 
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
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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
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