Day 3 - Wednesday, March 18th


2020 Online Lenten Retreat
Wednesday, March 18

Today's Scripture

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good;  love one another with mutual affection….  Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality…. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (cf. Romans 12.9-15)



Today's Reflection:


“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”

   The world tells us exactly the opposite: entertainment, pleasure, diversion and escape make for the good life. The worldly person ignores problems of sickness or sorrow in the family or all around him; he or she averts their gaze. The world has no desire to mourn; it would rather disregard painful situations, cover them up or hide them. Much energy is expended on fleeing from situations of suffering in the belief that reality can be concealed. But the cross can never be absent.

   A person who sees things as they truly are and sympathizes with pain and sorrow is capable of touching life’s depths and finding authentic happiness. He or she is consoled, not by the world but by Jesus. Such persons are unafraid to share in the suffering of others; they do not flee from painful situations. They discover the meaning of life by coming to the aid of those who suffer, understanding their anguish and bringing relief. They sense that the other is flesh of our flesh, and are not afraid to draw near, even to touch their wounds. They feel compassion for others in such a way that all distance vanishes. In this way they can embrace Saint Paul’s exhortation: “Weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15).

For Your Reflection

Take a moment to think about the words, phrases or ideas that struck you in today's reflection.
Then think about these questions:
--On a scale of 0(low) to 6(high) rate your ability to confront painful situations.
-- Has your ability to confront painful situations changed or improved over time?
-- Can you think of painful situations from the past which you have ignored or suppressed?
-- Are there painful situations in your life, or the lives of those around you, which you are ignoring?

Let us Pray 

O Lord, We often hear it said that, with respect to the flaws of our present world, the situation of migrants is a lesser issue. Some Catholics consider it a secondary issue compared to the grave bioethical questions. That a politician looking for votes might say such a thing is understandable, but not a Christian, for whom the only proper attitude is to stand in the shoes of those brothers and sisters of ours who risk their lives to offer a future to their children. Can we not realize that this is exactly what you demand of us, when you tell us that in welcoming the stranger we welcome you?  Help me, O Lord, to accept this truth and allow it to reshape my life.

Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 18, 2020 at 4:13 AM

    Very worried about the virus going on. High Anxiety. Thank you for the reading today

    ReplyDelete

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