Week 313
Positive post Sunday, February 26, 2023- Week 313.
Today is the first Sunday in Lent and after Ash Wednesday. As I do each year during Lent, I’ve begun my daily reading from The Year in Our Church from Loyola Press. Reading these brief, yet thoughtful and reflective, writings is a great way to start off your day. There is also an accompanying 3-Minute Retreat that offers us the opportunity to reflect more deeply on the Living Lent Daily writing through prayer. Should you be interested in deepening your faith, here’s the link to Living Lent Daily: Living Lent Daily | Loyola Press.
Yesterday’s reflection, written by Mike Lorenzo, reminded me that we are all sinners and how important it is to have compassion and live a life of love and forgiveness (Can I get an “Amen” Jay McCall!). That doesn’t mean we should condone or be pleased with sins. Perhaps, as Lorenzo note, a better perspective is to “love the sinner; hate the sin”. This reminds me of John 8:7, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her”. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t have any stones in my hands! I choose instead to put my empty hands together and pray for the Lord’s forgiveness for my many faults.
Whether or not you observe Lent, the three traditional practices of Lent (prayer, fasting, and almsgiving) are certainly practices that are Christ-like, and ones that, if followed, will bring us closer to God.
If you have any stones in your hands, what will you do to replace them with love and forgiveness?
How do you practice prayer, fasting and almsgiving in your daily life?