One Minute Reflection – 9 March – Monday of the Second Week of Lent, Year A, Readings: Daniel 9:4- 10, Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38 and the Memorial of St Pacian of Barcelona (c 310–391) Father of the Church.
“Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back.”...Luke 6:37-38
REFLECTION – “O envious one, you injure yourself more than he whom you would injure and the sword with which you wound will recoil and wound yourself. What harm did Cain do to Abel? Contrary to his intention he did him the greatest good, for he caused him to pass to a better and a blessed life and he himself was plunged into an abyss of woe. In what did Esau injure Jacob? Did not his envy prevent him from being enriched in the place in which he lived and, losing the inheritance and the blessing of his
father, did he not die a miserable death? What harm did the brothers of Joseph do to Joseph, whose envy went so far as to wish to shed his blood? Were they not driven to the last extremity and well-nigh perishing with hunger, whilst their brother reigned all through Egypt? It is ever thus, the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower and will punish you to the full extent of your crime. If God usually punishes those who rejoice at the
misfortunes of their enemies, how much more will He punish those who, excited by envy, seek to do an injury to those who have never injured them?”… Saint John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – We beseech Your mercy Lord, let Your Spirit come upon us in power and fill us with His gifts, to render our minds and hearts pleasing to You and make us docile and merciful as Your Son has taught us. May our Lord Jesus, Your Son, guide us and may the prayers of St Pacian of Barcelona teach us Your precepts. Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
AnaStpaul 