Today we are reminded of the terrible irony: a prophet is not well received at home.
Jesus was not accepted by those who saw him as all too human.
And, he was unable to act with power in their lives.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
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The Third Week of Lent
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Collect:
May your grace not forsake us, O Lord, we pray,
but make us dedicated to your holy service
and at all times obtain for us your help.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. *
The Readings
Deuteronomy
3:25, 34-43, Psalms 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9, Matthew 18:21-35
Daily Meditation:
Do not let us be put to
shame,
but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.
Azariah asks God to
remember his mercies.
He places his complete trust in God.
These days, we place our lives in God's hands,
and we let God forgive us.
The challenge of the
Gospel is to forgive
as we have been forgiven.
How often we are so very much harder on others
than our God is on us!
An important Lenten examination of conscience.
"So
will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."
Today's Daily
Reflection
Intercessions:
Praise to Christ, who has given us himself as the bread
from heaven. Let us pray to him, saying:
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
Lord, feed us at the banquet of the Eucharist,
- with all the gifts of your paschal sacrifice.
Give us a perfect heart to receive your word,
- that we may bring forth fruit in patience.
Make us eager to work with you in building a better world,
- so that it may listen to your Church and its gospel of peace.
We confess, Lord, that we have sinned,
- wash us clean by your gift of salvation.
Closing Prayer:
God of infinite love,
I thank you for this reminder of your love
and your call that we be more patient,
gentle and compassionate with others.
Here in the middle of Lent,
I turn to you to beg for your help.
Please soften my heart.
Help me to let go of judging others.
I ask you this, in Jesus' name.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Praying Lent Home
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The Third Week of Lent
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Collect:
Grant, we pray, o Lord,
that, schooled through Lenten observance
and nourished by your word,
through holy restraint
we may be devoted to you with all our hearts
and be ever united in prayer.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. *
The Readings
Deuteronomy
4:1, 5-9;
Psalms 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20;
Matthew 5:17-19
Daily Meditation:
Make us one in love and prayer.
This was a special
liturgy in the early church.
On this day the first of the Scrutinies
was celebrated.
We can see why the instruction is about
fidelity, but the tone of the prayer is one of unity.
On this day when the community prayed
so earnestly for those about to be baptized,
we can feel the power of asking that
we be made one.
We might reflect upon
what it is that divides us,
and what I might do to let the Spirit
of Unity draw us together.
I want
all of them to be one with each other,
just as I am one with you
and you are one with me.
I also want them to be one
with us.
Then the people of this world
will believe that you sent me.
Jesus' prayer at the
Last Supper for
"for everyone else who will have faith
because of what my followers will say about me. "
John 17:21
Today's Daily
Reflection
Intercessions:
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation,
who decreed that mankind should become a new creation in himself, when all
would be made new. With great confidence let us ask him:
Lord, renew us in your Spirit.
Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your
Spirit,
- that we may enjoy your presence for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit,
- and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.
Free us from all negligence and sloth,
- and give us joy in your gifts of grace.
Deliver us from evil,
- and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness.
Closing Prayer:
God, you love me as your own child.
May I bend my life and will toward you
so that I might accept your teaching and guidance.
I am so grateful for your support in my life,
now and in the eternal life you are preparing for me.
I beg for your help and Spirit in my life today.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Praying Lent Home
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The Third Week of Lent
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Collect:
We implore your majesty most humbly, O Lord,
that, as the feast of our salvation draws ever closer,
so we may press forward more eagerly
towards the worthy celebration of the Paschal Mystery.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. *
The Readings
Jeremiah 7:23-28; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Luke 11:14-23
Daily Meditation:
May our love grow each day.
We are at the half-way
point in our Lenten journey today.
There is so much yet to learn, to examine,
to heal, to renew.
We have a sense of the patterns we
are naming and a sense of the graces we are asking for,
as well as the ways God is working
in us.
We want to be ready
and our Lord wants us to be confident.
So we keep asking and we keep giving
thanks, throughout our day.
I am
the Savior of all people, says the Lord.
Whatever their troubles,
I will answer their cry,
and I will always be their
Lord.
Today's Daily
Reflection
Intercessions:
Christ our Lord came among us as the light of the world,
that we might walk in his light,
and not in the darkness of death. Let us praise him and cry out to him:
Let your word be a lamp to guide us.
God of mercy, help us today to grow in your likeness,
- that we who sinned in Adam may rise again in Christ.
Let your word be a lamp to guide us,
- that we may live the truth and grow always in your love.
Teach us to be faithful in seeking the common good for your sake,
- that your light may shine on the whole human family by means of your
Church.
Touch our hearts to seek your friendship more and more,
- and to make amends for our sins against your wisdom and goodness.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today.
Collect:
Pour your grace into our hearts, we pray, O Lord,
that we may be constantly drawn away from unruly desires
and obey by your own gift the heavenly teaching you give us.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. *
The Readings
Hosea
14:2-10; Psalms 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17; Mark 12:28-34
Daily Meditation:
Fill our hearts with your love.
Our lesson today reminds
us again of God's love and Jesus' desire
that we love one another as we are
loved.
On this journey, we are learning why
this is a challenge for us.
We are experiencing our human weaknesses
and practicing ways to be freer,
to open our hearts more fully to God's
love
and to give ourselves in fidelity,
every day.
You
ask us to express our thanks by self-denial.
We are to master our sinfulness
and conquer our pride.
We are to show to those in
need
your goodness to ourselves.
Preface for Lent III
Today's Daily
Reflection
Intercessions:
Thanks be to Christ the Lord, who brought us
life by his death on the cross.
With our whole heart let us ask him:
By your death raise us to life.
Teacher and Savior, you have shown us your fidelity and made us a new creation
by your passion,
- keep us from falling again into sin.
Help us to deny ourselves today,
- and not deny those in need.
May we receive this day of penance as your gift,
- and give it back to you through works of mercy.
Master our rebellious hearts,
- and teach us generosity.
Closing Prayer:
God of Mercy,
I feel my heart overflowing with your tenderness.
I sense your loving touch deep within my soul.
I ask for your help in my weakness
that I might be faithful to your word
and I am so grateful
that your mercy for my failings
is as strong as your unbounded love for me.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Praying Lent Home
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University Online Ministries Home Page
Collect:
Rejoicing in this annual celebration
of our Lenten observance,
we pray, O Lord,
that, with our hearts set on the paschal mysteries,
we ma be gladdened by their full effects.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.
*
The Readings
Hosea
6:1-6; Psalms 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab; Luke 18:9-14
Daily Meditation:
Fill our hearts with your love.
Our lesson today reminds
us again of God's love and Jesus' desire
that we love one another as we are
loved.
On this journey, we are learning why
this is a challenge for us.
We are experiencing our human weaknesses
and practicing ways to be freer,
to open our hearts more fully to God's
love
and to give ourselves in fidelity,
every day.
You
ask us to express our thanks by self-denial.
We are to master our sinfulness
and conquer our pride.
We are to show to those in
need
your goodness to ourselves.
Preface for Lent III
Today's Daily
Reflection
Intercessions:
Thanks be to Christ the Lord, who brought us
life by his death on the cross.
With our whole heart let us ask him:
By your death raise us to life.
Teacher and Savior, you have shown us your fidelity and made us a new creation
by your passion,
- keep us from falling again into sin.
Help us to deny ourselves today,
- and not deny those in need.
May we receive this day of penance as your gift,
- and give it back to you through works of mercy.
Master our rebellious hearts,
- and teach us generosity.
Closing Prayer:
God of infinite love,
you shower me with limitless gifts in my life.
In my every thought and action today
guide me to the bright and loving light of your kingdom.
Help me to be aware of
the many ways you allow me
to share in your life so intimately today.
Thank you for the gifts you have placed in my life.
Let me be grateful every moment of this day..
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
