The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 6, 2004
Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Psalm 119:1-2,4-5,7-8
Matthew 5:43-48

A reflection on today's Scripture:

“Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

We're reminded in the first reading how beloved we are, cared for and desired. This love is honored by hearkening to God's voice, keeping His statutes and commands; yes, walking in His ways. His covenant is the promise of sanctity when our lives and our love for Him please Him. Today's psalm continues the message that hearts totally dedicated to God, lives that are lived blamelessly, obediently keeping the ways of His decrees, are blessed lives.

Finally, our Lord reminds us in the gospel, that to be children of our heavenly Father requires that we love as He loves us first; by loving beyond decrees and our natural inclinations, beyond those who return our love. We are invited to love as He does so perfectly, to love our enemies. This is the redemptive love that we have so generously received from the sacrifice of the cross and the new life of resurrection. When we suffer the pain of another's sin in love, we carry the cross they lay upon our shoulders; we must embrace and tenderly bring this through to a redemptive end: new life. We're sanctified and are enemies are redeemed. And sometimes we discover that like Simon the Cyrenean, our own lives are what is being redeemed -- we're forever changed.

Father you love us perfectly

Help us to love our enemies into redemption

We praise and thank you
for your endless mercy and ever-sanctifying love

May our lives resemble your love to others.


- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

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posted by joachim at 4:15 AM