 
General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: That we may grow in faith, love and hope during this third week of Lent. INTRODUCTION We are starting the third week of Lent. Yesterday we celebrated the Third Sunday of Lent. The Gospel was Lk 13: 1-9. Pope Francis in his reflection on this passage makes us aware that God always gives us another opportunity. Our preparation during Lent is meaningful because we trust in God who always offers us another chance to convert, to start a new life. Let's live this week hoping more in the merciful love of God. MONDAY “Purity of Heart Recognizes God in Others” 2 Kings 5:1-15ab Ps 42:2.3; 43:2.3 “A thirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” Luke 4:24-30 There is a saying that goes, "familiarity breeds contempt." In this account of Luke 4:24-30, Jesus was not accepted by his townsfolk because they are too familiar with him, who is the son of a carpenter. Who is he for them to preach, an ordinary man who became more than them? We can see ourselves in this scenario who compare and judgmental. We too think that we are better than others. It is not good to compare because it despises and disrespects the gifts of others. As VD disciples, fear not to proclaim God's goodness for this is a gift-given by God. No matter how people judge and compare us, it does not compel us to decline us from preaching and giving up our commitment, but bear in mind that we work for the Lord. In times of disappointments, he is our strength; it is not we, who touch the heart of the person but it is God. In 2 Kings 5:1-15 ab Naaman , the leper was cured by the Lord through an ordinary prophet, Elisha. However, sometimes, we breed contempt in the Lord for not granting the favors we have been asking for and tend to ask him, why, Lord? It touches our pride from being obedient and serving him without hesitations. In this moment, we have to consider that God has a reason for everything. He knows more than what we know. Sometimes, we get confused why we sulk before the Lord who is ever-loving God; it is because we are also covered with leprosy of sins that fall us short in following him. Though, we have this disposition, but listening to the Word of God is essential that infiltrates to our conscience, the "tiny voice" of God within us just as Naaman, a proud army before the Lord that through the voice of his little and ordinary servant, he listened and obeyed, soon afterward, he was rewarded with total healing from leprosy. We too have to recognise our incapabilities and be humble before the Lord for he can give us light from our doubts, confusions, and wrong judgments. Let us not prevail over our pride and righteousness but always remember that God is a Divine Healer, our Light that heals and breaks our contempt. He works in ordinary ways and he ordinarily gave us his mother Mary to accompany us in our journey of faith.
TUESDAY “Be done to me according to your will” Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 Psalm 40:7-11 “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will” Hebrews 10:4-10 Luke 1:26-38 In the Annunciation, Mary's courage and trust in God's plan is a concrete example of total surrender. Mary was asked to carry an immense responsibility, to bring Jesus into the world, and yet she surrendered to God's will with faith and hope. We are also called to bring Jesus into the world, in our own small ways. It's a daunting task, but Mary's example gives us hope. She shows us that even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge, we can trust in God's plan and yield to His will. The prayer "Thy will be done" has taken on new meaning for us, it's no longer just a phrase we recite, but a declaration of trust and surrender. Each time we pray about it, we open our hearts a little wider to let God into it. As we journey through this Lenten season, Mary's example gives us hope that we can make the same choice, that we can trust in God's plan and surrender to His will.
WEDNESDAY “Faithfulness in God’s Word” Deuteronomy 4:1.5-9 1 Now therefore, Israel, hear the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 5 See, I am teaching you the statutes and ordinances as the Lord, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to possess. 6 Observe them carefully, for this is your wisdom and discernment in the sight of the peoples, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “This great nation is truly a wise and discerning people.” 7 For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? 8 Or what great nation has statutes and ordinances that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today? 9 However, be on your guard and be very careful not to forget the things your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your heart as long as you live, but make them known to your children and to your children’s children, Matthew 5:17-19 17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Just as the Israelites were called to obey God’s laws, we are called to live according to His word through diligence, humility and willingness to resist the pressures of personal desire. Compromising the Lord’s command by adding or subtracting to it distorts the truth of its meaning. We are encouraged to uphold its integrity by being living witnesses who reflect God’s wisdom and love in order to draw others closer to Him. The Word of God reflects the truth of life. Jesus’ life and teachings in the bible helps us understand the will of God. God’s Word is the source of our light, strength, hope. Through His Word we come to discover the meaning of our life and our existence, our struggles, sufferings, success and joy. In our life, we strive for a lot of things that we can pass onto future generations. However, have we considered passing on our faith and relationship with God?
THURSDAY “A clean and pure heart before God” Psalm 95:1-2.6-9 “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving a Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,[a] as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. Luke 11.14-23 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Jesus and Beelzebul 14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. 17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. 23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Jeremiah 7:23-28 23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips. 29 “‘Cut off your hair and throw it away; take up a lament on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned this generation that is under his wrath. In the first reading Jeremiah chastises then Israelites for not following the precepts that God has given them. They are being stubborn, behaving even worse than their ancestors. Though Jeremiah does not say explicitly, we can see that the people have fallen to the power of the devil. The sin of pride has taken root in their hearts, just as the sin of pride caused Satan to fall from grace in the beginning. The example of the Israelites is a warning to us. Throughout this Season we continue to examine and reexamine ourselves, to resist the prince of demons and to submit ever more fully to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The readings remind us that evil is ever present but more so in our generation. They can come in subtle way that at times, we do not realize it’s gravity until too late. Sin can be sugar coat so many can just have that “go with the flow” attitude. That is why we can point out so many depressing situations of evil doings in every corner of the world. When we take a moment to reflect on ourselves, we realize the we too, have our own wrongdoings. We too, contribute to the proliferation of evil in our society because we have sin of omission Rom. 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This season of Lent, let us examine once again our hearts “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts”. What are those moments/situations that we continue to disobey God? What are those sins that we cannot give up? Take a moment to surrender to our merciful and loving God, for He can heal us and forgive us. He is always waiting for us especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation. Let this Lenten season and Jubilee year of hope renew us and brings us back as loving and obedient children of our Father. Together we can hope to defeat our enemy as Jesus have assured us in John 16:33 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
FRIDAY “A Humble Heart is Open to the Love and Mercy of God our Father” Hosea 14:2-10 Ps 81:6-9.10-11.14.17 “I am the Lord your God: hear my voice” Mark 12:28-34 This third week of Lent reminds us to go back to the arms of God, our loving Father. Whom his love and mercy is endless for us, his children. God hopes our return to him. This God's hope for all of us is the greatest that ever existed in both heaven and earth. Hosea 4:2 says, Thus says the Lord: Return, O Israel to the Lord your God; you have collapsed through your guilt." Take with you words and return to the Lord: Say to him, "Forgive all iniquity and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls." Do we need to wait for another time to repent from our sins? The time is now. Let us face our guilt humbly and heartily submit it to the Lord. For our God and Father waits for us patiently. He longs for our return. How much he wanted us to enjoy the freedom that comes from his love and mercy. As Psalm 81:6 says, An unfamiliar speech I hear: " I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I rescued you." How good is our God who is very willing to free us from the bandage of sin. When can we listen to him attentively? Ps 81:16-17 says, "If only my people would hear me and Israel walk in my ways, I would feed them with the best wheat and with honey from the rock I would fill them." How good it is if all of us recognize that " God our Father always treats us with mercy. He even instilled his hope in us. God accompanies us with: closeness, mercy, and tenderness." ( Pope Francis, Angelus Message, March 20, 2022). Are you willing to return to him? A Father that is so compassionate enough by sending to us his only son Jesus our savior. A Father that is in great sorrow for his children who are distant from him because of their sins. But he is still willing to give all his kindness to his children. Ps 103:13 says, " As a Father is kind to his children, so the Lord is kind to those who honor him." How beautiful if we can open ourselves in order to learn from Jesus on how to honor God our Father. Where honoring him is by loving him wholeheartedly through loving others wholeheartedly as well. In today's Gospel the scribe was able to understand what Jesus is saying about the "Law of Love". Mark 12:32-33 says, " Well said teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." How open is your heart in order to understand the "Law of Love" that Jesus is reminding us today. How wonderful it is if we can hear clearly the voice of Jesus telling us this very moment, " You are not far from the kingdom of God." (Mark 12:34)
READINGS FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (MARCH 30, 2025) Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; Psalm 34; 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21; Luke 15:1-3. 11-32 A SPIRITUAL REFLECTION BY POPE FRANCIS FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT Our Father always forgives, always loves and always rejoices to welcome us Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday, buongiorno! The Gospel for this Sunday’s Liturgy recounts the so-called Parable of the Prodigal Son (cf. Lk 15:11-32). It leads us to the heart of God, who always forgives compassionately and tenderly. Always, God always forgives. We are the ones who tire of asking for forgiveness, but he always forgives. It [the parable] tells us that God is a Father who not only welcomes us back, but rejoices and throws a feast for his son who has returned home after squandering all his possessions. We are that son, and it is moving to think about how much the Father always loves us and waits for us. But there is also the elder son in the same parable who manifested his resentment in front of this Father. It can put us into crisis as well. In fact, this elder son is also within us and we are tempted to take his side, at least in part: he had always done his duty, he had not left home, and so he becomes indignant on seeing the Father embracing his [other] son again after having behaved so badly. He protests and says: “I have served you for so many years and never disobeyed your command”. Instead, for “this son of yours”, you go so far as to celebrate! (cf. vv. 29-30) “I don’t understand you!” This is the indignation of the elder son. These words illustrate the elder son’s problem. He bases his relationship with his Father solely on pure observance of commands, on a sense of duty. This could also be our problem, the problem among ourselves and with God: losing sight that he is a Father, and living a distant religion, made of prohibitions and duties. And the consequence of this distance is rigidity towards our neighbour whom we no longer see as a brother or sister. In fact, in the parable, the elder son does not say my brother to the Father. No, he says that son of yours, as if to say: he is not my brother. In the end, he risks remaining outside of the house. In fact, the text says: “he refused to go in” (v. 28), because the other one was there. Seeing this, the Father goes out to plead with him: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” (v. 31). He tries to make him understand that for him, every child is all of his life. Parents know this well and are very close to feeling like God does. Something a father says in a novel is very beautiful: “When I became a father, I understood God” (H. de Balzac, Le Père Goriot). At this point in the parable, the Father opens his heart to his elder son and expresses two needs, which are not commands, but essentials for his heart: “It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive” (v. 32). Let us see if we too have in our hearts these two things the Father needs: to make merry and rejoice. First of all, to make merry, that is, to demonstrate our closeness to those who repent or who are on the way, to those who are in crisis or who are far away. Why should we do this? Because this helps to overcome the fear and discouragement that can come from remembering one’s sins. Those who have made mistakes often feel reproached in their own hearts. Distance, indifference and harsh words do not help. Therefore, according to the Father, we have to offer them a warm welcome that encourages them to go ahead. “But father, he did so many things”: a warm welcome. And we, do we do this? Do we look for those who are far away? Do we want to celebrate with them? How much good an open heart, true listening and a transparent smile can do; to celebrate, not to make them feel uncomfortable! The Father could have said: “Okay, son, come back home, come back to work, go to your room, establish yourself and your work! And this would have been a good way to forgive. But no! God does not know how to forgive without celebrating! And the Father celebrates because of the joy he has because his son has returned. And then, like the Father, we have to rejoice. When someone whose heart is synchronized with God’s sees the repentance of a person, they rejoice, no matter how serious their mistakes may have been. They do not stay focused on errors, they do not point fingers at what they have done wrong, but rejoice over the good because another person’s good is mine as well! And we, do we know how to look at others like this? I would like to recount a fictional story, but one that helps illustrate the heart of the father. There was a pop theatre production, three or four years ago, about the prodigal son, with the entire story. And at the end, when that son decides to return to his father, he talks about it with a friend and says: “I’m afraid my father will reject me, that he won’t forgive me”. And the friend advises him: “Send a letter to your father and tell him, ‘Father, I have repented, I want to come back home, but I’m not sure that you will be happy. If you want to welcome me, please put a white handkerchief in the window’”. And then he began his journey. And when he was near home, at the last bend in the road, he had the house in view. And what did he see? Not one handkerchief: it was full of white handkerchiefs, the windows, everywhere! The Father welcomes us like this, completely, joyfully. This is our Father! Do we know how to rejoice for others? May the Virgin Mary teach us how to receive God’s mercy so that it might become the light by which we see our neighbours. Pope Francis, Angelus message, March 27, 2022 THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen
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General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: That we may grow in faith, love and hope during this second week of Lent. INTRODUCTION We are in the second week of Lent. We continue our inner preparation which is supported by concrete actions of love with people around us. Let's devote again our time to listen to God through His word to realize the deeper transformation in our lives according to His will. MONDAY “A God of Chances” Daniel 9:4b-10 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. Psalm 79:8.9.11.13 Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. May the groans of the prisoners come before you; with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die. Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise. Luke 6:36-38 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. The Jubilee Year is a great year of mercy and compassion. The Lord is granting us pardon of sins and plenary indulgence from our forgiven sins. He is giving us an opportunity to repent and renew ourselves for He knows how vulnerable we are to sin and easily reject His commandments. We have been not honoring His passion, death, and resurrection for our salvation, because we prefer what pleases and satisfies us to the point of hurting the Lord in our brothers and sisters. It is easy to condemn and judge them. We love to say tactless words and enjoy juicy gossip rather than to be prudent and bear with the weaknesses of others. In this second week of lent, we must pause for a moment and ask ourselves how many times we failed to love the Lord by being indifferent to our neighbors because of their shortcomings and yet, we have forgotten that we too have our own imperfections in life. The Lord does not look at our imperfections and iniquities, but as beloved children of His. Nevertheless, He is much interested in our sincerity to come home to Him rather than to remain in our sins. This is truly a journey of hope, an encounter of crosses and trials that challenge our faith in God; crosses to hope in Christ who is among us and with us, ever ready to forgive and gives us another chance to set us free from our indifference to acceptance, hatred to love, and condemnation to mercy and forgiveness. Let us invite ourselves to practice these acts as our works of mercy to make the most of this holy year.
TUESDAY “In our humility, God restore us” Isaiah 1:10,16-20 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Psalm 50:8-9.16-17.21.23 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly[a] like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless[a] I will show my salvation.” Matthew 23:1-12 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Our readings and the Gospel warn us against pride and the nonsense work just to show off for people to see. Pride blocks us from the truth of who we are before God. God knows and understands the true us and no need to pretend to be that someone else to merit the approval of other people. God accepts us in our shortcomings, He is hopeful of our life, he loves each one of us completely and unconditionally. We must take this truth deep into our hearts, and be always willing to be open and listen to His words and act upon it. Jesus is inviting us to repent and change our ways acceptable to God, to sincerely commit to be humble and be more compassionate to our brothers and sisters, to serve than to be served. Then he promises that he will wash away our sins and restore us beyond anything we could have hoped for.
WEDNESDAY “Hope in Uncertainty” 2 Samuel 7:4-5a.12-14a.16 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[; your throne will be established forever.’” Psalm 89:2-3.4-5.27.29 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’”[a] The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure. Romans 4:13.16-18.22 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” Matthew 1:16.18-21.24 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. The promise that God is with us is always our source of great comfort and hope. It is a constant reminder that no matter the circumstances, God will always be with us, to guide and sustain us in every step of the way. Both David and Joseph were just ordinary men, transformed by faith to play crucial roles in God’s plan. Through this, we are reminded that God can use anyone, regardless of background, to accomplish the salvation He has promised.
THURSDAY “Be generous as God is generous” Jeremiah 17:5-10 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Psalm 1:1-2.3.4.6 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his Law Day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers. Not so wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” The Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus helps us to reflect our very own life in front of God, that is, what richness that blinds us to see the needs of our brothers? The Rich man treasured his wealth and comfortable life each day of his life while watching Lazarus die in hunger at his gate. He has so much material abundance, which is in stark contrast to that of Lazarus, who is very poor. However much the rich man has, in fact many of which are already in excess, he did not give any to Lazarus. This goes to show that when we are consumed with our very own pleasures and comfort, our sensitivity to be generous to others shuts down. Treasures however, are not only limited to money or wealth but to everything that robs us from being generous to others. For example, failing to listen to someone who needs sympathy because we do not want to give our time or when we withhold our appreciation to a friend out of envy, or our forgiveness because of hatred: these are just some of the many situations that show that the false treasures that we hold on to, make us like that of rich man who is greedy. The passage on Jer 17:10 reminds us of our accountability before God on this aspect, “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve”. Let this season of Lent be an examination of conscience so we can see our lack of generosity to the needs of others, as we continue to journey as pilgrims of hope this Jubilee year.
FRIDAY “The Cross....the Real Path to LOVE” Genesis 37:3-4.12-13a.17b-28a Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.” “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it. As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels[a] of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. Psalm 105:16-17.18-19.20-21 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them-- Joseph, sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, Matthew 21:33-43.45-46 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]? “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet. Today we are invited to fix our eyes on the Cross of Jesus our Christ. For this is what true loving is all about. The Cross where Jesus is nailed is the concrete expression of God's love for us. Through Jesus Christ we are saved as beloved children of God. Have you been able to ask yourself this question, why does God allow suffering to exist in the lives of people here on earth? Bear in mind that suffering does not literally come from God. It is the consequences of our wrong decision and sin. Though God allows us to suffer, through our suffering we become closer to Him. For God does not allow us that we will be separated from Him. When we suffer, our eyes are opened to see His great concern for the whole of humanity. In Ps. 105:16 says, " The Lord sent famine to their country and took away all their food."Why? Because in the absence of earthly materials will make us open to His providence. Does God really turn his back on us when we are in suffering? Ps 105:17 says, " But he sent a man ahead of them, Joseph who had been sold as a slave." To hope in the Lord with strong faith is the best step in order to recognize the beauty of God's love for us. For He never abandoned us. Instead, He always prepares what is best for us. Just like what to Jesus who resurrected after his passion and death and conquered sin and death. From that resurrection we are also receiving "eternal life" , a great privilege being children of God. As Matthew 21:42 says, Jesus said to them, "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures say? The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all. This was done by the Lord. What a wonderful sight it is!"
READINGS FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (MARCH 23, 2025) Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; Psalm 103; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12; Luke 13:1-9 A SPIRITUAL REFLECTION BY POPE FRANCIS FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT Let us repent, for it is our sin that causes misfortunes, not the God of mercy Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! We are at the heart of our Lenten journey, and today the Gospel begins by presenting Jesus who comments on some news of the day. While people still remember the 18 who died when a tower collapsed on them, they tell him about some Galileans whom Pilot had killed (cf. Lk 13:1). And there is a question that seems to accompany these tragic affairs: who is to blame for these terrible events? Perhaps those people were guiltier than others and God punished them? These are questions that also come up today. When crime news weighs on us and we feel powerless before evil, we often ask ourselves: is it perhaps a punishment from God? Did he bring about a war or a pandemic to punish us for our sins? And why does the Lord not intervene? We must be careful: when evil oppresses us, we run the risk of losing our clarity and, in order to find an easy answer to what we are unable to explain, we end up putting the blame on God. And very often the bad habit of using profanities comes from this. How often do we attribute to him our woes and misfortunes in the world, to he who instead leaves us always free and hence never intervenes by imposing himself, but only by proposing himself; He who never uses violence and indeed suffers for us and with us! In fact, Jesus rejects and strongly contests the idea of blaming God for our evils: those persons who were killed by Pilate and those who died beneath the tower were not any more at fault than others, and they were not victims of a ruthless and vindictive God, which does not exist! Evil can never come from God because “He does not deal with us according to our sins” (Ps 103:10), but according to his mercy. This is God’s style. He cannot treat us otherwise. He always treats us with mercy. But rather than blaming God, Jesus says we need to look within ourselves: it is sin that produces death; it is our selfishness that tears apart relationships; it is our wrong and violent choices that unleash evil. At this point the Lord offers the true solution. What is it? Conversion: He says, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13:5). It is an urgent call, especially during this time of Lent. Let us welcome it with an open heart. Let us convert from evil, let us renounce the sin that seduces us, let us be open to the logic of the Gospel because where love and fraternity reign, evil no longer has power! But Jesus knows that conversion is not easy, and he wants to help us here. He knows that we often repeat the same mistakes and the same sins; that we become discouraged, and perhaps it may seem that our commitment to do good is useless in a world where evil appears to rule. Thus, after his appeal, he encourages us with a parable that tells of the patience of God. We must keep in mind God’s patience, the patience he has for us. He offers the comforting image of a fig tree that does not bear fruit during the accorded season, but is not cut down. More time is given to it, another possibility. I like to think that a nice name for God could be “the God of another possibility”: God always gives us another opportunity, always, always. That is what his mercy is like. This is how the Lord is with us. He does not cut us out of his love. He does not lose heart or tire of offering us his trust again, with tenderness. Brothers and sisters, God believes in us! God trusts us and accompanies us with patience, the patience of God with us. He does not become discouraged, but always instils his hope in us. God is Father and looks after you like a father. As the best of fathers, he does not look at the achievements you have not yet reached, but the fruits you can still bear. He does not keep track of your shortcomings but encourages your potential. He does not dwell on your past, but confidently bets on your future. This is because God is close to us, he is close to us. Let us not forget that the style of God is closeness. He is close with mercy and tenderness. In this way, God accompanies us: with closeness, mercy, and tenderness. Thus, let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to fill us with hope and courage, and kindle in us the desire for conversion. THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen 
General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: That we may grow in faith, love and hope during this first week of Lent. INTRODUCTION In the Jubilee Year, we are now starting the Lent Season. Lent is the forty days pilgrimage towards the central mystery of our faith: Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We, pilgrims of hope, are invited to pray for a longer time and to love those around us and the people in need of material and spiritual help. Lent is a time to receive God's mercy with an obedient and grateful heart. We are journeying together. In the Guidelines Sheet during these five weeks of Lent, we can take the passages of the daily Eucharist for our reflection and prayer. And, we can also insert the reflection from Pope Francis for the following Sunday of Lent. Let's pray for each other and for the whole Church so that the Holy Spirit will guide us in our Lenten preparation. MONDAY “A Call to Hope” Leviticus 19: 1-2,11-18 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. “Do not steal. “Do not lie. Do not deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Psalm 19: 8,9,10,15 Your Words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothed you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Blessed are we who have a God who loves us all unconditionally. His love surmounts our weaknesses. He keeps on reminding us to obey His commandments and not to conform to the world that separates us from His love. To love the Lord is to hope in His promises of eternal life. We are called to love our neighbors for they are His living presence through whom we can manifest how much we love Him. Loving our neighbors is a way to obey His commandments and a way to eternal life. He promised us in Ps.19: 8-10 that whoever obeys His commandments will be happy. It is a way of reverence to Him and gives wisdom and understanding to the mind and they are sweeter than the purest honey. We must hold Him tight so that we will not miss Him who is our light to see and be aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters. In this season of Lent, let us be hopeful that by God's grace we can abide by His laws as our concrete claims of our love to Him. Almsgiving and fasting are acts of emptying ourselves from worldly attachments to be one with Christ. These are the effective practices of Lent to strengthen our bonds with Him that lead us to conversion and freedom.
TUESDAY “Embracing the Divine Love of Our Father” Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Psalm 34:4-5,6-7,16-17,18-19 From all their distress God rescues the just. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; Matthew 6:7-15 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation,[a] but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. In today's world, the Word of God brings profound comfort and guidance. As we pray "Our Father," we feel a deep connection to the family of believers, reminding us that we are never alone amidst the chaos of modern life. "Your kingdom come, Your will be done" instills hope that God's justice and love will prevail. Asking for our "daily bread" teaches reliance on God for our true needs, grounding us beyond materialism. The call to forgive, both receiving and extending, brings healing and unity in our fragmented world. Asking for deliverance from temptation reassures us of God's protection and guidance through life's trials. God's word nourishes us like rain that fills us with hope, affirming that His promises will always be fulfilled. In our journey, these teachings remind us to live with faith, compassion, and a commitment to building a better world. This gives us hope that God's promises will always be fulfilled, providing us with strength and renewal. These teachings remind us to live with faith, compassion, and unity, drawing from the wellspring of hope in our relationship with God.
WEDNESDAY “Reconciliation as a Sign of God’s Mercy” Jonah 3:1-10 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going on a day's journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed in God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:“By the decree of the king and his nobles:Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,18-19 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar. Luke 11:29-32 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here. It is when we truly humble ourselves and acknowledge our wrongs that we see the signs laid before us by Christ. If we continue with our own wickedness, we are destroying ourselves and others in the process. If our predecessors were able to change their ways, so can we. May we continue to be open to the signs and wonders God gives us everyday that we may do as He willed us to.
THURSDAY “We are beggars before God” Psalm 138: 1-8 Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame. When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me. May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; Though lofty, he sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever-- do not abandon the works of your hands. Matthew 7:7-12 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us to pray: “Ask and it will be given to you…” He begins with some very open-ended counsel. He does not say what we should ask for, only that we should ask, seek and knock. We are left to ponder what we should be asking for. But a little further on, he gives us a clue: “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.” Good things- this is what our heavenly Father gives us. Jesus is not telling us that we can treat prayer like a magic formula that always produces the result we want. When we ask or seek or knock, we should be asking for good things. How do we know if something is good for us or for those for whom we are praying? The truth is we do not always know. What we pray for seems good to us or we would not ask for it, but it may not be God's will. Will it lead us closer to God or farther from him? Prayer is also a time to listen to him, to reflect on what he is saying and doing in our lives. Time spent in prayer helps us discern what to ask for. This Lent gives us an opportunity to examine what we ask of the Lord. It's a time to grow in trust in God's mercy and love for us by remembering that if we sinful people can give good things to our children, how much more will God, the most loving father, who is all good, give us what is truly good for us! Whenever I ask something from God, I am always reminded with the phrase “we are all beggars before God”. Yes, it’s true, whatever is our reality, whether rich or poor, young or old, we are all beggars before Him. We know that as humans, even if we strive to be independent and self-sufficient, we always lack something that is beyond our capacity. This is the very reason why we turn to someone who is more powerful and omnipotent. Jesus taught us the way on how to ask His Father in Mt. 7:7-12. To ask the Father in complete trust and humility that He knows far better than us, that He provides good things, for He is a generous and loving God. And yes, it is true, as a parent/brother/sister/friend, sinful as we are, we know how to give good things to those we love and hold dear. How much more on our Father who is holy and all good? In this Lenten season, let us remember those moments when we are full of pride on our self-sufficiency, when we lack obedience to accept what we did not receive for our better good and when we become impatient for the answers to our prayer. Let this moment be a moment of conversion. This Jubilee year is a year inviting us to be pilgrims of hope, that beyond the horizons which we cannot see, is an all knowing and generous God who always provides good things.
FRIDAY “A Great Hope is Waiting” Psalm 130:1-8 If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his words I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. Ezequiel 18:21-28 “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? “But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die. “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. Matthew 5:20-26 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven! “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[b][c] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[d] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. Our God and Father is always waiting for us.It is His desire that we come to Him. His arms are wide open, ready to embrace us. He waits patiently for our hearts to undergo a total change of mind and attitude. Signifying a sincere desire to make amends and live righteously. As Ez 18:23 says, " Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?, asks the Sovereign Lord. "No, I would rather see them repent and live." Today we are reminded again that God's love is unconditional. It does not keep a record of wrongs. But instead he forgives us.Yes, we need to examine and be sincere in looking at our wrong doings. But not to forget that beyond our sins is the merciful love of God. He is very ready to forgive us. As Psalm 130:3-4 says, " If you kept a record of our sins, who could escape being condemned? But you forgive us. So that we should stand in awe of you." This Jubilee Year 2025 is a wide opportunity for us to walk together as Pilgrims of Hope. Having a repentant heart is a great HOPE by itself. Let us journey towards the Kingdom of God with a contrite heart. A heart that is broken and humble that acknowledges sin and seeks reconciliation with Him. As Mark 5:25 says," If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court."
READINGS FOR THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (MARCH 16, 2025) Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13 A SPIRITUAL REFLECTION BY POPE FRANCIS FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT Lent is a time for us to awaken from our inner lethargy and to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit The Gospel of the Liturgy of this second Sunday of Lent narrates the Transfiguration of Jesus (cf. Lk 9: 28-36). While praying on a high mountain, he changes in appearance, his robe becomes bright and radiant, and in the light of his glory, Moses and Elijah appear, who speak with him about the Passover that awaits him in Jerusalem, namely, his Passion, Death and Resurrection. The witnesses to this extraordinary event are the apostles Peter, John and James, who went up the mountain with Jesus. We can imagine them with their eyes wide open before that unique sight. And, certainly, it must have been so. But the evangelist Luke notes that “Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep”, and that “when they wakened” they saw the glory of Jesus (cf. v. 32). The drowsiness of the three disciples appears to be a discordant note. The same apostles then fall asleep in Gethsemane too, during the anguished prayer of Jesus, who had asked them to keep watch (cf. Mk 14:37-41). This sleepiness in such important moments is surprising. However, if we read carefully, we see that Peter, John and James fall asleep precisely before the Transfiguration begins, that is, while Jesus is in prayer. The same would happen in Gethsemane. This is evidently a prayer that continued for some time, in silence and reflection. We may think that, at the beginning, they too were praying, until tiredness prevailed, until sleep prevailed. Brothers, sisters, does this ill-timed slumber perhaps resemble many of our own that come in moments we know to be important? Perhaps in the evening, when we would like to pray, to spend some time with Jesus after a day of rushing around and being busy. Or when it is time to exchange a few words with the family and we no longer have the strength. We would like to be more awake, attentive, participatory, not to miss precious opportunities, but we are unable to, or we manage it somehow, but poorly. The powerful time of Lent is an opportunity in this regard. It is a period in which God wants to awaken us from our inner lethargy, from this sleepiness that does not let the Spirit express itself. Because — let us bear this in mind — keeping the heart awake does not depend on us alone: it is a grace and must be requested. The three disciples of the Gospel show us this: they were good, they had followed Jesus onto the mountain, but by their own strength they could not stay awake. This happens to us too. However, they awoke precisely during the Transfiguration. We might think that it was the light of Jesus that reawakened them. Like them, we too are in need of God’s light, that makes us see things in a different way: it attracts us, it reawakens us, it reignites our desire and strength to pray, to look within ourselves, and to dedicate time to others. We can overcome the tiredness of the body with the strength of the Spirit of God. And when we are unable to overcome this, we must say to the Holy Spirit: “Help us, come, come, Holy Spirit. Help me: I want to encounter Jesus, I want to be attentive, awake”. Asking the Holy Spirit to bring us out of this slumber that prevents us from praying. In this Lenten time, after the labours of each day, it will do us good not to switch off the light in the room without placing ourselves in the light of God. To pray a little before sleeping. Let’s give the Lord the chance to surprise us and to reawaken our hearts. We can do this, for instance, by opening the Gospel and letting ourselves be amazed by the Word of God, because the Scripture enlightens our steps and inflames the heart. Or we can look at the crucified Jesus and wonder at the boundless love of God, who never tires of us and has the power to transfigure our days, to give them a new meaning, a new, unexpected light. May the Virgin May help us to keep our heart awake, to welcome this time of grace that God offers to us. Pope Francis, Angelus message, March 13, 2022 THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen 
General Theme: Pilgrims of Hope General Objective: To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year Objective of the week: To allow the gift of hope to grow in us. INTRODUCTION Last week we were meditating on the signs of hope that we recognize in our environment. In the Letter from CBCP we are also encouraged to be “people who live in hope and transmit hope” in our world today. Hope is a valuable gift from the Holy Spirit; a gift to be received and to be transmitted; a gift to be valued and taken care of. We start our Lent Season 2025 on March 5. Lent is a time to receive, to value, to take care and transmit the gift of hope. Let's remember that we are pilgrims of hope during these special weeks of Lent. Excerpt from the Jubilee Prayer: “May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when with the powers of Evil vanquished your glory will shine eternally.” How do we cultivate the seed of hope planted in us? To meditate on the passage of Mt 13:1-8.18-23 leads us to examine ourselves on how we prepare “our soil” to make the seed of the Word of God to give fruits to us for the whole world. Let's take this parable as the nuclear passage for the whole week that we can meditate every now and then. MONDAY “The Real Witnessing” Excerpt from CBCP pastoral letter: “In this Jubilee Year of Hope, together we hold precious, the gift of hope sparked by the Holy Spirit. This hope is not simply optimism or a positive feeling. These are glimpses of the gift of hope that comes from the Holy Spirit urging us to act.” Matthew 13:1- 8,18-23 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no roots. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Romans 5:5; And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Galatians 5:5; For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. The gospel is the living Word of God where God speaks straight to our heart; it is a Spirit and Truth. Let us allow our hearts to become a fertile soil to plant the seeds of God's Word in order to grow and bear fruits. It measures its growth through the way of living in each one. A person who listens and accepts God's Word is full of hope. He is grateful amidst tribulations; he believes that God is with him and is in union with him, who gives him strength and consolation to surpass his challenges and deepens his faith. He accepts sufferings as a source of purification and a way to eternal life. He is positive that there is hope and joy behind all the pains and sorrows. The Parable of the Sower is always associated with faith. A person whose faith is lukewarm has no hope in times of trouble, he does not see the benefits of it and so is tempted to withdraw from praying. They easily give up, and do not bear fruit. This limits the work of God's grace in us, but how privileged we are who give value to the Word of God. We have spiritual friends (disciples of Christ), the first and blueprint witnesses of the gospel who remind us through the scripture, “You must of course continue faithful on a firm and sure foundation and must not allow yourselves to be shaken from the hope you gained when you heard the gospel. It is of that gospel that I, Paul, became a servant - the gospel which has been preached to everybody in the world." (Col.1:23)
TUESDAY “Holy Spirit rekindle and aflame our Hope” Excerpt from CBCP pastoral letter: “Any action of hope is sourced from the Holy Spirit. As such, we exhort you, our dear people, to allow the hope within you to be rekindled. May it become a flame of hope.” Romans 15:13; May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke 24:25-27,30-32; 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 12:49; “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Matthew 23:31-32 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! How are we listening to the Holy Spirit this time? How privileged we are if we immerse ourselves in the word of God, be open, ask and allow the Holy Spirit to give us the Hope we need in facing the many forms of desperation around us. The Holy Spirit will always inspires us to do things and hope for the good to come and once you tasted it, keep it in your heart and treasure it just like Mother Mary, there were a lot of good experiences she had which she didn’t understand right away but she always keep it in her heart and always pondered about it. To grow in our hope, we are invited to do just as our mother Mary did.
WEDNESDAY “Hope and remain steadfast in faith” 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7; 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 2 Corinthians 1:10; He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us. Excerpt from CBCP pastoral letter: “Hopelessness can lead to despair. Yet to hope is not to be overcome by fear and despair. Hopelessness can paralyze and enslave us. Yet hope gives us courage and freedom. We pray for courage, so that we may always freely stand up for truth, and uphold the good and the rule of law, as we protect democratic institutions and processes. Let us hold power to accountability. Let us continue to build on what we have accomplished. May we have the courage and perseverance to walk the path of conversion to change for the better, and relentlessly pursue the good of all, over personal interests.” Today is Ash Wednesday. We start the Lent Season which is the time for our salvation. In face of the realities of our life, temptations can be subtle yet the consequences of sin can affect all aspects of our life. In the complexities of life and those around us, it’s easy to lose sight of hope when things are out of focus. But hope is within our grasp, when we remain in Christ and trust in the path where He is leading us.
THURSDAY “Be the good soil for hope to grow” Excerpt from CBCP pastoral letter: “Let the Holy Spirit renew the face of the earth and breathe transformation into the dark spaces and places of our lives and our nation. The grace of the Holy Spirit is a gentle breeze that spurs us to continue breathing when we are tempted to give up on our seemingly hapless condition. Such grace is like a feather we possess, that when joined together with those of others, can become wings for us to rise beyond our apathy, and allow us to soar high in patriotism, volunteerism, and pursuit of change. The same grace is like a tempest that can sweep away the decay of corruption, paving the way to moral recovery.” Revelations 21:1; Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Romans 12:12; Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Luke 6:43-45 43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Many of us will agree that we are living in a time that we feel hopeless with all the realities around us, what with all these economic difficulties, the political unrest, the environmental concerns, the increasing crimes, drugs, family brokeness, suicide cases and all of the many dark realities right before our very eyes. We can be swept away with this wave of hopelessness because we feel helpless in the face of all of these. In times like this, God however, continues to invite us to pray harder. We need to hold on to the Holy Spirit who will lead us to the light. He gives us hope. He enlightens us and gives us renewal. As a disciple of Christ we receive our hope from the source itself, so no matter what, we remain full of hope. We must be the “good soil” for this hope to grow and be nourished so many can draw from it. Let us be transmitters of hope and bring others to the encounter of the source of hope.
FRIDAY “An Attentive Heart Becomes a Fertile Soil of Hope” Excerpt from CBCP pastoral letter: “There is hope! May Pag-Asa! And St. Paul counsels us: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). With our prayer for a spiritual revolution of hope, let us all walk together in this Pilgrimage of Hope towards the Father’s Kingdom. We pray with Pope Francis: “May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when with the powers of Evil vanquished your glory will shine eternally” (Pope Francis, Jubilee Prayer).” Matthew 13:1-8,18-23; That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” 1 Corinthians 9:10; Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 2 Corinthians 9:6; Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. We, Catholics are encouraged to become an active listener to the word of God. That is the very secret in order to learn and understand the message of the Lord our God. As Matthew 13:18 says, " Listen, then, and learn what the parable of the sower means." Just also the same in Matthew 13:19 says," Listen, then,if you have ears." Active listening is what we need in order to understand and learn. We are reminded today of how important it is to listen. As we listen, we need to use the "ear" located at the center of our "H-ear-t." The heart that listens well, is the fertile soil where the seeds of the Gospel are sown. Matthew 13:23 says, " And the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message and understand it; they bear fruit, some are one hundred, others sixty, and others thirty." Once the seeds of the Gospel grows in our hearts it can make us tireless cultivators of those seeds.( Pope Francis, Jubilee Prayer 2025) The seed of the Gospel is not just an ordinary "HOPE", it is not just something, but it is someone, "JESUS", our savior. Romans 5:5 says, " This hope does not disappoint us for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit who is God's gift to us." It is Jesus that can make us become the bearers of this "HOPE" to others. To those who are sad, lonely,sick, homeless, anxious, worried, and confused. Also to those who do not hear and understand the message of love from God for nobody cares to share it to them. We are all called to encourage each other and together we will walk as pilgrims of hope to the Father's kingdom. A great privilege we can receive this Jubilee Year 2025.
READINGS FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (March 9, 2025) Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13 A SPIRITUAL REFLECTION BY POPE FRANCIS FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT Let us always be vigilant and avoid any dialogue with the devil Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno! The Gospel of today’s Liturgy, the first Sunday of Lent, takes us into the desert, where Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit, for 40 days, to be tempted by the devil (cf. Lk 4:1-13). Jesus too was tempted by the devil, and He accompanies us, every one of us, in our temptations. The desert symbolizes the fight against the seductions of evil, in order to learn to choose true freedom. Indeed, Jesus lives the experience of the desert just before beginning his public mission. It is precisely through this spiritual struggle that he decisively affirms what type of Messiah he intends to be. Not this type of Messiah, but that one: I would say that this is indeed the declaration of Jesus’ messianic identity, of the messianic way of Jesus. “I am the Messiah, but on this path.” Let us then look closely at the temptations he is battling. Twice the devil addresses him, saying: “If you are the Son of God…” (vv. 3, 9). He is thus proposing to him to exploit his position: first to satisfy the material needs he feels, hunger (cf. v. 3), then to increase his power (cf. vv. 6-7); and, finally, to have a prodigious sign from God (cf. vv. 9-11). Three temptations. It is as if he were saying, “If you are the Son of God, take advantage of it!”. How often this happens to us: “But if you are in that position, take advantage of it! Don’t lose the opportunity, the chance”, that is, “think of your benefit”. It is a seductive proposal, but it leads you to the enslavement of the heart: it makes us obsessed with the desire to have, it reduces everything to the possession of things, power, fame. This is the core of the temptations: the “poison of the passions” in which evil is rooted. Let us look within ourselves, and we will find that our temptations always have this mindset, always this way of acting. But Jesus opposes the attractions of evil in a victorious way. How does he do this? By responding to temptations with the Word of God, which says not to take advantage, not to use God, others and things for oneself, not to take advantage of one’s own position to obtain privileges. Because true happiness and true freedom are not found in possessing, but in sharing; not in taking advantage of others, but in loving them; not in the obsession of power, but in the joy of service. Brothers and sisters, these temptations also accompany us on the journey of life. We must be vigilant — not be afraid, it happens to everyone — and be vigilant, because they often present themselves under an apparent form of good. In fact, the devil, who is cunning, always uses deception. He wanted to make Jesus believe that his proposals were useful to prove that he was really the Son of God. And I would like to emphasize something. Jesus does not converse with the devil: Jesus never converses with the devil. He either banishes him, when he healed the possessed, or in this case, when he has to respond, he does so with the Word of God, never with his own word. Brothers and sisters, never enter into dialogue with the devil: he is more cunning than we are. Never! Cling to the Word of God like Jesus, and at most answer always with the Word of God. And on this path, we will never go wrong. The devil does this with us: he often comes “with gentle eyes”, “with an angelic face”; he even knows how to disguise himself with sacred, apparently religious motives! If we give in to his flattery, we end up justifying our falsehood by disguising it with good intentions. For instance, how often have we heard this: “I have done odd deals, but I have helped the poor”; “I have taken advantage of my role — as a politician, a governor, a priest, a bishop — but also for doing good”; “I have given in to my instincts, but in the end, I did no harm to anyone”, these justifications, and so on, one after the other. Please: no compromises with evil! No dialogue with the devil! We must not enter into dialogue with temptation, we must not fall into that slumber of the conscience that makes us say: “But after all, it’s not serious, everyone does it”! Let us look at Jesus, who does not seek compromises, he does not make agreements with evil. He opposes the devil with the Word of God, which is stronger than the devil, and thus overcomes temptation. May this time of Lent also be a time of the desert for us. Let us take time for silence and prayer — just a little, it will do us good — in these spaces let us stop and look at what is stirring in our hearts, our inner truth, what we know cannot be justified. Let us find inner clarity, placing ourselves before the Word of God in prayer, so that a positive fight against the evil that enslaves us, a fight for freedom, may take place within us. Let us ask the Blessed Virgin to accompany us in the Lenten desert and to help us on our way of conversion. Pope Francis, Angelus message, March 6, 2022 THE JUBILEE PRAYER Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen |
About the Guidelines SheetThe Guidelines sheet is a prayer guide with the Word of God to help us journey together and be one in our weekly prayer as one community. This contains daily passages from scriptures together with reflections focused on a common theme and intention for the week. Archives
May 2025
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