Forgive, and you'll find love!
Lent 2020 – Day 16
Readings: Mic 7, 14-15, 18-20; Ps 102, 1-4, 9-12; Lk 15, 1-3, 11-32
There are those who hold the Lord in awe and others who disregard Him; there are those who loathe His name and, happily, many who love and adore Him. Negative attitudes stem from ignorance and/or malice, for the simple truth is that the Lord is at once just and merciful.
God forgives our guilt, heals our ills, and redeems our life from the grave. Mind you, these words make sense not in times of the corona virus alone; the Lord crowns us with compassion and love at all times.... We can’t thank Him enough!
Sometimes children think of parents as oppressive, but who can fail to see the reality of parental love in the parable of the Prodigal Son? Both son and father were "prodigal" – the former wasteful, the latter extravagant in love. And the father’s cry, “This your brother was dead and is alive,” only goes to show his concern for his son’s physical and spiritual health.
Let’s rid ourselves of misconceived notions, repent and forgive, and we shall find authentic love. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6: 2).
#forgive #repent #love #coronavirus #prodigal #negativeattitudes #compassion
Repentance is key
Day 11
Readings: Dan 9, 4b-10; Ps 78, 8-9, 11-13; Lk 6, 36-38
Daniel makes a fervent plea for repentance: ours is a God who is steadfast in love and keeps His covenant. We are in the depths of distress; it is only fair to request the Lord to not hold the guilt of our fathers against us. Indeed, if God were to be only just and not merciful, who would survive?
For our part, we must resolve to turn a new leaf and go ahead, like prodigal sons, saying, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.’
Jesus, who has taught us to say, ‘Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us,’ also reminds us to be merciful and to not judge rashly; to condemn not, if we wish to not be condemned; to give generously, for the measure in which we give we shall receive.... But to get here, repentance is of the essence.