Through the guidance of the Church; through the Mass and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation; through Sacred Scripture as it forms our prayer, penance, and acts of selfless self-giving: in all these ways the Lord Jesus works His design for holiness within us.
Moses is exhorting his people to observe God's commandments, decrees, and explanations with all their heart, mind, and soul. In the Gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus, speaking face to face with his disciples and as Cardinal Ratzinger writes "as a man speaks to his friends."
When we "let go and let God" we find that he has the better plan! No one on earth cares for us or loves us more than our creator, but he will not force himself on us – we have to make the choice to follow him.
God will not reject us if we go to him sincerely, repentantly, and humbly. On the one hand, this sounds so simple, we understand this. On the other hand, it is difficult to do because we don't often like to admit that we are wrong or imperfect.
By asking for what we need and receiving His gifts with thanksgiving, we feed, strengthen, and grow our obedience to His will and thrive by participating more intensely in His divine nature.
In the slow work of Our Holy Lord, he sent us the gracious gift of his Son, Jesus Christ. This grace overflows and transforms - if we allow it to. But we must remember, God works in His time, not ours.
Br. Juan Gabriel identifies how the devil distorts the promise of life and love that God gives us. When the devil convinces us to hide our weakness and shame from God, we remain far from our loving Father.
Jesus, knowing their thoughts makes the clearest statement of his mission we will hear this Lent: "Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."
Isaiah’s prophecy encourages us in our penance and fasting to better love our neighbors – to have greater concern for the poor and greater care for the suffering.
Our Lenten penances are meant to strike at our self-absorption, sacrificing creature comforts to open our hearts to God and our neighbor. They are not meant to be a source of spiritual pride.
Sometimes we experience that our hearts are so broken that they have turned into pieces, into ashes. These are situations when we do not only ask ourselves why that happened but what for.
What can God's wisdom show us about His love for us through our mundane, day-to-day experiences? Br. Carlos reflects on the second reading for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time. click to view.
A plenary indulgence will be granted to the properly disposed faithful who will participate in the Eucharistic celebrations organized by the Dominicans on the occasions of the jubilee of the canonization and death of St. Thomas Aquinas, and on the faithful who will make pilgrimages to Churches, shrines, and oratories under his patronage.
