Lord, grant me a humble and contrite spirit1st Week of Lent, Wednesday: 4th March 2020Jona. 3:1-10; Ps. 51(50):3-4,12-13,18-19; Lk. 11:29-32 (Ps Wk I) Psalm 51(50) is one of seven Psalms known as the penitential psalms because they express in a striking manner the meaning and need for repentance. “My sacrifice, O Lord, is a contrite…
Lord, help me love You and my neighbour1st Week of Lent, Tuesday: 3rd March 2020Is. 55:10-11; Ps. 34(33):4-5,6-7,16-17,18-19; Mt. 6:7-15 (Ps Wk I) When Jesus warns us “In your prayers, do not rattle on like the pagans”, he is not condemning long prayers as such but only those that are marked by a sheer multiplication…
Lord, help me love You and my neighbour1st Week of Lent, Monday: 2nd March 2020Lev. 19:1-2,11-18; Ps. 19(18):8,9,10,15; Mt. 25:31-46 (Ps Wk I) The passage from the Book of Leviticus highlights two basic rules of conduct for a life of holiness. Both rules are related to the divine-human relationship, namely love for God and love…
Lord, help me to be faithful to you1st Sunday of Lent (A) : 1st March 2020Gen. 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Ps. 51(50):3-4,5-6,12-13,14,17; Rom. 5:12-19; Mt. 4:1-11 (Ps Wk I) When ancient people wanted to express a profound and essential truth, they told a story. The Garden of Eden is one of these stories, and it explains why…
Lord, lead me back Saturday after Ash Wednesday : 29th February 2020 Is. 58:9-14; Ps. 86(85):1-2,3-4,5-6; Lk. 5:27-32 (Ps Wk IV) We continue during these first few days after Ash Wednesday to deepen our understanding of what the Lenten season should mean to us. We begin a journey of repentance and conversion that will lead…
Lord, help me to find the true meaning of Lent and live it gracefully and steadilyFriday after Ash Wednesday : 28th February 2020Is. 58:1-9; Ps. 51(50):3-4,5-6,18-19; Mt. 9:14-15 (Ps Wk IV) There are differences in tone between the greatest passages in the Old Testament and the writings of the New Testament. Isaiah, in particular, wrote…
Happy is the person who hope in the LordThursday after Ash Wednesday : 27th February 2020Deut. 30:15-20; Ps. 1:1-2,3,4,6; Lk. 9:22-25 (Ps Wk IV) Whenever we hear about “mysticism” or “mystical experience”, we inevitably think of it as a rare grace, reserved to great saints and far beyond the expectations of us ordinary Catholics. Yet…
Lord, help me start my Lenten journey, walking closely with youASH WEDNESDAY : Wednesday 26th February 2020Joel. 2:12-18; Ps. 51(50):3-4,5-6,12-13,14,17; 2 Cor. 5:20-6:2; Mt. 6:1-6,16-18 (Ps Wk IV) Today we begin our Lenten journey. It is a time of preparation for the celebration of Holy Week and Easter. To prepare ourselves, we can increase our…
Lord, deepen my faith and help my unbelief7th Week in Ordinary Time : Tuesday 25th February 2020Jm. 4:1-10; Ps. 55(54):7-8,9-11,12; Mk. 9:30-37 (Ps Wk III) In the first reading, Apostle James states that conflicts often arise as a result of selfish ‘desires’ and ambitions. Such desires may lead us to other vices, such as covetousness,…
Lord, deepen my faith and help my unbelief7th Week in Ordinary Time : Monday 24th February 2020Jm. 3:13-18; Ps. 19(18):8,9,10,15; Mk. 9:14-29 (Ps Wk III) James wrote about true wisdom. The evidence of wisdom was shown by the way the people lived. Good works were to be done with gentleness. Genuine wisdom would be the…