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.
Third Week of Lent
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Today’s Readings: Ex 20:1-17; Os 19:8-11: 1Cor 1:22-25; Jn 2:13-25
In the Book of Exodus, we read God delivering his commandments, his laws. Scripture tells us Ex 20:1-3 “I, the LORD am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me.”
God is the sole primary Father to us. No other than He.
During this Lenten journey, God walks with us through it all. Without him, we can’t do life alone. God will deliver us from our wilderness through our full repentance. Let us not find a substitute. His laws, decrees, precepts are perfect, right and trustworthy. Let us give him permission to instill his guidance and ruling in us. Bring him glory in our good works, forgiveness, and loving only him as our true Father. He waits for us to return from the darkness and slavery of sin. God bless you all.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to have no other than you in my life. I seek your forgiveness and mercy for I know you truly love me. Amen.
Monday, March 4, 2024
Today’s Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-15AB; Ps 42:2-3; 43:3-4; Lk 4:24-30
Whether we are physically or spiritually sick, ask God for his healing upon you. Keep in mind, that comes in his time, not ours. While waiting, offer it up to him for souls who may be just as ill as you are. That their faith increases as they too wait through your suffering.
Say a prayer asking the Holy Spirit for an increase in hope and trust in God’s infinite mercy, grace and healing.
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Today’s Readings: Dn 3:25, 34-43; Ps 25:4-5AB, 6-7BC, 8-9; Mt 18:21-35
Forgiveness of someone whether a friend of family member who has hurt us is not easy. It takes great courage, surrender and a lot of grace. And lots of prayer. Here is chaplet prayed using a rosary. Ask God to release you from this heavy cross.
The Chaplet:
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
On the large bead of each decade of the rosary, pray: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” for You are full of mercy and compassion for all. Please give me the grace to forgive so as to imitate Your perfect love…
Then, on the ten small beads of each decade of the rosary, pray: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Conclude all five decades by saying three times: Lord, Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner. Amen.
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Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Today’s Readings: Dt 4:1, 5-9; Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Mt 5:17-19
Jesus came to teach and fulfill his Father’s laws. For his apostles to go out and teach others. This is what we are meant to do as well. Bring Jesus’ teachings to others.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to follow your laws and commandments and teach others of your greatness. Help me to be great in your kingdom.
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Today’s Readings: Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95; Lk 11:14-23
We have one God, one Heavenly Father and we are his people. Listen to him. Walk in his way. Let’s not forget of the faithfulness God is to us. We in turn must remain faithful to him. So if today or tomorrow you hear your Father’s voice, do not turn from it. Answer him as his faithful servant. Let us be with our Lord and not against him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I walk with you. I beg for the grace to hear your voice; to hear your voice in scripture, in prayer time with you, in Mass and in Adoration. Speak Lord for your servant is listening
Friday, March 8, 2024
Today’s Readings: Hos 14:2-10; Ps81; Mk 12:28-34
If someone were to ask you which of all the commandments are the greatest? To tell them none greater than these:
I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have strange Gods before me.
This wills faith, hope, love, and worship of God. Loving God with all our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength.
2. Thou shall love your neighbor as yourself.
This wills love for one another.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are always important in my life. Help me to love my neighbor, even my enemy. Lead me Father to walk in your commandments.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Today’s Readings: Hos 6:1-6; Ps 51; Lk 18:9-14
Be humble. Ask our Lord for mercy, to be merciful upon our souls. God loves us because he is so good to us. He wants our love. This Lenten season, our Lord looks to us to repent of our sins. We need his merciful love. If we have strayed, let us return to him.
Prayer: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.