The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 5, 2004
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 51:3-4,18-21
Luke 18:9-14

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Psalm we can imagine seeing the imagery of water coming down from God, as the psalmist asks God to thoroughly wash him from all his sins, to cleanse him of his sins. The tax collector in the Gospel went home restored and refreshed, as well as justified, for his heart had been cleansed by the forgiveness of God.

Both the reading from Hosea and the Psalm proclaim that the Lord doesn't want our blind adherence to tradition (offering of holocausts, "what we give up for Lent"). Instead, God wants hearts that desire to love Him, hearts that desire to be purified by Him so that they can contain His love and carry it to others.

The rain of God, which falls on the just and the unjust alike, could be likened to His cleansing, purifying grace. The just let grace soak them, the unjust put up umbrellas. Which will YOU choose?

- Rose Atiyeh

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life

posted by joachim at 5:22 AM