In the many years the Lord has blessed me with this beautiful ministry of writing for Didache, 2017 is the first time I was given an assignment that falls on my birthday today.

            I want to give something special to the Giver of life. For the past 12 years, my gift to Him has been the people in the ministry He gave me. I would schedule the Lenten recollection of Basic Ecclesial Community leaders on my birthday. It’s a time for confession, talk, sometimes stations of the cross, and Eucharistic celebration. Drawing them closer to Him is the best gift I could think of for Jesus.

         But you know what? God cannot be out-given. The inspiring testimonies of how blessed the experience was, the unforgettable fellowship and bonding we have, the personal and sometimes intimate message from the Lord from the talks or silent moments for reflection make my day! Joy that is “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over” is poured unto me.

         When I give something to the Lord, He always doubles it back to me. Cristy Galang (cristy_cc@yahoo.com)

Reflection:Do you make sure you are pleasing to the Lord on your birthday? Do you go to Mass and give thanks?

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the life You have given me. I know You have a beautiful purpose for creating me. I ask for the grace to live that I may fulfill that purpose. Amen.

St. Leander of Seville, pray for us.

We need to repent of our sins. God’s mercy is always available to us if we humbly ask for His forgiveness. The most difficult part is humbly admitting our sins. Let us pray for the grace and humility to come before God in repentance.

4 “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! 5 We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. 6 We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. 7 Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. 8 O Lord, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes,  and our fathers, for having sinned against you. 9 But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you 10 and paid no heed to your command, O Lord, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”

R: Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R) 11 Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you; with your great power free those doomed to death. 13 Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; through all generations we will declare your praise. (R)

Jesus commands us to be holy just as our Father in heaven is holy. Is it possible for us to attain holiness? It is, because what Jesus proclaims comes to pass. Sadly, we allow sin in our life. Sin prevents us from becoming holy like the heavenly Father. Let us take heart and work at growing in virtue, and pray that God’s grace will work powerfully in us.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life. 

36 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

think: Have you experienced being judged wrongly? How did you handle it?

Read the Bible in one year Revelation 19-22

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

WHEN JESUS FORGIVES, HE FORGETS

A year ago, we heard and read so much about mercy. Thanks to Pope Francis who had called for a Jubilee Year of Mercy, we were able to reflect more than ever on God’s mercy and compassion. It hopefully has changed our image of a stern, angry and punishing God.

       So far, so good. But have we become more merciful? That’s the question Jesus asks us today when we read about the Lord speaking about being merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful.

        Pope Francis once said in a homily (March 17, 2013): “I think we too are the people who, on the one hand, want to listen to Jesus, but on the other hand, at times, like to find a stick to beat others with, to condemn others. And Jesus has this message for us: mercy. I think — and I say it with humility — that this is the Lord’s most powerful message: mercy.”

       To forgive and not to judge are signs that we are merciful. And yet, I hear you say, “That’s so difficult.” Yes, it is difficult. Jesus therefore challenges us to grow and mature spiritually. We can only grow and mature spiritually when we are challenged with something difficult.

       Let’s hear once more what Pope Francis has to say: “May Lent prepare our hearts to receive God’s forgiveness, but let us receive it and then do the same with others: forgive heartily. Perhaps you never even greet me in the street, but in my heart I have forgiven you. In this way, we get closer to this thing so great, so godly, which is mercy. When we forgive we open our hearts so that God’s mercy might come and forgive us. We all need to be pardoned, to be forgiven. Let us forgive, and we shall be forgiven. Let us be merciful to others, and we shall feel the mercy of God, who, when He forgives, [also] ‘forgets’” (March 1, 2016). Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

Is it hard for you to forgive and be merciful to those you don’t like so much?

Lord, You ask a lot from me. It seems to go against my nature. But I have to realize that it is my “fallen nature” and not the nature You expect from me — “created in Your image and likeness.” Help me to become more merciful and forgiving. Amen.