May the Lord Pour Out All His blessingsĀ upon you as we bring you the readingsĀ Ā of today’s Holy Mass I share with you now theĀ readings for Thursday after Ash February 15th 2024 collect prayer Lord Our God you love usĀ and invite us to share in your own life andĀ Ā
Joy through a deeply personal decisionĀ help us to choose you and life and toĀ Ā always remain faithful and loyal toĀ this fundamental Choice through theĀ Ā power of Jesus Christ your son whoĀ was loyal to you and to us now and forever reading from the book of
Deuteronomy Moses spoke to the people saying see IĀ have set before you today life and good death andĀ Ā evil if you obey the Commandments of the Lord yourĀ God that I command you today by loving the LordĀ Ā
Your God by walking in his ways and by keeping hisĀ Commandments decrees and ordinances then you shallĀ Ā live and become numerous and the Lord your GodĀ will bless you in the land that you are enteringĀ Ā
To possess but if your heart turns away and you doĀ not hear but are LED astray to bow down to otherĀ Ā gods and serve them I declare to you today thatĀ You Shall Perish you shall not live long in theĀ Ā
Land that you are crossing the Jordan to enterĀ and possess I call Heaven and Earth to witnessĀ Ā against you today that I have set before you lifeĀ and death blessings and curses choose life so thatĀ Ā
You and your descendants may live loving the LordĀ your God obeying him and holding fast to him forĀ Ā that means life to you and length of days so thatĀ you may live in the land that the Lord swore toĀ Ā
Give to your ancestors to Abraham to Isaac andĀ to Jacob the word of the Lord responsorial PsalmĀ Ā response blessed is the man who has put his trustĀ in the Lord blessed is the man who does not followĀ Ā
The advice of the wicked nor does he enter theĀ path of Sinners nor does he sit in the meetingĀ Ā of the cnics but the joy of it is the law of theĀ Lord and He meditates on his law day and nightĀ Ā
Blessed is the man who has put his trust in theĀ Lord it will be like a tree planted on the edgeĀ Ā of the ditch bears fruit in its season and itsĀ leaves do not wither and whatever he undertakesĀ Ā
Has a good end blessed is the man who has putĀ his trust in the Lord not so the wicked not soĀ Ā they will be chaff that the wind carries awayĀ for the Lord protects the path of the righteousĀ Ā
But the path path of the wicked ends badlyĀ blessed is the man who has put his trust in the Lord reading from the holy Gospel According toĀ Luke at that time Jesus said to his disciplesĀ Ā the son of man must undergo great sufferingĀ be rejected by the elders Chief priests andĀ Ā
Scribes be killed and on the third day be raisedĀ then he said to them all if any want to becomeĀ Ā my followers let them deny themselves and take upĀ their cross daily and follow me for those who wantĀ Ā
To save their life will lose it and those whoĀ lose their life for my sake will save it whatĀ Ā does it profit them if they gain the whole worldĀ but lose or forfeit themselves the gospel of theĀ Ā
Lord reflection of today’s Gospel goel in theseĀ early days of Lent the readings Focus us on theĀ Ā fundamentals if yesterday Ash Wednesday invitedĀ us to focus our Gaze on God today calls us toĀ Ā recognize our capacity to make decisions in ourĀ lives and the consequent responsibility for theĀ Ā
Decisions we make to be responsible means to beĀ able to account for what we do or do not do forĀ Ā why we act in a certain way it is not enoughĀ to say I didn’t know or I didn’t think aboutĀ Ā
It or I didn’t realize or I was told to do it orĀ everyone was doing it the great gift that God hasĀ Ā given us along with life is freedom the abilityĀ to decide for ourselves what we want or do notĀ Ā
Want to do with our lives what we want to be orĀ not to be it is true and we must be aware of itĀ Ā that our freedom is limited I would even dare toĀ say very limited it is conditioned by the familyĀ Ā
In which we have grown up by Culture by our ownĀ personal character limitations by many thingsĀ Ā but still there remains a glimmer of freedom andĀ it is our responsibility to become more and moreĀ Ā free from all those conditioning factors as PaulĀ says for freed Christ has set us free GalatiansĀ Ā
51 today’s first reading confronts us with thisĀ capacity of ours to choose between life and deathĀ Ā between good and evil to follow God is to chooseĀ good and Life to reject him is to choose evil andĀ Ā
Death let’s be realistic not always does puttingĀ the word God first mean that we have chosen goodĀ Ā and life in the name of God many many wars haveĀ been waged and many heads have been cut off inĀ Ā
The name of God many people have been excluded andĀ marginalized and condemned to death choosing lifeĀ Ā and good is choosing fraternity Justice closenessĀ understanding and mercy it is ultimately to followĀ Ā God in our freedom and responsibility we mustĀ make the appropriate decisions to choose goodĀ Ā
And Light or in other words to follow God it isĀ possible that in some specific decision we mayĀ Ā make mistakes but at least the intention shouldĀ always be to do good for my brothers and forĀ Ā
Myself join me to pray brothers and sisters as weĀ conclude this encounter with the word of God whichĀ Ā has filled us with light and hope let us liftĀ our hearts to the Lord in in a farewell prayerĀ Ā
Heavenly Father we thank you for this day youĀ have gifted us for the opportunity to hear yourĀ Ā word and nurture our Spirits with your message ofĀ love and salvation we ask for forgiveness for ourĀ Ā shortcomings and the times we have strayed fromĀ your path open our hearts to conversion and helpĀ Ā
Us live according to your teachings illuminateĀ our minds to understand your word and give usĀ Ā the strength to practice it in our daily livesĀ may we be Witnesses of Your Love in the worldĀ Ā and Carry Your Light to every corner of the earthĀ we entrust to you our brothers and sisters who areĀ Ā
Suffering the sick the poor the marginalized andĀ all those in need of your comfort accompany themĀ Ā in their pain and give them hope for a betterĀ future bless our families and our loved onesĀ Ā may our homes be spaces of peace love and unityĀ where your presence Reigns we pray for peace inĀ Ā
The world an end to Wars and violence May HarmonyĀ Prevail among nations and may all men and womenĀ Ā live in harmony and Brotherhood finally we askĀ for your blessings upon our church that it mayĀ Ā remain faithful to its mission of proclaimingĀ the gospel and serving the people of God MayĀ Ā
Our Shepherds guide us with wisdom and discernmentĀ and may all Christians be instruments of Your LoveĀ Ā love and mercy we ask this through Jesus ChristĀ Our Lord who lives and reigns with you in theĀ Ā unity of the holy spirit amen May the blessing ofĀ almighty god father Son and Holy Spirit descendĀ Ā
Upon us and accompany us always in the name of theĀ Father the Son and the Holy Spirit amen thank youĀ Ā for listening to the readings and reflection ofĀ today’s mass remember that it is very simple toĀ Ā support our mission you just have to subscribeĀ and share with your family and friends the wordĀ Ā
Of God received in the reading and reflections ofĀ today’s Gospel I wait for you on a new occasion
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