February 23
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
Give a Mass Offering
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
Isaiah 55:10-11
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R. (18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Gospel Acclamation
Matthew 4:4b
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
Gospel
Matthew 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
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.
“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
“From all their distress God rescues the just.”
Reflection
How are we to pray? This question seems so simple when we are children. We kneel down by the bed before we climb in for a night’s sleep. We recite simple prayers, call to mind our loved ones, often including our beloved pets, and make the sign of the cross. Prayer seems to become more difficult as we become adults. This could be due to the belief that we must always add more and more to our prayer life.
It is common for the faithful to continue to add prayer or devotions on top of other prayers or devotions. At first, this may seem beneficial, but we run the risk of becoming so “busy” praying that we are not listening for God to respond to us. When we take time to be still, to listen for God’s response to our prayer, we can be enlightened. I firmly believe that God desires to be truly close to us and share in our lives.
Take a moment and think of a time when you and a friend or relative had to say nothing to each other but just be present in silence, showing support for each other, loving each other. Perhaps God would like us to sit in silence, loving him and knowing that he is always with us. This could be a beneficial time for us, a form of prayer that we may not have previously considered.
Peace,
Fr. John Kurgan
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