Lenten Reflection – 11 April – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Year C
The Readings:
Genesis 17: 3-9; Psalms 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; John 8:51-59
“Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.”...John 8:51
Pope Francis
8 April 2014
“…The heart of God’s salvation is His Son who took upon Himself our sins, our pride, our self reliance, our vanity, our desire to be like God. A Christian who is not able to glory in Christ Crucified has not understood what it means to be Christian. Our wounds, those which sin leaves in us, are healed only through the Lord’s wounds, through the wounds of God made man who humbled Himself, who emptied Himself. This is the mystery of the Cross. It is not only an ornament that we always put in churches, on the altar, it is not only a symbol, that should distinguish us from others. The Cross is a mystery, the mystery of the love of God who humbles Himself, who empties Himself to save us from our sins.
Where is your sin? Your sin is there on the Cross. Go and look for it there, in the wounds of the Lord and your sins shall be healed, your wounds shall be healed, your sins shall be forgiven. God’s forgiveness is not a matter of cancelling a debt we have with Him. God forgives us in the wounds of His Son lifted up on the Cross. May the Lord might draw us to Himself and that we might allow ourselves to be healed”.
Daily Meditation:
Come to us, free us, help us and guide us.
We pray more intensely now, just a week before Holy Thursday.
We desire more and more that we might be free.
Sorrow leads to profound gratitude,
when we experience the depth of unconditional love offered us.
The gratitude of a loved sinner leads to great generosity.
Christ is the mediator of a new covenant so that since he has died,
those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance promised to them.
The Entrance Antiphon – Hebrews 9:15
Closing Prayer:
Lord,
all I want is to be faithful to You in my life,
but so often I fail.
Free me from my many sins
and guide me to the life I will share with You.
I wait for Your promise to be fulfilled
with great hope in my heart
and Your praise on my lips.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
AnaStpaul 