Category: First Week

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“ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE” (Matt 7:7)

⏰Thursday of the First Week of Lent (14 March 2019) 📖Esther 14:1, 3-4, 11, 13-14; Ps 138:1-2a, 2bcd-3, 7d-8 (R.v.3a); Matt 7:7-12apaa 🎤”ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE” (Matt 7:7) Do you remember what we said two days ago, precisely on Tuesday, concerning the effectiveness of God’s word (cf. Isa 55:10-11)? With that, we encouraged ourselves to enter into a loving relationship with God where trust and mutual love reign. Queen Esther knew the value of being in such a relationship. Hence she took respite in God in the face of deep anxiety and asked God to save her and her...

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“NO ONE WHO BELIEVES IN [JESUS] WILL BE PUT TO SHAME”

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C) Deut 26:4-10; Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (R.v.15b); Rom 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13 “NO ONE WHO BELIEVES IN [JESUS] WILL BE PUT TO SHAME” It is already some days into this season of grace Lent. Today, being the first Sunday of lent, the Liturgy reminds us of the reason for the celebration and encourages us to hold firm in faith despite the challenges that might come our way in the process of expressing our faith in God. The Gospel stands as a big warning to us If the devil was not afraid to tempt the...

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“O THAT TODAY YOU WILL LISTEN TO HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART” (Ps 94:7-8)

⏰Wednesday of the First Week of Lent (21 February 2018) ????Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 (R.v.19b); Luke 11:29-32 I don’t know what you think about the book of Jonah; whether real or not. But one thing is sure – the message. The generosity of God in showing mercy to those who turn to him is great. In the first place, it makes the prophecy of Ezekiel true when he said that God does not want the death of a sinner but that he might repent and be saved (Ezek 33:11). It equally makes true the prophecy of Isaiah in...

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“BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO WALK IN THE LAW OF THE LORD” (Ps 119:1)

⏰Saturday of the First Week of Lent (11 March 2017) ????Deut 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 (R.v.1b); Matt 5:43-48 In Deut 26:16-19, God emphasized what was already noted in Deut 7:6-8. That is the fact that he chose the people of Israel from the face of the earth to be his own possession. What was added now is that we need to work hard to remain united with him. Being united with God promises good tidings from him. Consider the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). When the son was away from his father’s house, he suffered untold hardship...

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BE VIRTUOUS AND LIVE

⏰Friday of the First Week of Lent (10 March 2017) ????Ezek 18:18-21; Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 (R.v.3); Matt 5:20-26 Sometime last week (on Thursday), we talked about the two ways – one which leads to life, and another that leads to death – and we were encouraged to choose the way that leads to life so that we may live (cf. Deut 30:15-20). Today, the prophet Ezekiel makes us to understand that God really want us to embrace virtue that we may live (Ezek 18:21-28). It is his will that we may have life in abundance (John 10:10). Also,...

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FROM ALL THEIR DISTRESS GOD RESCUES THE JUST (cf. Ps 34:18)

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent (12 March 2019) Readings: Isa 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 (R.v.18b); Matt 6:7-15 The prophet Isaiah tells us that God is always faithful to his words (Isa 55:10-11). So when he said that he would save the just from all distress, we believe too that it shall come to pass. But who are the just? The Jews understood being just to mean keeping all the Laws as given by Moses. Yesterday, we talked of love as the perfection of the Law. Anyone who loves perfectly keeps the Law. Hence, we can say...