Posted on 03/05/2015 8:36:44 PM PST by Salvation
March 6, 2015
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Reading 1 Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a
Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons,
for he was the child of his old age;
and he had made him a long tunic.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons,
they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.
One day, when his brothers had gone
to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem,
Israel said to Joseph,
“Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem.
Get ready; I will send you to them.”
So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan.
They noticed him from a distance,
and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him.
They said to one another: “Here comes that master dreamer!
Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here;
we could say that a wild beast devoured him.
We shall then see what comes of his dreams.”
When Reuben heard this,
he tried to save him from their hands, saying,
“We must not take his life.
Instead of shedding blood,” he continued,
“just throw him into that cistern there in the desert;
but do not kill him outright.”
His purpose was to rescue him from their hands
and return him to his father.
So when Joseph came up to them,
they stripped him of the long tunic he had on;
then they took him and threw him into the cistern,
which was empty and dry.
They then sat down to their meal.
Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead,
their camels laden with gum, balm and resin
to be taken down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers:
“What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood?
Rather, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites,
instead of doing away with him ourselves.
After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.”
His brothers agreed.
They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.
Responsorial Psalm PS 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
When the LORD called down a famine on the land
and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
They had weighed him down with fetters,
and he was bound with chains,
Till his prediction came to pass
and the word of the LORD proved him true.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
Verse Before the Gospel Jn 3:16
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son;
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
Gospel Mt 21:33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.
-- Saint Mark the Ascetic
Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Matthew | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
Matthew 21 |
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33. | Hear ye another parable. There was a man an householder, who planted a vineyard, and made a hedge round about it, and dug in it a press, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen; and went into a strange country. | Aliam parabolam audite : Homo erat paterfamilias, qui plantavit vineam, et sepem circumdedit ei, et fodit in ea torcular, et ædificavit turrim, et locavit eam agricolis, et peregre profectus est. | αλλην παραβολην ακουσατε ανθρωπος [τις] ην οικοδεσποτης οστις εφυτευσεν αμπελωνα και φραγμον αυτω περιεθηκεν και ωρυξεν εν αυτω ληνον και ωκοδομησεν πυργον και εξεδοτο αυτον γεωργοις και απεδημησεν |
34. | And when the time of the fruits drew nigh, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits thereof. | Cum autem tempus fructuum appropinquasset, misit servos suos ad agricolas, ut acciperent fructus ejus. | οτε δε ηγγισεν ο καιρος των καρπων απεστειλεν τους δουλους αυτου προς τους γεωργους λαβειν τους καρπους αυτου |
35. | And the husbandmen laying hands on his servants, beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. | Et agricolæ, apprehensis servis ejus, alium ceciderunt, alium occiderunt, alium vero lapidaverunt. | και λαβοντες οι γεωργοι τους δουλους αυτου ον μεν εδειραν ον δε απεκτειναν ον δε ελιθοβολησαν |
36. | Again he sent other servants more than the former; and they did to them in like manner. | Iterum misit alios servos plures prioribus, et fecerunt illis similiter. | παλιν απεστειλεν αλλους δουλους πλειονας των πρωτων και εποιησαν αυτοις ωσαυτως |
37. | And last of all he sent to them his son, saying: They will reverence my son. | Novissime autem misit ad eos filium suum, dicens : Verebuntur filium meum. | υστερον δε απεστειλεν προς αυτους τον υιον αυτου λεγων εντραπησονται τον υιον μου |
38. | But the husbandmen seeing the son, said among themselves: This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance. | Agricolæ autem videntes filium dixerunt intra se : Hic est hæres, venite, occidamus eum, et habebimus hæreditatem ejus. | οι δε γεωργοι ιδοντες τον υιον ειπον εν εαυτοις ουτος εστιν ο κληρονομος δευτε αποκτεινωμεν αυτον και κατασχωμεν την κληρονομιαν αυτου |
39. | And taking him, they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. | Et apprehensum eum ejecerunt extra vineam, et occiderunt. | και λαβοντες αυτον εξεβαλον εξω του αμπελωνος και απεκτειναν |
40. | When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do to those husbandmen? | Cum ergo venerit dominus vineæ, quid faciet agricolis illis ? | οταν ουν ελθη ο κυριος του αμπελωνος τι ποιησει τοις γεωργοις εκεινοις |
41. | They say to him: He will bring those evil men to an evil end; and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, that shall render him the fruit in due season. | Aiunt illi : Malos male perdet : et vineam suam locabit aliis agricolis, qui reddant ei fructum temporibus suis. | λεγουσιν αυτω κακους κακως απολεσει αυτους και τον αμπελωνα εκδωσεται αλλοις γεωργοις οιτινες αποδωσουσιν αυτω τους καρπους εν τοις καιροις αυτων |
42. | Jesus saith to them: Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? By the Lord this has been done; and it is wonderful in our eyes. | Dicit illis Jesus : Numquam legistis in Scripturis : Lapidem quem reprobaverunt ædificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli : a Domino factum est istud, et est mirabile in oculis nostris ? | λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους ουδεποτε ανεγνωτε εν ταις γραφαις λιθον ον απεδοκιμασαν οι οικοδομουντες ουτος εγενηθη εις κεφαλην γωνιας παρα κυριου εγενετο αυτη και εστιν θαυμαστη εν οφθαλμοις ημων |
43. | Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof. | Ideo dico vobis, quia auferetur a vobis regnum Dei, et dabitur genti facienti fructus ejus. | δια τουτο λεγω υμιν οτι αρθησεται αφ υμων η βασιλεια του θεου και δοθησεται εθνει ποιουντι τους καρπους αυτης |
44. | And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. | Et qui ceciderit super lapidem istum, confringetur : super quem vero ceciderit, conteret eum. | και ο πεσων επι τον λιθον τουτον συνθλασθησεται εφ ον δ αν πεση λικμησει αυτον |
45. | And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them. | Et cum audissent principes sacerdotum et pharisæi parabolas ejus, cognoverunt quod de ipsis diceret. | και ακουσαντες οι αρχιερεις και οι φαρισαιοι τας παραβολας αυτου εγνωσαν οτι περι αυτων λεγει |
46. | And seeking to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes: because they held him as a prophet. | Et quærentes eum tenere, timuerunt turbas : quoniam sicut prophetam eum habebant. | και ζητουντες αυτον κρατησαι εφοβηθησαν τους οχλους επειδη ως προφητην αυτον ειχον |
Feast Day: February 7 or March 6
Born: 13 January 1381, at Corbie in Picardy, France
Died: 6 March 1447, Ghent
Canonized: 24 May 1807
St. Colette
Feast Day: March 06
Born: 1380 : : Died: 1447
Nicollete Boilet was born at Corbie, Picardy, in France and was named in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra. Her loving parents, who were almost sixty years old when she was born, nicknamed her Colette from the time she was a baby.
Colette's father was a carpenter at an abbey in Picardy. Quiet and hard-working, Colette was a big help to her mother with the housework. Her parents noticed how their daughter liked to pray and her sensitive, loving nature.
When Colette was seventeen, both her parents died and the young woman was placed under the care of the abbot at the monastery where her father had worked. She asked for and received a hut built next to the abbey church, where she lived.
She spent her time praying and sacrificing for Jesus' Church. More and more people found out about this holy young woman. They went to see her and asked her advice about important problems. They knew that she was wise because she lived close to God. She received everybody with gentle kindness. After each visit, she would pray that her visitors would find peace of soul.
Colette was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis called the Secular Franciscan Order. She knew that the religious order of women who followed St. Francis' lifestyle are the Poor Clares. They are named after St. Clare, who as a follower of St. Francis started the order. During Colette's time, the Poor Clares strayed from their mission and needed to go back to the original purpose of their order.
St. Francis of Assisi appeared to Colette and asked her to make the necessary changes. She was surprised and afraid of such a difficult task. When she hesitated, she was struck blind for three days and mute for three more; she saw this as a sign, and trusting in God's grace traveled to the Poor Clare convents. As an example, she walked barefoot to Nice, dressed in a habit (gown worn by nuns) that was all patched up. She helped the nuns become more poor and prayerful.
The Poor Clares were inspired by St. Colette's life. She had a great devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. She also spent time frequently fasting and meditating on the passion and death of Jesus. She loved Jesus and her religious life very much.
Her prayer was, "We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation. Amen."
She was very fond of animals and took good care of them. Colette knew exactly when and where she was going to die. She died in one of her convents in Ghent, Flanders, in 1447 at the age of sixty-seven.
Friday, March 6
Liturgical Color: Violet
Today the Church honors St. Sylvester of
Assisi. St. Sylvester was the first priest
ordained in the Franciscan order. Feeling
guilty about overcharging St. Francis for
stone to rebuild a church, he repented
and became a very holy priest.
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18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" 21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and never doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will be done. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."
A fig tree: A symbol of Old Covenant Israel (Jer 8:13; Hos 9:10). Jesus curses it because it is barren and has no figs (Mk 11:21). Symbolically, then, he announces God's curse on the unfaithful of Israeli.e., those who refuse him as the Messiah and lack the fruits of repentance (3:8-10; 21:41, 43). Israel's faithlessness is a negative example: the Church must learn from the nation's mistakes and pray instead with faith and confidence (21:21; 17:20; Jas 1:6).
Lent Day 17 – Divine Light
by Fr. Robert Barron
One of the key visuals in the story of the Transfiguration is the divine light that radiates from Jesus. Matthew says, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Luke reports, “His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” And Mark says, “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.”
This light seems to signal the beauty and radiance of a world beyond this one, a world rarely seen, only occasionally glimpsed, amidst the griminess and ordinariness of this world.
Is this beautiful and radiant world ever seen today? Let me share a few stories with you. When I was travelling recently, I met a man who, as a young man, met St. Padre Pio, the famous stigmatist. He was privileged to serve his Mass. During the elevation of the host, after the consecration, this man noticed something remarkable: there was a glow around the holy man’s hands. Years later when he heard reports of “auras” he said to himself, “That’s what I saw that day.”
Malcolm Muggeridge, the English journalist and convert to Catholicism, was filming Mother Teresa for a documentary. One day, the electricity was out, and he bemoaned the fact that he had to film her without lights, convinced that the day would be lost. However, when the film was developed, he noticed that the scenes were beautifully lit. To his surprise it appeared as though the light was coming from her.
Consider also the Shroud of Turin. There is scientific speculation that the marks on the shroud, the holy icon thought by many to be the burial shroud of Christ, were caused by a burst of radiant energy—light energy.
I’d like to leave you with one last thought: from the time of the earliest disciples, the holy followers of Jesus were pictured with halos above their heads. What is a halo if not the divine light breaking into our world today?
March 6, 2015 by Dan Burke
“I have brought up children and exalted them; but they have despised me.”
cf Isaiah 1:2
What does the sinner do when he commits mortal sin? He insults God, he dishonors him, he afflicts him. In the first place, mortal sin is an insult offered to God. The malice of an insult is, as St. Thomas says, estimated from the condition of the person who receives and of the person who offers the insult. It is sinful to offend a peasant; it is more criminal to insult a nobleman: but to treat a monarch with contempt and insolence, is a still greater crime. Who is God? “He is Lord of lords and king of kings” (Revelation 17:14). He is a Being of infinite majesty, before whom all the princes of the earth, and all the saints and angels, are less than an atom of sand. “As a drop of a bucket…as a little dust” (Isaiah 40:15). The prophet Hosea adds, that, compared with the greatness of God, all creatures are as insignificant as if they did not exist. “All nations,” [Isaiah] says, “are before him as if they had no being at all” (cf Isaiah 40:17). Such is God; and what is man? He is, according to St. Bernard, a heap of worms, the food of worms, by which he shall be soon devoured. “Saccus vermium, cibus vermium.” He is “miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17). Man is a miserable worm, that can do nothing; he is so blind that he knows nothing, and so poor and naked that he possesses nothing. And this miserable worm voluntarily insults a God! “Vile dust,” says the same St. Bernard, “dares to provoke such tremendous majesty.” The angelic doctor, then, had just reason to say that the sin of man contains, as it were, an infinite malice. “Peccatum habet quandam infinitatem malitiae ex infinitate divinae majestatis” (P. 3, q. 2, c. 2, ad. 2.). And St. Augustine calls sin “an infinite evil.” Hence, were all men and angels to offer themselves to death and annihilation, the oblation should not satisfy for a single sin. God punishes sin with the pains of hell; but all theologians teach that this chastisement is less than sin deserves.
And what punishment can be sufficient for a worm who assails his Lord? God is the Lord of all, because he has created all. “All things are in thy power. . . . Thou hast made heaven, and earth, and all things” (Esther 13:9, 10 [Esther 4:C:1, 2 NAB]). All creatures obey God, “The winds,” says St. Matthew, “and the sea obey him” (Matthew 8:27). “Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfill his will” (cf Psalm 148:8). But when man sins, what does he do? He says to God, Lord, I will not serve thee. “Thou hast broken my yoke; thou hast burst my bonds; thou saidst, I will not serve” (Jeremiah 2:20). The Lord says to him, Seek not revenge; take not that property which belongs to another; abstain from that unchaste gratification. But man answers, I will have revenge; I will take possession of that property; I will indulge in that forbidden pleasure. Like Pharaoh, when Moses, on the part of God, commanded him to allow the people to go into the desert, the sinner answers, “Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go?” (Exodus 5:2). The sinner says the same–Lord, I know you not; I will do what I please. In a word, he insults the Lord to his face, and turns his back upon him. Mortal sin is precisely a turning away–from God. “Aversio ab incommutabili bono” (St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, Part I of Part II, q 24, art 4). Of this the Lord himself complains–“Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord thou art gone backward” (cf Jeremiah 15:6). You have, says God, been ungrateful to me; you have abandoned me; you have turned your back upon me; you “are gone backward.” God has declared that he hates sin. Hence he cannot but hate the sinner who commits it. “But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike” (Wisdom 14:9). In committing sin, man dares to declare himself the enemy of God, and to contend single-handed with the Lord. “He hath,” says Job, “strengthened himself against the Almighty” (cf Job 15:25). What would you say if you saw an insect attack an armed soldier? God is the Omnipotent Being who by a nod has “created heaven and earth out of nothing” (cf 2 Maccabees 7:28). And if he wish, he can, by another act of his will, destroy all creatures. “The Almighty Lord, who, at a beck, can utterly destroy…the whole world” (cf 2 Maccabees 8:18). In consenting to sin, the sinner stretches out his hand against the Lord. “He hath,” says Job, “stretched out his hand against God. He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck” (cf Job 15:26). He raises his neck, that is, he swells with pride, and runs to insult God; he arms himself with a fat neck, that is, with ignorance; for a fat neck is the symbol of ignorance, of that ignorance which makes the sinner say, What have I done? What great evil is that sin which I have committed? God is merciful–he pardons sinners. What an insult! What temerity! What blindness!
Affections and Prayers
Behold, O my God! At thy feet the rash and daring rebel, who has had the temerity and audacity to insult thee so often to thy very face, and to turn his back upon thee. Thou hast said, “Cry to me, and I will hear” (Jeremiah 33:3). Hell is too little for me; this I already know. But remember, O Lord, that I am more sorry for having offended thee, who art infinite goodness, than I would be for the loss of all my property and of my life. Ah, Lord, pardon me, and do not permit me ever to offend thee more. Thou hast waited for me that I may forever bless thy mercy and love thee. Yes, I bless thee, I love thee, and I hope, through the merits of Jesus Christ, that I shall never again be separated from thy love; thy love has rescued me from hell; it is by thy love that I am to be preserved from sin for the future. I thank thee, my Lord, for the light. and the desire thou dost give me to love thee forever. Ah! Take possession of my whole being–of my soul and body–of my powers and senses–of my will and liberty. “I am thine — save me.” Thou art my only good; thou art alone amiable; mayst thou also be my only love. Give me fervor in loving thee. I have offended thee grievously. Hence it is not enough for me to love thee; I wish to love thee ardently, in order to compensate the injuries I have done thee. From thee, who art omnipotent, I hope for this love. I also hope for it through thy prayers, O Mary, which art powerful before God.
Editor’s Note: This meditation is from St. Alphonsus Liguori’s “Preparation for Death” (1758).
Daily Readings for:March 06, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, purifying us by the sacred practice of penance, you may lead us in sincerity of heart to attain the holy things to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
ACTIVITIES
o Lenten Practices for Children
o Precious Coins: Mortification and Self-Denial
PRAYERS
o Prayer for the Second Week of Lent
· Lent: March 6th
· Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Old Calendar: Sts. Perpetua and Felicitas, martyrs; St. Colette, virgin & religious (Hist)
"If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20)." The need to make reparation is a vital, inescapable urge of a free person. His very nature cries out for order and peace. His reason tells him that where an order has been violated, the order must be repaired; and the higher the order, the greater must be the reparation. To be free at all, is to accept the responsibility for atonement. Sin is a violation of God's order. Sin demands reparation — the reparation of personal penance, personal prayer, personal charity to all. Part of our atonement to God is made by serving our fellow men. — Daily Missal of the Mystical Body
According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Sts. Perpetua and Felicitas. Their feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on March 7. Historically today is the feast of St. Colette, who revived the Franciscan spirit among the Poor Clares. Her reform spread throughout France, Savoy, Germany and Flanders, many convents being restored and seventeen new ones founded by her. She helped St. Vincent Ferrer in the work of healing the papal schism.
St. Colette
Born in 1380, Nicolette was named in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra. Her loving parents nicknamed her Colette from the time she was a baby. Colette's father was a carpenter at an abbey in Picardy. Quiet and hard-working, Colette was a big help to her mother with the housework. Her parents noticed the child's liking for prayer and her sensitive, loving nature.
When Colette was seventeen, both her parents died. The young woman was placed under the care of the abbot at the monastery where her father had worked. She asked for and received a hut built next to the abbey church. Colette lived there. She spent her time praying and sacrificing for Jesus' Church. More and more people found out about this holy young woman. They went to see her and asked her advice about important problems. They knew that she was wise because she lived close to God. She received everybody with gentle kindness. After each visit, she would pray that her visitors would find peace of soul. Colette was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. She knew that the religious order of women who followed St. Francis' lifestyle are the Poor Clares. They are named after St. Clare, their foundress, who was a follower of St. Francis. During Colette's time, the Poor Clares needed to go back to the original purpose of their order. St. Francis of Assisi appeared to Colette and asked her to reform the Poor Clares. She must have been surprised and afraid of such a difficult task. But she trusted in God's grace. Colette traveled to the Poor Clare convents. She helped the nuns become more poor and prayerful.
The Poor Clares were inspired by St. Colette's life. She had a great devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. She also spent time frequently meditating on the passion and death of Jesus. She loved Jesus and her religious vocation very much.
Colette knew exactly when and where she was going to die. She died in one of her convents in Ghent, Flanders, in 1447. She was sixty-seven. Colette was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius VI in 1807.
Excerpted from Holy Spirit Interactive
Things to Do:
The Station for today is in the church of St. Vitalis, martyr, the father of the two illustrious Milanese martyrs, Sts. Gervasius and Protasius. It was built about 400, and consecrated by Pope Innocent I in 401/2. The dedication to St. Vitalis and his family was given in 412. The church has been rebuilt several times, of which the most comprehensive rebuilding was that of Pope Sixtus IV before the 1475 Jubilee. It was then granted to Clerics Regular.
2nd Week of Lent
Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons. (Genesis 37:3)
What a recipe for trouble! A father has twelve sons but unapologetically favors one over the others. As a result, let’s just say the golden boy, Joseph, doesn’t have self-esteem issues. To make matters worse, his dreams only reinforce his special status—and he enthusiastically shares them with his brothers. It’s no wonder their jealousy leads them to the brink of killing him!
It’s a good thing that this story is in our Bible. It shows us that God can take jealousy, pride, and family dysfunction and bring something good from them. Resentment, lying, murderous thoughts, bitterness? It’s no problem; he can redeem it all and use it to bring about his plan. Look at what he did for Joseph and his family. From his slavery in Egypt, which his brothers engineered, Joseph was able to save his family from famine and reconcile with his brothers.
So don’t despair if you see problems in your family. No one is perfect. There’s no denying the fact that sin is corrosive and can devastate relationships and deeply wound people. But don’t ever forget that sin doesn’t have the last word; God does! Even when you can’t see how everything will work out, even when the pain is real, you can still trust that God can go above and beyond. Think about Joseph all those years in slavery, in prison, learning to wait for God’s plan to come to full flowering.
Be careful not to lose your perspective, either. Just as Joseph learned that God would work everything out for good if he stayed true to the Lord, the Spirit wants to teach you the same thing. God can see where things are heading and how they will all work out, even when it doesn’t make sense to you right now. You can trust him to love you every step of the way, right into the fullness of life that he has in store for you.
Keep these truths in the forefront of your mind. Proclaim them to yourself often. Let Jesus fill you with hope and trust in him. He has your family in the palm of his hand!
“Lord, I trust you with my family. I believe you can do great things with us. May we bring glory to you!”
Psalm 105:16-21
Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
Daily Marriage Tip for March 6, 2015:
A pediatrician asked a new mom when she and her husband were going to have a date that week. The doctor said, Im serious. Unless you agree to have a weekly date, you can find another pediatrician. Your child is more likely to thrive if your marriage is strong.
The Gift of Life | ||
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March 6, 2015. Friday of the Second Week of Lent
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March 6, 2015
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that the builders rejected. And even today, the world still rejects him. We may say that this is not true, but when we think about what society is saying and preaching, we realize that, indeed, it is teaching the opposite of Christian values.
The world says that the more earthly success we achieve, the more we gain in value as individuals. We don’t need God to reach the pinnacle of power, it is just through our own hard work and luck and stepping on others’ toes. As humans we have the freedom of choice to decide what is right and what is wrong, but if we value God we will look to
Him for what is right and wrong, and to rely on Him to take care of our needs. To be a Christian is to put God first in our lives. This means continuously seeking His righteousness and totally relying on Him. We value God when we acknowledge that He knows better than we do on what we need in our lives.
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All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 2
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