March 6, 2012

Read It:

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Reflect on It: Today's gospel is about being meek and humble. The Pharisees did things so that they would be seen and lauded. Today's gospel is a call for us to be small and hidden. We are called to give of ourselves tirelessly and to not count the cost. This is hard for me. I don't mean to be a person who lauds what I do in front of others, but I know that I don't always do those things for the glory of God or make any attempt to keep it secret. Our Lady is the champion of being hidden. She never took the glory away from God, but she gave and gave and gave. Today, let's let Mary be our model of meekness.

Pray about It: Father, you gave us an example of meekness in Our Lady. Help us to be pure of heart and to be small and hidden like her.

Live It! Challenge: Today, do a job you hate and don't talk about it. Pray that it goes unnoticed.

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Monday, March 5

Read It:
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."

Reflect on It: The measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you....I know that sometimes, I need this reminder. I am often a tough judge of character, thinking that people have to prove themselves to me. How selfish! This is not the measure to which I want to be judged. We are called to be people who are forgiving and merciful and who recognize the brokenness within each one of us. Sometimes, we forget how truly fragile the human spirit is, how weak we are. We walk around like we have all the answers and others do not. I want to be measured by how I love, which means I must love. Measure my life in love.

Pray about It: Lord, you were merciful to sinners. Help me, a sinner to be merciful to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Live It! Challenge: Today, do something kind for someone else.

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Sunday, March 4: The Second Sunday of Lent

Read It:
Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Reflect on It:
Today's Gospel is that of the Transfiguration. Peter, James and John go to the top of a mountain with Jesus and while they were there, Elijah, Moses and Jesus (who was transfigured) appears to them. In this moment, they were scared and not sure of what was happening. It was in this moment, that they heard God's voice super clearly and they were never again the same. What is God calling you to today? Is he asking you to listen to him?

Pray about It: Holy Spirit, through your power Jesus was transfigured before James, Peter and John. Help my life to be radiant with your glory. I want to live only for you. Amen.

Live it! Challenge: Today, spend some time after mass asking the Lord what he's calling you to.

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Saturday, March 3, 2012

Read It:Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Reflect on It: Today, we see a radical call from Jesus to love your enemy. This is so hard. It's hard to love the person that insults us, or to love the person that drives us crazy. It's really hard to love the person who makes our lives miserable. Jesus though, loved everyone, especially his enemies. Love doesn't mean tolerance or acceptance, or that you become a door mat, love simply means you choose the higher road.

Pray about It: Lord, help me to love those who hate me. Let me love them the way that you love them.

Live It! Challenge: Identify someone in your life who is your enemy. Pray for them and choose to love them today.

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Friday, March 2, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven."

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

Reflect on It: Today's Gospel brings us a tough challenge. It suggests that we can not come to the altar with gifts, with grudges on our heart. It encourages us to reconcile ourselves with those that we have offended or those who have offended us before we bring gifts to the Lord. Each of us has someone that we need to forgive and someone that we need to seek forgiveness from. This Lent, let your gifts mean something and seek reconciliation with your brother or sister in Christ.

Pray About It: Lord, give me the courage to reconcile with the person to whom I need to be reconciled.

Live It! Challenge: Go and reconcile your grievances with someone today.

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Read It:

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets."

Reflect on It: BOLDNESS! Today's reading calls us to be bold in our prayers to the Lord. Ask for the things we desire, ask with a heart full of hope. He wants to give us everything and often, we don't believe that. God grants those things that we are bold about. Are we willing to trust and believe that he can give them to us?

Pray about It: Lord, help me to be bold with you and to trust that you will give me the things I desire most deeply in my heart. I love you and hope in you.

Live It! Challenge: Today, BOLDLY ask the Lord for something on your heart. Make it big, who cares...go crazy. Write down the deepest desires of your heart and then ask the Lord for them!

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Feb 29, 2012

Read It:
A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn

Reflect on It: Although we had the same Psalm just last week, I thought it would be good to reflect on it again, but to reflect on something different this go around. God wants us to have clean hearts. He wants for us to be free from sin and to Love him with all of our heart. Lent is a time marked by reparation and repentance. A humble and contrite heart is what allows us to seek the Lord and to ask him to make us free from our sin. Let this Lent be different from all the rest and get your heart clean in the beginning.

Pray about It: Lord, when we seek you with a humble and contrite heart, you always forgive. Help me to come to you today, abhorring my sin, but knowing that your mercy is ALWAYS greater than sin.

Live It! Challenge: Go to confession tonight. Every Wednesday during Lent every parish in the Diocese of Arlington and the Archdiocese of Washington, DC are open for confession from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm. St. James is having a holy hour and talk in conjunction with confession. Go get your soul cleaned.


Inspired by last year's Lenten Blog, Miguel De Angel,Coordinator of Youth Ministry at Good Shepherd in Alexandria, Va signed onto do sketches throughout the course of Lent for the blog. Perhaps these sketches will allow you to enter in more deeply and in a different way than before.

(C) Copyright Miguel De Angel. 2012

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