Tuesday Devotion March 22, 2022

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Sunday Reflection (March 20, 2022)

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We may witness bad events or outcomes to someone or a group of people and assume we are not as bad as they are and perhaps it served ‘em right. We may get so caught up in the sins and failures of others that we overlook our own sins and failures. It is then that we do not hear what Jesus says to us directly: “Unless you keep repenting, you too will perish.”

Lenten Season is not about examining the sins of other people. It is about examining our own sins and taking responsibility for our own sins. God takes deliberate steps to enable us to repent and be fruitful (Luke 13:1-9). God nourishes us with opportunities for spiritual growth in love, kindness, and mercy as well as opportunities for ministry. Do you respond to God’s opportunities? Do I respond to God’s opportunities? Do we as a congregation of Christ’s Church respond to those opportunities?

Prayer for the Week (March 20, 2022-March 26, 2022)

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Let us pray that God give us the courage to repent and turn to him and to people in love: Patient God, we are reluctant and slow to make the change of heart we need. Give us the time to understand the extent of your mercy and your love which your Son Jesus showed us in its fullness in his suffering and death. Recognize your own Son in us and accept us in our poverty.  Raise us up and change us so that we proclaim your persistent love through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

                                                                                  (Claretian Publications)

Thursday Devotion March 17, 2022

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Tuesday Devotion March 15, 2022

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Thursday Devotion March 10, 2022

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Sunday Reflection (March 13, 2022)

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The traditional Lenten discipline of self-denial is a spiritual response to our self-indulgences and lashing out at others. No, our devotion will not save us:  Only God can do that, but it does assist us in becoming more aware of how self-indulgent we can be, and how our self-indulgence prevents us from being faithful to others, especially the poor and vulnerable. It also causes us to examine how we strive against others to get ahead or get even.

The life of the Apostle Paul was shaped by the kingdom of heaven revealed in the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Does your heavenly citizenship shape your life? Is your commitment to a heavenly “citizenship” one among many? Or is it the one that directs your other commitments? Remember, we, Christ’s Church, are a colony of heaven upon earth, but we can be “so heavenly minded we are no earthly good.” May our “heavenly citizenship” lead us to make the world a better place while we are here (Philippians 3:17-4:1).

 

Prayer for the Week (March 13, 2022-March 19, 2022)

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Let us pray to our seemingly invisible Father in heaven:  Invisible God,
with the incarnation of your Son, Jesus Christ, we see a reflection of you in your Son.
You also give us the Holy Spirit who enables us in prayer and in the search for your truth.
In our worship, strengthen us to know your purpose for us and the world.  Amen.

                                                                                  (Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People, alt)

Tuesday Devotion March 8, 2022

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Sunday Reflection (March 6, 2022)

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In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is tempted to ostentatiously display divine power to gain more fans and personal advancement. Jesus was not into sensationalism and a mass popular appeal that glorifies the self, and personal advancement at the expense of others; rather, Jesus glorified God the Father by showing by his way of life what this God is like (Luke 4:1-13).

Make Lenten Season a time to carefully observe how you follow Christ, and where you need to repent as a follower of Jesus Christ. When we followers of Jesus become aware of our continual need to repent and make amends, we learn the joy of learning repentance: The present and future don’t have to be like the past. Life can be different when we take responsibility for actions and find ways to bring peace and healing to all our relationships as much as possible.