“Now, now,” says the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Who knows whether he will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, `Where is their God?'” Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people.
Second reading 2 Corinthians 5:20 — 6:2
We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Reflection
By Bernard M. Borja
A young man has hurt his girlfriend because of infidelity. Willing to change his ways and ask for forgiveness, he decided to create posts in social media about how he really loves her girlfriend. He was apologizing and begging for her girlfriend to forgive him. He also took videos of himself, singing and playing a guitar, reciting poems while kneeling, creating vlogs, and posts it publicly. His posts became viral because of his sweet words and were liked by many. He did this for weeks. After some time, his posts become more about hopelessness. She is not responding to any of his posts. A few weeks after, they saw each other in a gathering with some other friends. The young man went closer to her, asked her if she has already forgiven her. The young woman looked at him and said, “Why? I never received an apology from you.” The young man explained and even tried to show to her his posts in social media. Then she took her phone out, opened her messaging accounts, and showed to the young man that there was never a single message she received from him. Not even in her email.
We do not go through life unrewarded. In fact, God gives us graces we need every single day. Even the grace of mercy and forgiveness especially in our sinful nature. But how do we really respond to that forgiveness? Sometimes, we do our penance for our sins addressed not to the one whom we offended. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us on how we can use the “correct channel” when praying and offering ourselves to God. Sometimes, people choose to receive the praises and positive feedback of other people. We choose to receive an immediate and visible reward which is to lift our self-image so that people may look at us as good. We forget the real reward that God wants to give to us: the true forgiveness that only He can give. But this can only be received when we let God the only one who will see our offerings - be it prayer, fasting, or almsgiving.
As the season of Lent begins, may we be reminded on how Jesus continues to offer Himself for the forgiveness of our sins. May we respond in the right way of doing penance and receive His graces not by making other people see our ways, but by hidden ways that only God can see.
A young man has hurt his girlfriend because of infidelity. Willing to change his ways and ask for forgiveness, he decided to create posts in social media about how he really loves her girlfriend. He was apologizing and begging for her girlfriend to forgive him. He also took videos of himself, singing and playing a guitar, reciting poems while kneeling, creating vlogs, and posts it publicly. His posts became viral because of his sweet words and were liked by many. He did this for weeks. After some time, his posts become more about hopelessness. She is not responding to any of his posts. A few weeks after, they saw each other in a gathering with some other friends. The young man went closer to her, asked her if she has already forgiven her. The young woman looked at him and said, “Why? I never received an apology from you.” The young man explained and even tried to show to her his posts in social media. Then she took her phone out, opened her messaging accounts, and showed to the young man that there was never a single message she received from him. Not even in her email.
We do not go through life unrewarded. In fact, God gives us graces we need every single day. Even the grace of mercy and forgiveness especially in our sinful nature. But how do we really respond to that forgiveness? Sometimes, we do our penance for our sins addressed not to the one whom we offended. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us on how we can use the “correct channel” when praying and offering ourselves to God. Sometimes, people choose to receive the praises and positive feedback of other people. We choose to receive an immediate and visible reward which is to lift our self-image so that people may look at us as good. We forget the real reward that God wants to give to us: the true forgiveness that only He can give. But this can only be received when we let God the only one who will see our offerings - be it prayer, fasting, or almsgiving.
As the season of Lent begins, may we be reminded on how Jesus continues to offer Himself for the forgiveness of our sins. May we respond in the right way of doing penance and receive His graces not by making other people see our ways, but by hidden ways that only God can see.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, as we remember Your journey of fulfilling God’s promises, let us walk with You as we make this season holy by denying ourselves and do our offerings in hidden ways that only You can see. We thank You for we are able to walk with You as risen Christians, and we are able to celebrate Your victory because of Your mercy and compassion. With our dearest Mother Mary, like her sorrows which has transformed into joy and glory, may we accompany one another and share the loving embrace of peace that You continue to bless us. Amen.
Dear Jesus, as we remember Your journey of fulfilling God’s promises, let us walk with You as we make this season holy by denying ourselves and do our offerings in hidden ways that only You can see. We thank You for we are able to walk with You as risen Christians, and we are able to celebrate Your victory because of Your mercy and compassion. With our dearest Mother Mary, like her sorrows which has transformed into joy and glory, may we accompany one another and share the loving embrace of peace that You continue to bless us. Amen.
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