**** **** Be sure to read Pope John Paul II's Audience, March 21. **** See it now online at Join My Journey for Saturday: **** http://homepage.mac.com/ojoachim **** The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 24, 2001 The Third Week of Lent Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word: Hosea 6:1-6 Psalm 51:3-4,18-21 Luke 18:9-14 Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm A Reflection on Today's Scripture: "For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice." (Hosea 6:6) Thus God, through his prophet Hosea, upbraided the people of Ephraim and Judah for their faltering faith. Again, seven centuries later the Messiah told the story of the tax collector who declared that he wasn't like the rest of men, because he fasted twice a week and gave to the temple. In that parable, Jesus was illustrating the fallen nature of us all. Do we think fasting and financial contributions absolve us from responsibility to love our neighbor, the unattractive, the disheveled, the cynical, those in need? With genuine love of God in our heart, we will desire to love others. By our quiet love, those "others" will learn of God's love for them. The Old and New Testament clearly set out the path for all who have living faith. This is the season for us to shake up our own little smugness. Yes, we're called to some mortification, to fast, to abstain a little during Lent and to tithe. But, we're also called to get real about ourselves, to get off our self-perceived high horse, to come down to the level of loving our neighbor, our spouse, our fellow worker, or someone who may tend to irritate us or who perhaps, seems so very inferior to us. We're called to a change of heart. We're called to respond to that person with a heroic love because of God's unfathomable love and mercy for us all. Create a clean heart in me, O God; give back to me the joy of your salvation. (Ps 51:12,14) - Joachim, ocds (c)2000 The Way, The Truth, The Life. Permission granted to make reprints or to post on any web page, except for profit. YOU can help to evangelize the Word of God: Recommend to your friends the Daily Meditations online at: http://homepage.mac.com/ojoachim ARCHIVED Meditations: http://members.xoom.com/abcsoffaith/quiet1.htm http://www.mail-archive.com/dailymed%40saturn.nibcomp.com/maillist.html For ALL communications, including SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
