Fourth Week of Lent

A Prayer Before Fasting

Heavenly Father, as I begin this time of fasting, I pray that you will fill me with Your grace, and grant me strength and resolution to endure the hunger and discomforts that I may experience during this fast.

Keep me strong and alert, Lord. Deliver me from all unwanted thoughts and distractions that would jeopardize my fast. Protect me from temptation and from the Evil One. May this fast lead me to spiritual growth, renewal, and healing.

Grant me, Father, the assurance that You will strengthen me during the difficult and challenging times of this fast, and meet me for sweet moments of spiritual growth and surrender. Help me to focus not on what is being taken away, but what I will be gaining as I use this fast as a spiritual discipline. With you leading me, Holy Spirit, I am ready.

My God, I offer up this fast to You and to Your glory. May Your mercy be always upon me, a sinner. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Sunday, March 10, 2024, Fourth Sunday of Lent

Today’s Readings: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23: Ps 137:1-6; Eph 2:4-10; Jn 3:14-21

“God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us…”-Eph 2:4

How well are we ever grateful of God’s love and mercy upon you and me?

Through his only Son, Jesus Christ, he gave us everything. He removed the punishment of death, and gave us eternal life. His simple request of law: to love Him and our neighbor. How easy is that? Right?

Our Heavenly Father is rich in mercy. So if we stumble into sin, we repent, and his rich mercy is given. Why? Because he wants us with him in heaven. He loves us enough that his Son took the brunt of evil. Jesus carried our crosses/sins onto one huge one. He became the sacrifice on it for our forgiveness and salvation.

What other son would have said, “Sure dad, I’ll do it. I’ll accept the scourging, the thorns embedded in my head. I’ll walk the unknown number of steps to the top of that hill. I’ll also accept being nailed to a wooden cross, and die on it for humanity. Not a problem.”

No human could sustain what Jesus endured.

The funny thing, God sent so many prophets, messengers to warn the people of their iniquities. To repent. To return to God, yet many did not. Go figure.

Let’s turn to God. Let’s listen to his voice. Let us be grateful of all he has given us and will continue to give us. We repeat the days and moments of Christ’s life during this Lenten season. A reminder that we can be forgiven. We can receive God’s rich mercy. Let’s not do the opposite.

A good works: spread God’s rich love and mercy to others today. God bless you.

Prayer: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

Monday, March 11, 2024

Today’s Readings: Is 65:17-21; Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-12a, 13b; Jn 4:43-54

Why do we need signs and wonders to believe? Do we need them during our Lenten journey? Don’t we believe in the power of Gods mercy? His forgiveness?

In the Apostle’s Creed we pray I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. Do not forget to keep this oath. He is listening.

Let’s us ask our Blessed Mother, Mary for the courage to offer up to the cross doubt; to help us see, believe in the miracles Jesus performed and miracles in our lifetime.

…Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe. Jn 4:48

…Read scripture of Jesus second sign at Cana: the healing of the son of a royal official. Jn 4:46-54

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Today’s Readings: Ezek 47:1-9, 12; Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5:1-16

Prayer: O Jesus, I am blind. My soul sees not your light ahead. My soul is crippled by the sins I carry. I am not alone in this desert walk. Many others nearby, we journey in darkness, in struggles. Your cross seems out of reach. Heal me. Heal us. I repent so I may take up my mat and walk. Bring me to the pool of your Living Water so I may be washed cleaned.

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Jn 5:7-8

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Today’s Readings: Is 49:8-15; Ps 145:8-9, 13CD-14, 17-18; Jn 5:17-30

Jesus, your Passion is nearby. Many continue to condemn you. They never leave the desert. I pray for these enemies for they know not what they do. Forgive them. Comfort them. Help us be faithful to you for you are love. Remind us to fast for the reparations of our sins. Jesus, we need you now. We need your cross. Forget us not.

Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” Jn 5:17-18

“I will never forget you.” Is 49:15

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Today’s Readings: Ex 32:7-14; Ps 106:19-23; Jn 5:31-47

When Moses interceded for his sinful people, God spared them of his wrath. Once again, we are a sinful people. Who continues to come between us and the mighty hand of our Almighty Father? Jesus Christ, himself. Do we want to see the Mighty Hand of Justice? God’s mighty hand?

How many golden calves have we placed or traded for Him? This Lenten season affords us to release those false images of worship, those idols that we carry around our necks that make us bow to their obsession.

These forty-days remind us of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice with every nail that pierced his hands and feet; with every whipping, kicking, spitting, mocking, and death he took to forgive us of the false worship through our repentance. We must continue to repent. He offered himself as the lifeboat to our drowning in the raging waters of sin. He rescued us through his intercession. He told his Father to let him be the one to save us, help us, teach us, to be the ONE for us, the many.

Look to the works Jesus did in days of our ancestors on behalf of the Father, our Father. Believe. Scripture gives so many examples of his mission-Salvation for humanity. Pray and meditate today’s Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary-his Baptism, the changing of water to wine, proclamation of the Kingdom of God, his Transfiguration and institution of the Eucharist. Wow.

We must go to Jesus Christ in our deserts; accept him as our Savior. Praise him. Adore him. Console him. If we continue to place those golden calves during Lent before him, fear the wrath of God my brothers and sisters; for who then will intercede for you? If you do not believe what’s written of the Son through the prophets, how will you believe in Jesus Christ when he calls you?

Let us pray: Almighty God, may our offering of fasting, prayers and alms giving be reparation for the sinful golden calves in our souls during this dry journey. Grant us mercy to remain your people, Father, and keep our covenant with you. Free us from all blame, our guilty consciences by the forgiveness of our sins through our repentance, through the knowledge of the forthcoming Salvation; the knowledge of Jesus Christ in our lives for all time. Father, we are a work in progress. Please be patient and merciful.

The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Jn 5:36.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Today’s Readings: Wis 2:1A, 12-22; Ps 34:17-21, 23: Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

In Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22, the wicked spoke of Jesus in a rude way. They gathered if Jesus was the Son of God, he should be defended and delivered from the hands of his foes. How many generations of wicked souls have mocked and tested Jesus that when crucified, he should be able to save himself, to come down from the cross.

Have you ever tested Jesus?

Have you ever sought to prove him wrong?

I pray not for consequences would be dire. I cannot imagine such an act. In the desert we are tested to turn from Jesus, to mock him, to torture him, to crucify him by our continued sins. O the horror the state our souls would be in. Let us not remain in the desert. Go forward-his light.

Brothers and sisters, we know Jesus; we know he is from the Father, and we know the Father sent him.

Our Lenten journey is “rounding the corner,” two more weeks. What have we not done yet to truly repent? Jesus in his gentleness receives us with his crucified body, his opened arms. That act of being so close forgiving our wickedness; receiving the surrender of our broken hearts. Sing in praise that God is our Father and Jesus is who the Father sent to save us. Hallelujah!

So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come. Jn 7:30

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Jesus’ mission of evangelization, conversion, salvation of the sinner was clear-for the Kingdom of God.

In today’s world, we as Christian’s face persecution for our beliefs and some have given their lives “for the cause.” Evil doers under the instruction of Satan want us to fail in our mission to save souls for Jesus. Their whispers, and disgust of scripture being spoken eats at their air space. Jesus knows what we are going through. He sees humanity floundering in a cesspool of sin. How that breaks his heart. Fear, challenges to peace, social media shaming, religion removed from our schools to appease political views that see Jesus Christ as a threat to the innocent minds of our children has increased.

Our final weeks of Lent may be a challenge. We move into Passion Week, where the plot and scheme against Jesus will become clear-to kill Him. We’ll get to know the players and the bystanders again. Fear not the questions Lent presents to you. Ask Jesus to give you a clear mind. Fear not, follow in his footsteps. Don’t go home and close the door. You, the one, care for the many as Jesus did.

Brothers and sisters, pray to persevere in Jesus’ mission this Lenten season. To suffer for Him and souls struggling in their conversion is a privilege. That suffering will never go waste. To be able to save just one…what joy for us for that one to know the joy in finding Jesus. Do your part and Jesus will do the rest. Remember, he is the Christ we are waiting for...

Some in the crowd who heard these words said, ‘This is truly the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’” Jn 7:40-41