February 27
Saturday 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
Dt 26:16-19
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
I will give you thanks with an upright heart,
when I have learned your just ordinances.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Gospel Acclamation
2 Corinthians 6:2b
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!
Gospel
Matthew 5:43-48
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.”
“Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!”
Reflection
Today Jesus reminds his disciples they should love their neighbor and their enemy! I am sure that the disciples found this a difficult challenge, just as we do. We are usually good about loving and forgiving those who love us and are similar to ourselves. When challenged with people who dislike us, are different from us, or are challenging to what we think is moral and right, forgiveness becomes much more difficult. Does Christ call us to forgive everyone?
Well, the answer to that is yes! That expectation seems immediate during the season of Lent. Whom do you need to love today? Is that person already a beloved neighbor? What can you do for them to show Christ lives within you? Is that person an enemy, someone who has caused pain in your life? Have they sinned against you?
Lent challenges us to use the power of Christ’s forgiveness, to forgive and move closer to those around us. Let us this day determine one person with whom we can re-establish a relationship. Let that person know we are trying to renew that relationship because Christ wants a healthy relationship with all his children. In doing that, we not only forgive and ask for forgiveness, but we carry Christ’s message of hope and forgiveness to those who are most in need.
Peace,
Fr. John Kurgan
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