaven rejoices, and untold grace flows into our hearts when we are able to do that.
Don’t miss out on that grace! Forgive. And watch the waterfall of God’s power flow!
“Jesus, help me to be like you, who always forgave, even as you hung on the cross. Help me to be merciful and forgiving with both words and actions, as you would have me forgive.”
Mar 12 - Sunday
Romans 8:31-34 If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
This is one of the most hopeful verses in all of Scripture. After all, it is great to have such a loving God on our side. Unfortunately, we also have to deal with someone who stands against us: our “archenemy” Satan. He spends a good amount of his time tempting us, and the rest of the time condemning us the moment we fall. For instance, he may tempt you to get angry and frustrated in a situation, and then he will say: “You call yourself a Christian after that display of anger? You’ve really done it this time. You don’t expect God to forgive you for that again, do you?”
It’s at times like these that we can benefit from St. Paul’s next question: “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?” (Romans 8:33). No one. No one can bring a valid charge against a child of God, thanks to the blood of Jesus. In baptism, he cleansed us from sin. Now he wants to sprinkle our hearts so that we are freed from a guilty conscience (Hebrews 9:14; 10:22).
It’s true. Anyone who sincerely confesses their sins is completely forgiven—no matter how bad the sin or how many times we fall prey to it! This drives the devil crazy, because it takes the rug out from under him. Sure, he can try to make us feel guilty right after we sin but once we repent, the case is dismissed, and God doesn’t think about it anymore!
The devil’s biggest trick is to try to convince us that some particular pattern of sin is so horrible or so deep-seated that it somehow falls outside of the universal and all-atoning sacrifice of Christ. Don’t fall for this ruse! The Scriptures and the church have you covered on this one. All who ask forgiveness for their sins are cleansed and set free from guilt by the blood of Jesus.
“Father, thank you for your great mercy! I am eternally grateful for your love and forgiveness. May the blood of your Son cleanse me from all my sins today.”
Mar 11 - Saturday
Matthew 5:43-48 I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
What does it mean to love our enemies? Certainly this can’t be possible when we face a situation of extreme injustice, or when we are deeply hurt by someone close to us? And yet, Jesus tells us not only to forgive but to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us. What a tall order!
The Greek word for the type of love Jesus tells us to have for our enemies is agapé. This is a different kind of love than the love we naturally have for our family. It is different from the romantic love between two people or the fatherly love that God has for us. Agapé does not mean a feeling of the heart as much as a determination of the mind and will. It is the decision to love those we do not like and who maybe do not like us.
On our own strength we cannot forgive or forget the hurts and insults we suffer. It is simply part of our fallen, human condition. And yet, God is asking it of us. And the answer lies in the person of Jesus and his Holy Spirit, who came to be with us after Jesus ascended to heaven. Granted, we may have to turn to the Spirit many times for strength to forgive, but no matter how long it takes he will give us the strength we need. It is in the will that the battle will be won. We may have to start out by saying to God, “I’m willing to be made willing to forgive,” and let the desire grow from there. The ability to forgive may have to come in stages, but when we call on the power of the Holy Spirit, we will ultimately see victory.
We may have to take many baby steps on the way to forgiving those who have hurt or harmed us, but with God’s help we can do it. Yes, we really can follow in the footsteps of all the great saints in our history. What’s more, by God’s grace we can even become like Jesus, who forgave those who tortured him and hung him on the Cross.
“Holy Spirit, please comfort all those who suffer today from hurts and insults of others. Pour the love of God into their hearts so that they can forgive and be healed."
Mar 10 - Friday
Ezekiel 18:21-28 The way of the Lord is unfair! (Ezekiel 18:25)
We may feel the same protest rising up in our own hearts—perhaps when a notorious sinner converts at the end of his life, or when those who are obviously in the wrong somehow avoid punishment. It can make us wonder why we try so hard when we don’t seem to get the same good breaks.
Or again, we may repeat that complaining thought when Jesus tells us that anger makes us liable to judgment, not just going so far as murder. Instead of making things easier for us, he sets the standard even higher. What are we supposed to do? Doesn’t Jesus know how hard things are already?
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our human ideas of justice and equity that we can’t see the logic of divine mercy. We grit our teeth and try to be good, and then we are tempted to complain when those we don’t judge to be good enter God’s kingdom. We complain when it seems we just can’t reach the standard of perfection that Jesus expects. But this attitude blocks our view of a fundamental truth: Each person—including you and me—needs God’s mercy to reach heaven.
Thank God that he isn’t fair! God offers redemption to anyone who turns from sin and reaches out to him. When we want to point our finger at someone else, we should recall the Psalm: “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities . . . who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). Each of us needs God’s mercy just as much as that notorious sinner we look down upon. And it is only by that mercy that we can have any hope at all.
It’s not about rules; it’s about love! When Jesus seems to raise the standard on holiness, it’s not because he wants us to roll up our sleeves and try harder. It’s because he wants us to rely on him even more! He’s not counting how many rules we can uphold. He is looking to see how much we have surrendered to him. Why? Because he knows that the closer we are to him, the less we will want to sin.
“Lord, thank you that you are not fair! Thank you for your mercy—I am totally dependent on it. Change my thinking so that I can follow the logic of divine love!”
Mar 9 - Thursday
Matthew 7:7-12
Ask, seek, and knock. These are action verbs that Jesus used to describe how he wants us to relate to our heavenly Father. Notice, too, that Jesus didn’t put any limits or qualifiers on these words. He didn’t say to ask the Father for something only when we are in trouble or distress. He didn’t say to seek the Father only when we feel that we have lost our way. He didn’t say to knock only when we feel that all other doors have been closed to us! We can ask, seek, and knock at any time, even when things are going just fine!
The promise of the gospel is that we can be in touch with our Father throughout the day, no matter how bad—or good—a day we are having. Are things going great? Terrific! Thank God and ask him to be with you even more. He wants to do so much for us, not just help us out of a jam. Wouldn’t a good father want to encourage his children, provide for them, and form them at all times, not just during the tough times? So why should we think any less of—or expect any less from—our heavenly Father?
Lent is a good time to open up our whole lives to the Father, not just those areas that may need healing or those paths that need redirection. It can be so hard to accept the fact that God loves us and wants the absolute best for us, but it is true nonetheless!
So turn to your Father today and ask him to shine his light in all areas of your life. Ask him to give you even more growth in your talents and abilities or for new insight into those areas that are going well. Knock on the doors of new opportunities for witnessing to him at work. Seek even more unity and peace in your family and within your parish, even if everyone is getting along already. He is a generous Father who delights in giving good gifts to his children.
“Father, thank you for your love and care. I open my life fully to you, Lord. Fill me with more of your presence, and help me to grow in ways pleasing to you.”
Mar 8 - Wednesday
Luke 11:29-32“Prove it!” Haven’t we all heard this response when we’ve told something as a truth and others have doubted it? “Just prove it!” This was how some of the scribes and Pharisees reacted to Jesus’ claim that he had been sent from heaven. They wanted him to show some heavenly sign that would prove that he was who he claimed to be.
Jesus knew they weren’t sincere. He had been performing signs and miracles since beginning his ministry—and his enemies were aware of them. They just couldn’t accept these events as proof of his heavenly origin. In fact, some even accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.
Jesus’ response was not to argue that the miracles he had performed should be sufficient proof for them. He knew this was pointless. Instead, he referred to his accusers as an “evil generation” who would be given only the sign of Jonah. According to the story, God had sent Jonah to Nineveh to warn the people there that unless they repented, they would be destroyed in forty days.
Now Nineveh was so large that it took three days to go through it. Yet Jonah’s message and his witness were so powerful that it took only one day for people throughout the city to repent and turn to Yahweh. Despite Jonah’s initial reluctance, God’s light shone forth from Jonah so powerfully that the whole city was turned upside down.
Do you believe that you can be a “sign” to your generation, just as Jonah and Jesus were to theirs? Do you believe that the light of Christ can shine out of you in such power that you don’t even need to say anything to draw people to the Lord? It’s possible. A patient heart and a willing spirit can accomplish miracles! Likewise, an active prayer life and a desire to stay close to Jesus during the day can turn you into a living witness of joy. Infused with these attributes, your simple words of encouragement and your humble gestures of compassion will move other people to turn away from sin and embrace the light and power of Jesus. All because of you!
“Jesus, light of the world, fill my heart with the brilliance of your light. I want to be a sign of your glory to others.”
Mar 7 - Tuesday
Psalm 34 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:15)
Think about how a mother can look into the eyes of her baby with complete contentment and love. She simply marvels at this precious new life in her arms. What does the baby do? She looks back at mommy, drinking in the love she can see in her eyes. In our prayer today, let’s look into the eyes of our Heavenly Father. What do we see?
Just as the baby can see mommy’s love, we can see the Father’s love as we gaze into his eyes. God is always available, never aloof, and continually attentive to our every call (Psalm 34:6). He is full of grace, covering us with the radiance of his presence when we turn our faces to him (34:5). He says, “I will have my angels encamped around you because I want to protect you”
(34:7). He is mighty, watching every moment of our lives to deliver us from harm. He is the author of peace, removing all our fears as we bring them to him (34:4). He is merciful, lifting up our wounded spirits (34:19). He is our comforter, tenderly touching our hearts which have been broken through loss or harm (34:18). God is good, abounding in love, compassion, and steadfast kindness. Let us ponder such things!
Though we are tempted to see only a reflection of our sin and weaknesses in his eyes, let’s ask him to tell us how he sees us. He looks upon us as his precious children, whom he created in love. He sees his plans to bless us unfolding in our families, churches, and neighborhoods. He sees people who can be filled with his presence. He sees children without shame, clamoring to sit close to their Father. He sees his children fall asleep in his peace, even in the midst of the difficult circumstances of life. He sees our excitement when his words in the Scriptures suddenly come alive. We belong to him.
Heavenly Father, how wonderful you are! You see into every part of my life and care for me without hesitation. I love you. I trust you with my life. I am content to look at you and see all that you are, and all that you desire for me.
Mar 6 - Monday
Leviticus 19:1-2,11-18Isn’t it ironic that in this age of globalization and mass communication, we can still feel so isolated from one another? In the movie Hotel Rwanda, a true story set during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, an American journalist predicts how his side of the world will react to the news of mass ethnic cleansing in Africa: “If people see this footage, they’ll say, ‘O my God, that’s horrible!’ And then they’ll go on eating their dinners.”
This isolation and indifference is not what God intended for us. He wants us to be like brothers and sisters, not strangers! The fact is, we all belong to one another. And that belonging is not just some over-sentimental idealism; it is real and it has consequences.
In today’s reading from Leviticus, each command God gives his people is followed by the proclamation, “I am the Lord.” It’s as if God is telling us what kind of God he is, and who he is not. Judging from this passage, we can see that he is concerned not only with our eternal destiny but with our becoming like him here on earth. This means taking on his love and concern for the world. As Archbishop Oscar Romero once related: “The church’s social teaching tells everyone that the Christian religion does not have a merely horizontal meaning, or a merely spiritualized meaning that overlooks the wretchedness that surrounds it. It is a looking at God, and at one’s neighbor as a brother or sister, and an awareness that ‘whatever you did to one of these, you did to me’ (Matthew 25:40).”
In Hotel Rwanda, the manager of a luxury hotel first insists, “I have no means to protect these people” [refugees from the killings]. But ultimately he finds the courage to hide 1,268 strangers in his hotel and save them from certain slaughter. While this situation represents an extreme case, in little daily ways we all have opportunities to increase our sense of solidarity with those around us, especially the needy and suffering. Will you take up the challenge? If so, you just may meet someone amazing in the most unlikely of your neighbors—and that someone is Jesus himself!
“Holy Spirit, open my eyes and heart to those around me. Help me to meet Christ in the poorest and most vulnerable of my neighbors. Bring us all together as one family in God.”
Mar 5 - Sunday
Mark 1:12-15Did you ever consider how relentlessly the devil, that “little voice of temptation,” tries to convince us to do the wrong thing? He makes one argument after another, all the time trying to get us to do the very thing that we don’t want to do—the very thing that we know is wrong.
Today’s Gospel tells us how Satan initiated an all-out attack on Jesus during his forty-day fast in the wilderness. He used every trick he could think of as he tried to lead Jesus into sin. The Gospel also tells us how the devil failed. Jesus simply would not give in.
Unfortunately, we are not always as successful as the Lord in repelling the devil’s attacks. We hear his niggling little voice operating and we try to resist it, but we still fall prey and are consumed by guilt.
Thank God for the Penitential Rite and the Sacrament of Reconciliation! Thank God that we can ask forgiveness at any point in our day by simply turning in prayer and repenting to the Lord! Thank God that the blood of Christ can reconcile us with our Father, no matter how severe the sin! Thank God he is so compassionate and merciful!
Let’s make it our goal this Lent to try to limit the devil’s inroads in our minds. It may be impossible to destroy his little voice until Jesus comes again, but we can minimize his impact. First, we can ask Jesus for his help each morning. He knows our weakness because he was tempted just as we are (Hebrews 4:15). And we can repent and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation whenever we fall. Nothing disarms the devil more than reliance on God’s grace and the gift of humble, honest repentance.
The more we resist the devil and say “no” to his little voice of temptation, the more we will grow strong in the Lord. And with every battle that we win, our confidence will grow. May we all come to know the sweet taste of victory!
“Lord, you know all about temptation. Help me to resist the temptations that the devil sends to me this day.”
Mar 4 - Saturday
Luke 5:27-32It’s dinner time at Levi’s house, and his friends are sitting around, talking and laughing, recalling the day’s business as they wait for him to arrive. But when he walks in, the room goes silent. “Something’s different,” they say. “What’s happened to Levi? He looks like a new man! And who is this new guest? I’ve never seen anyone like him—so self-assured, so full of peace.” Then Levi announces his guest’s name: “I’d like you all to meet Jesus of Nazareth.”
We don’t really know what happened at Levi’s dinner that night. We can only guess that, meeting the Lord face-to-face and seeing the change in Levi, many of his guests became Jesus’ followers as well. No doubt, if we were eating supper and Jesus came in to join us, we would act a little differently too. Our smiles would be brighter; we would be more thankful for our meal; and we would begin to look at the world around us in a new way.
Does this sound fanciful? It shouldn’t. Every time we celebrate the banquet of the Mass, Jesus joins us. He comes to break bread with us, to give us his own flesh to eat and his blood to drink. What’s more, it isn’t just Jesus himself who comes: His entire church is there. The apostles are there, along with all the saints and angels, joining us as guests of honor. Plus, we are there, too. We are full participants, not just spectators, in this feast. We too are fed, nourished, built up, and honored by the Lord.
The next time you go to Mass, ask Jesus to help you enter into the liturgy. Remember that the priest is not the only one who celebrates communion! Whether you are a lector, usher, Eucharistic minister, or a brother or sister in the pews, spend some time thanking God for the gift you are receiving. Then, with the joy you have received, reach out and touch someone who is worn down with burdens, or someone who doesn’t believe that God can change their life. Jesus came to “cast fire upon the earth,” and he wants to use you as his kindling (Luke 12:49)!
“Lord, I praise you for your gift of perfect love in the Eucharist and for your presence in me right now! May I manifest your presence to everyone I meet today!”
Mar 3 - Friday
Isaiah 58:1-9
Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? (Isaiah 58:5)
For those of us who had our heads anointed with ashes two days ago and have set a course of fasting and penance for Lent, the prophet's question might be a little awkward. Surely God is pleased with our fasts -- isn't he? Well, that depends on our hearts.
The point of today's reading is that on its own, fasting can be reduced to nothing more than a religious exercise. Abstaining from certain foods or drink can be just another way of dieting or weight training. Practices like receiving ashes, giving up coffee, or turning off the television are spiritually effective if we take them up with the desire to master our instincts and to be freed up to receive more of God's love. Growing in that love to the point where it abounds in our hearts and flows out to those around us -- This should be the goal of all our Lenten activities (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2043).
We can know that love this Lent. We can fast in a way that releases those who are in bondage -- perhaps by our own prejudice, fear, or mistrust. Whether we are fasting from food or from sinful attitudes (or both), we can use this season of grace to break every oppressive yoke. Miracles are possible! In forty short days, God really can untie the thongs of bitterness, anger, lust, drunkenness, or fear!
It gets even beter. As we are unbound, we ourselves become free to spread divine mercy through words of comfort, through forgiveness of someone who has hurt us, or through a humble sharing of our hope in the Lord. The love of God that sacrificed this only Son for us will lead us to where we can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and help the needy. And that's when the glory of the Lord will shine through us, as though it were a smile for the world to see.
"Father, I want to please you this Lent. Show me how to empty my heart so that I can make room for you and your love. Come, Father, and accept my fasting and sacrifices as acts of trust in your love for me and of my devotion to you."
Mar 2 - Thursday
Psalm 1:1-4,6Do you want to know God's presence and power in your Life? Then follow the psalmist's advice and plant yourself by the river of his grace. How do you picture this river? Does it trickle down a mountain like a small stream? Or does it rush forth, fresh and teeming with life? Nothing holds this river back as it springs from the very heart of God.
God wants us to be like a tree planted right next to this river. Instinctively, the tree's roots go as deep as necessary to receive water. Similarly, God invites us to become firmly rooted in him by letting him influence every dimension of our lives: our work, our family, our finances, even our leisure time. He promises that as we root ourselves in him, he will not hold back a single drop from us.
Isn't it funny that we often come to God with a small tin cup, asking for a drink, when all the time there is a powerful waterfall right in our midst? We should never underestimate how much God wants to do in us. He loves us all with an everlasting love, and he will always remain faithful to us.
God longs to strengthen us to choose his ways and follow him. Every time we obey his word, ask for his help, our turn to him in worship, we open ourselves to his water of life. God is not calling us just to try hard to be good -- although there are plenty of times when we must exert all our effort to remain faithful. The miracle of the gospel is that in addition to our hard work, God wants to work in us. Remaining in his presence allows his river to erode our old ways of thinking and living. It allows him to point out areas where we are not choosing him, and help us to make the necessary changes.
Every day, we face numerous choices: Will we obey God, or will we go our own way? And every day, God offers us his grace to empower us beyond our human limitations. Let's stay rooted by his river. It means nothing less than life for us!
"Jesus, I want to be immersed in your river today. I want the water of your love, your grace, and your power to flow in me. I choose you because you are life."
Mar 1 - Ash Wednesday
Joel 2:12-18
Blow the trumpet in Zion! (Joel 2:15)
So sounds the ancient call to repentance. Get ready! The day of the resurrection is approaching, so fast! Pray! Give alms!
When the people in Joel’s time heard the Lord’s call, they responded by “rending” their hearts and not just their garments. They called a fast, gathered at the Temple to pray, and begged the Lord to have mercy on them. And, as Joel tells us, he did. Not only did God lift the locust plague that was besieging them; he promised even greater blessings to come. He promised to pour out his Spirit upon them (Joel 2:28).
The time has come for us to heed the trumpet call as well. It is time to learn how to love Jesus more deeply and to pray that more people will come to believe in him. But this is also a time when God promises to pour out his Spirit upon us. It is a time when grace flows from his throne, drawing us close to his heart and delivering us from the sin that can so easily cling to us.
This combination of our dedication and God’s grace and power can make this Lent a time of real transformation for us. Every day this season, God will give us countless opportunities to come and receive from him. Every day, he will give us countless invitations to turn from sin and to turn to Christ. And every time we respond to his invitation, God will shower us with love. He will take the “little death” in every act of self-denial and turn it into a shining testimony to his resurrection.
What do you intend to do this Lent? How can you best respond to the trumpet call of the Lord? Take some time today to write down your commitment. Then come up with a plan for how you will carry it out. Remember: Our actions combined with God’s grace can produce miracles!
“Lord, the trumpet has sounded, and I want to respond. Help me to rend my heart this Lent, so that it can be filled anew with your love and your Spirit.”
