Monday (3/1): "Judge not; condemn not"

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:36-38          ³⁶Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you. ³⁷Jesus said: Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. ³⁸If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.

 Old Testament Reading: Daniel 9:4-10

Meditation: How can we possibly love those who cause us harm, ill-will, and grief? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who know his love and who ask for the gift and help of the Holy Spirit. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5) God's love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ and his victory over sin can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment, and give us the courage to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).  Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ's redeeming love and mercy?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom and pardon. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart free that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, nor make me bitter towards anyone."

Psalm 79:8-13 ⁸Don't make us pay for the sins of our ancestors. Have pity and come quickly! We are completely helpless. ⁹Our God, you keep us safe. Now help us! Rescue us. Forgive our sins and bring honor to yourself. ¹⁰Why should nations ask us, "Where is your God?" Let us and the other nations see you take revenge for your servants who died a violent death. ¹¹Listen to the prisoners groan! Let your mighty power save all who are sentenced to die.

Tuesday (3/2): "Whoever humbles himself will be exalted"

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 23:1-12   ¹Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ²The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. ³So obey everything they teach you, but don't do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else. ⁴They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. ⁵Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels for everyone to see. ⁶They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. ⁷And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers. ⁸But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. ⁹Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. ¹⁰None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. ¹¹Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. ¹²If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.                    Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 1:10,16-20                                  Meditation: Humility is the queen or foundation of all the other virtues because it enables us to see and judge correctly, the way God sees. Humility helps us to be teachable so we can acquire true knowledge, wisdom, and an honest view of reality. It directs our energy, zeal, and ambition to give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others selflessly, for their sake, rather than our own. Paul the Apostle gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and ...who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phili. 2:7-8). Do you want to be a servant as Jesus served and loved others? The Lord gives grace to those who humbly seek him. Prayer: "Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my sake to set me free from the tyranny of selfish pride and self-concern. Teach me to be humble as you are humble and to love others generously with selfless service and kindness."                                                                      Psalm 50:8-9,16-17,21,23 ²³… Obey me, and I, your God, will show my power to save.

Wednesday (3/3):  "Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?"

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 20:17-28 ¹⁷As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took his twelve disciples aside and told them in private: ¹⁸We are now on our way to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses. They will sentence him to death, ¹⁹and then they will hand him over to foreigners who will make fun of him. They will beat him and nail him to a cross. But on the third day he will rise from death.  ²⁰The mother of James and John came to Jesus with her two sons. She knelt down and started begging him to do something for her. ²¹Jesus asked her what she wanted, and she said, "When you come into your kingdom, please let one of my sons sit at your right side and the other at your left." ²²Jesus answered, "Not one of you knows what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from?" James and John said, "Yes, we are!" ²³Jesus replied, "You certainly will drink from my cup! But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. That is for my Father to say." ²⁴When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. ²⁵But Jesus called the disciples together and said: You know that foreign rulers like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over everyone they rule. ²⁶But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. ²⁷And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest. ²⁸The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people.                                                                                   Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 18:18-20                                    Meditation: Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid sets us free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of sin and the fear of death. Jesus’ victory did not end with death but triumphed over the tomb. Jesus defeated the powers of death through his resurrection. Do you want the greatest freedom possible, the freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and daughters?                        Prayer: "Lord Jesus, make me a servant of love for your kingdom, that I may seek to serve rather than be served. Inflame my heart with love that I may give generously and serve others joyfully for your sake." Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16 ⁵You are faithful, and I trust you because you rescued me. ¹⁵My life is in your hands. Save me from enemies who hunt me down. ¹⁶Smile on me, your servant. Have pity and rescue me.

Thursday (3/4): "Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom"

Gospel Reading:  Luke 16:19-31 ¹⁹There was once a rich man who wore expensive clothes and every day ate the best food. ²⁰But a poor beggar named Lazarus was brought to the gate of the rich man's house. ²¹He was happy just to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. His body was covered with sores, and dogs kept coming up to lick them. ²²The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honor next to Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³He went to hell and was suffering terribly. When he looked up and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, ²⁴he said to Abraham, "Have pity on me! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch my tongue. I'm suffering terribly in this fire." ²⁵Abraham answered, "My friend, remember that while you lived, you had everything good, and Lazarus had everything bad. Now he is happy, and you are in pain. ²⁶And besides, there is a deep ditch between us, and no one from either side can cross over." ²⁷But the rich man said, "Abraham, then please send Lazarus to my father's home. ²⁸Let him warn my five brothers, so they won't come to this horrible place." ²⁹Abraham answered, "Your brothers can read what Moses and the prophets wrote. They should pay attention to that." ³⁰Then the rich man said, "No, that's not enough! If only someone from the dead would go to them, they would listen and turn to God." ³¹So Abraham said, "If they won't pay attention to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even to someone who comes back from the dead."                      Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-10                                        Meditation: In God's economy, those who hold on possessively to what they have, lose it all in the end, while those who share generously receive back many times more than they gave way.

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, you are my joy and my treasure. Make me rich in the things of heaven and give me a generous heart  that I may freely share with others the spiritual and material treasures you have given to me."

Psalm 1  ¹God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won't follow sinners or join in sneering at God. ²Instead, the Law of the LORD makes them happy, and they think about it day and night. ³They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.

Friday (3/5):  The kingdom taken from the unrepentant

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 21:33-46 ³³Jesus told the chief priests and leaders to listen to this story: A land owner once planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it and dug a pit to crush the grapes in. He also built a lookout tower. Then he rented out his vineyard and left the country. ³⁴When it was harvest time, the owner sent some servants to get his share of the grapes. ³⁵But the renters grabbed those servants. They beat up one, killed one, and stoned one of them to death. ³⁶He then sent more servants than he did the first time. But the renters treated them in the same way. ³⁷Finally, the owner sent his own son to the renters, because he thought they would respect him. ³⁸But when they saw the man's son, they said, "Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves." ³⁹So they grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰Jesus asked, "When the owner of that vineyard comes, what do you suppose he will do to those renters?"⁴¹The chief priests and leaders answered, "He will kill them in some horrible way. Then he will rent out his vineyard to people who will give him his share of grapes at harvest time." ⁴²Jesus replied, "You surely know that the Scriptures say, `The stone that the builders tossed aside is now the most important stone of all. This is something the Lord has done, and it is amazing to us.' ⁴³I tell you that God's kingdom will be taken from you and given to people who will do what he demands. ⁴⁴Anyone who stumbles over this stone will be crushed, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces." ⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard these stories, they knew that Jesus was talking about them. ⁴⁶So they looked for a way to arrest Jesus. But they were afraid to, because the people thought he was a prophet.                                                Old Testament Reading: Genesis 37:3-4,12-13,17-28                              Meditation:  This parable tells us of God's patience and justice. Not once, but many times he forgives the tenants their debts.  But while the tenants take advantage of the owner's patience, his judgment and justice prevail in the end.                                                                                                                          Prayer: "Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us; for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us. O most merciful redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, for your own sake." (prayer of St. Richard of Chichester, 13th century)                                            Psalm 105:16-21²⁰Then the king of Egypt set Joseph free ²¹and put him in charge of everything he owned.

 Saturday (3/6): "I will arise and go to my father"

Scripture:  Luke 15:1-3,11-32 ¹Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. ²So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, "This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them." ³Then Jesus told them this story: ¹¹Jesus also told them another story: Once a man had two sons. ¹²The younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property." So the father divided his property between his two sons. ¹³Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. ¹⁴He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat. …¹⁷Finally, he came to his senses… ….²⁰The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. ²¹The son said, "Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son." ²²But his father said to the servants, "… ²⁴This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found." And they began to celebrate. ²⁵The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants over and asked, "What's going on here?" ²⁷The servant answered, "Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill the best calf." ²⁸The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house. His father came out and begged him to go in. ²⁹But he said to his father, "For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends. ³⁰This other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast." ³¹His father replied, "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found." Old Testament Reading: Micah 7:14-15,18-20 Prayer: "Lord Jesus, may I never doubt your love nor take for granted the mercy you have shown to me. Fill me with your transforming love that I may be merciful as you are merciful."                                                                            Psalm 103:1-12 ¹With all my heart I praise the LORD, and with all that I am I praise his holy name! ²With all my heart I praise the LORD! I will never forget how kind he has been. ³The LORD forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick, ⁴and protects us from death. His kindness and love are a crown on our heads.

Sunday (3/7): "If it does not bear fruit, you can cut it down"

Gospel Reading:   Luke 13:1-9 ¹About this same time Jesus was told that Pilate had given orders for some people from Galilee to be killed while they were offering sacrifices. ²Jesus replied: Do you think that these people were worse sinners than everyone else in Galilee just because of what happened to them? ³Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don't turn back to God, every one of you will also be killed. ⁴What about those eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were worse than everyone else in Jerusalem? ⁵Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don't turn back to God, every one of you will also die.  ⁶Jesus then told them this story: A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. One day he went out to pick some figs, but he didn't find any. ⁷So he said to the gardener, "For three years I have come looking for figs on this tree, and I haven't found any yet. Chop it down! Why should it take up space?" ⁸The gardener answered, "Master, leave it for another year. I'll dig around it and put some manure on it to make it grow. ⁹Maybe it will have figs on it next year. If it doesn't, you can have it cut down." Old Testament Reading: Exodus 3:1-8,13-15

Meditation: God, in his mercy, gives us time to get right with him, but that time is now. We must not assume that there is no hurry. A sudden and unexpected death leaves one no time to prepare to settle one's accounts when he or she must stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. Jesus warns us that we must be ready at all times. Tolerating sinful habits and excusing unrepentant sin will result in bad fruit and eventual destruction. The Lord in his mercy gives us both grace and time to turn away from sin, but that time is right now. If we delay, even for a day, we may discover that grace has passed us by and our time is up. Do you hunger for the Lord's righteousness and holiness?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, increase my hunger for you that I may grow in righteousness and holiness. May I not squander the grace of the present moment to say "yes" to you and to your will and plan for my life."

Psalm 103:1-11 ¹With all my heart I praise the LORD, and with all that I am I praise his holy name! ²With all my heart I praise the LORD! I will never forget how kind he has been.

Monday (3/8):  Jesus' word of judgment

Gospel Reading:  Luke 4:24-30 ²⁴But you can be sure that no prophets are liked by the people of their own hometown. ²⁵Once during the time of Elijah there was no rain for three and a half years, and people everywhere were starving. There were many widows in Israel, ²⁶but Elijah was sent only to a widow in the town of Zarephath near the city of Sidon. ²⁷During the time of the prophet Elisha, many men in Israel had leprosy. But no one was healed, except Naaman who lived in Syria. ²⁸When the people in the meeting place heard Jesus say this, they became so angry ²⁹that they got up and threw him out of town. They dragged him to the edge of the cliff on which the town was built, because they wanted to throw him down from there. ³⁰But Jesus slipped through the crowd and got away.

Old Testament Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-15

Meditation: What can limit God's grace and power in our lives for change and transformation? Indifference and lack of faith for sure! The prophets confronted God's people with their indifference and unbelief. God's grace and mercy is offered freely to those who seek it with sincerity, repentance, and faith. When Naaman, a non-Jew went to Jerusalem to seek a cure, the prophet Elisha instructed him to bathe in the river. In faith he obeyed and was healed. The Lord offers us freedom and pardon and the grace to walk in his way of righteousness. His discipline is for our good that we may share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10). "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates reproof is stupid" (Proverbs 12:1).  Do you seek the Lord for instruction and help so you can grow in holiness?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, teach me to love your ways that I may be quick to renounce sin and willfulness in my life. May I delight to do your will."

Psalm 42:2-4 ²In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God. When will I see your face? ³Day and night my tears are my only food, as everyone keeps asking, "Where is your God?" ⁴Sorrow floods my heart, when I remember leading the worshipers to your house. I can still hear them shout their joyful praises.

Tuesday (3/9): "How often shall I forgive?"

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 18:21-35 ²¹Peter came up to the Lord and asked, "How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?" ²²Jesus answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! ²³This story will show you what the kingdom of heaven is like: One day a king decided to call in his officials and ask them to give an account of what they owed him. ²⁴As he was doing this, one official was brought in who owed him fifty million silver coins. ²⁵But he didn't have any money to pay what he owed. The king ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all he owned, in order to pay the debt. ²⁶The official got down on his knees and began begging, "Have pity on me, and I will pay you every cent I owe!" ²⁷The king felt sorry for him and let him go free. He even told the official that he did not have to pay back the money. ²⁸As the official was leaving, he happened to meet another official, who owed him a hundred silver coins. So he grabbed the man by the throat. He started choking him and said, "Pay me what you owe!" ²⁹The man got down on his knees and began begging, "Have pity on me, and I will pay you back." ³⁰But the first official refused to have pity. Instead, he went and had the other official put in jail until he could pay what he owed. ³¹When some other officials found out what had happened, they felt sorry for the man who had been put in jail. Then they told the king what had happened. ³²The king called the first official back in and said, "You're an evil man! When you begged for mercy, I said you did not have to pay back a cent. ³³Don't you think you should show pity to someone else, as I did to you?" ³⁴The king was so angry that he ordered the official to be tortured until he could pay back everything he owed. ³⁵That is how my Father in heaven will treat you, if you don't forgive each of my followers with all your heart.                                      Old Testament Reading: Daniel 3:25,34-43 (Deutero-canonical book) Meditation: If we understand God's love and accept it, than we have no other choice but to be merciful towards others as our heavenly Father is merciful towards us. Are you a peacemaker?                         Prayer: "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury let me sow pardon. Where there is doubt let me sow faith.  Where there is despair let me give hope. Where there is darkness let me give light. Where there is sadness let me give joy."  (Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi)                  Psalm 25:4-9 ⁴Show me your paths and teach me to follow; ⁵guide me by your truth and instruct me. You keep me safe, and I always trust you.

Wednesday (3/10): "Whoever relaxes one of the commandments "

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 5:17-19 ¹⁷Don't suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. ¹⁸Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen. ¹⁹If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom.                 Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9

Meditation: We are a new creation in Christ (2 Corin. 5:17) because "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). God gives us the grace to love as he loves, to forgive as he forgives, to think as he thinks, and to act as he acts. The Lord loves justice and goodness and he hates every form of wickedness and sin. He wants to set us free from our unruly desires and sinful habits, so that we can choose to live each day in the peace, joy, and righteousness of his Holy Spirit (Romans 14: 17). To renounce sin is to turn away from what is harmful and destructive for our minds and hearts, and our very lives. As his followers we must love and respect his commandments and hate every form of sin. Do you love and revere the commands of the Lord?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be according to your Father's law and thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty help."

Psalm 147:12-20 ¹²Everyone in Jerusalem, come and praise the LORD your God! ¹³He makes your city gates strong and blesses your people by giving them children. ¹⁴God lets you live in peace, and he gives you the very best wheat. ¹⁵As soon as God speaks, the earth obeys. ¹⁶He covers the ground with snow like a blanket of wool, and he scatters frost like ashes on the ground.

Thursday (3/11): "If it is by the finger of God"

Gospel Reading: Luke 11:14-23 ¹⁴Jesus forced a demon out of a man who could not talk. And after the demon had gone out, the man started speaking, and the crowds were amazed. ¹⁵But some people said, "He forces out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!" ¹⁶Others wanted to put Jesus to the test. So they asked him to show them a sign from God. ¹⁷Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said: A kingdom where people fight each other will end up in ruin. And a family that fights will break up. ¹⁸If Satan fights against himself, how can his kingdom last? Yet you say that I force out demons by the power of Beelzebul. ¹⁹If I use his power to force out demons, whose power do your own followers use to force them out? They are the ones who will judge you. ²⁰But if I use God's power to force out demons, it proves that God's kingdom has already come to you. ²¹When a strong man arms himself and guards his home, everything he owns is safe. ²²But if a stronger man comes and defeats him, he will carry off the weapons in which the strong man trusted. Then he will divide with others what he has taken. ²³If you are not on my side, you are against me. If you don't gather in the crop with me, you scatter it.                                                                                                   Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 7:23-28                                     Meditation: Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or against it. There are two kingdoms in opposition to one another – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God’s word, we open to door to the power of sin and Satan in our lives. If you want to live in freedom from sin and Satan, then your house – your life and all you possess –  must be occupied by Jesus where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. Is the Lord Jesus the Master of your home, heart, mind, and will?                                   Prayer: "O Lord, our God, grant us, we beseech you, patience in troubles, humility in comforts, constancy in temptations, and victory over all our spiritual foes. Grant us sorrow for our sins, thankfulness for your benefits, fear of your judgment, love of your mercies, and mindfulness of your presence; now and for ever."  (Prayer by John Cosin)                                                                                                              Psalm 95:1-9 ¹Sing joyful songs to the LORD! Praise the mighty rock where we are safe. ²Come to worship him with thankful hearts and songs of praise. ³The LORD is the greatest God, king over all other gods.

Friday (3/12): "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength"

Gospel Reading:  Mark 12:28-34 ²⁸One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, "What is the most important commandment?" ²⁹Jesus answered, "The most important one says: `People of Israel, you have only  one Lord and God. <sup>30</sup>You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.' <sup>31</sup>The second most important commandment says: `Love others as much as you love yourself.' No other commandment is more important than these." ³²The man replied, "Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God. ³³It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make." ³⁴When Jesus saw that the man had given a sensible answer, he told him, "You are not far from God's kingdom." After this, no one dared ask Jesus any more questions. Old Testament Reading: Hosea 14:2-9               Meditation: The Lord, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, gives us a new freedom to love as he loves. Do you allow anything to keep you from the love of God and the joy of serving others with a generous heart? Paul the Apostle says: hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Ro. 5:5). Do you know the love which conquers all?                                                                                          Prayer: "We love you, O our God; and we desire to love you more and more. Grant to us that we may love you as much as we desire, and as much as we ought. O dearest friend, who has so loved and saved us, the thought of whom is so sweet and always growing sweeter, come with Christ and dwell in our hearts; that you keep a watch over our lips, our steps, our deeds, and we shall not need to be anxious either for our souls or our bodies. Give us love, sweetest of all gifts, which knows no enemy. Give us in our hearts pure love, born of your love to us, that we may love others as you love us. O most loving Father of Jesus Christ, from whom flows all love, let our hearts, frozen in sin, cold to you and cold to others, be warmed by this divine fire. So help and bless us in your Son." (Prayer of Anselm, 12th century)

Psalm 81:6-16 ⁶"I lifted the burden from your shoulder and took the heavy basket from your hands. ⁷When you were in trouble, I rescued you, and from the thunderclouds, I answered your prayers. Later I tested you at Meribah Spring. ⁸"Listen, my people, while I, the Lord, correct you! Israel, if you would only pay attention to me!

Saturday (3/13): "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled"

Gospel Reading:  Luke 18:9-14 ⁹Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else: ¹⁰Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. ¹²I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn." ¹³The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, "God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner." ¹⁴Then Jesus said, "When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored."

Old Testament Reading: Hosea 6:1-6

Meditation: This parable presents both an opportunity and a warning. Pride leads to illusion and self-deception. Humility helps us to see ourselves as we really are and it inclines us to God's grace and mercy. God dwells with the humble of heart who recognize their own sinfulness and who acknowledge God's mercy and saving grace.  I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit (Isaiah 57:15). God cannot hear us if we despise others. Do you humbly seek God's mercy and do you show mercy to others, especially those you find difficult to love and to forgive?

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, may your love control my thoughts and actions that I may do what is pleasing to you. Show me where I lack charity, mercy, and forgiveness toward my neighbor.  And help me to be generous in giving to others what you have so generously given to me."

Psalm 51:1-4, 18-19 ¹You are kind, God! Please have pity on me. You are always merciful! Please wipe away my sins. ²Wash me clean from all of my sin and guilt. ³I know about my sins, and I cannot forget  my terrible guilt.

 Sunday (3/14): “I will arise and go to my father”

Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3,11-32 ¹Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. ²So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, "This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them." ³Then Jesus told them this story: ¹¹Jesus also told them another story: Once a man had two sons. ¹²The younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property." So the father divided his property between his two sons. ¹³Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. ¹⁴He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat. …¹⁷Finally, he came to his senses… ….²⁰The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. ²¹The son said, "Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son." ²²But his father said to the servants, "… ²⁴This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found." And they began to celebrate. ²⁵The older son had been out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants over and asked, "What's going on here?" ²⁷The servant answered, "Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill the best calf." ²⁸The older brother got so angry that he would not even go into the house. His father came out and begged him to go in. ²⁹But he said to his father, "For years I have worked for you like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends. ³⁰This other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast." ³¹His father replied, "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He was lost and has now been found."                      Old Testament Reading: Joshua 5:9-12

Meditation: God desires that none of his children should be separated from their true homeland in heaven with him.                                                        Prayer: "Lord Jesus, may I never doubt your love nor take for granted the mercy you have shown to me. Fill me with your transforming love that I may be merciful as you are merciful."                                                                           Psalm 34:2-7 ²With all my heart, I will praise the LORD. Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad. ³Honor the LORD with me! Celebrate his great name. ⁷If you honor the LORD, his angel will protect you.

Monday (3/15): "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe"

Gospel Reading:  John 4:43-54 ^43-44Jesus had said, "Prophets are honored everywhere, except in their own country." Then two days later he left ⁴⁵and went to Galilee. The people there welcomed him, because they had gone to the festival in Jerusalem and had seen everything he had done. ⁴⁶While Jesus was in Galilee, he returned to the village of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was an official in Capernaum whose son was sick. ⁴⁷And when the man heard that Jesus had come from Judea, he went and begged him to keep his son from dying. ⁴⁸Jesus told the official, "You won't have faith unless you see miracles and wonders!" ⁴⁹The man replied, "Lord, please come before my son dies!" ⁵⁰Jesus then said, "Your son will live. Go on home to him." The man believed Jesus and started back home. ⁵¹Some of the official's servants met him along the road and told him, "Your son is better!" ⁵²He asked them when the boy got better, and they answered, "The fever left him yesterday at one o'clock." ⁵³The boy's father realized that at one o'clock the day before, Jesus had told him, "Your son will live!" So the man and everyone in his family put their faith in Jesus. ⁵⁴This was the second miracle that Jesus worked after he left Judea and went to Galilee. Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 65:17-21

Meditation: If you seek the Lord with trust and expectant faith, he will not disappoint you. He will meet you more than half way and give you what you need. The Lord Jesus never refused anyone who put their trust in him. Surrender your doubts and fears, your pride and guilt at his feet, and trust in his saving word and healing love.

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, your love never fails and your mercy is unceasing. Give me the courage to surrender my stubborn pride, fear and doubts to your surpassing love, wisdom and knowledge. Make be strong in faith, persevering in hope, and constant in love."

Psalm 30:2-12 ²I prayed to you, LORD God, and you healed me, ³saving me from death and the grave. ⁴Your faithful people, LORD, will praise you with songs and honor your holy name. ⁵Your anger lasts a little while, but your kindness lasts for a lifetime. At night we may cry, but when morning comes we will celebrate. ⁶I was carefree and thought, "I'll never be shaken!"

Tuesday (3/16): "Walk and sin no more"

Gospel Reading:  John 5:1-16 ¹Later, Jesus went to Jerusalem for another Jewish festival. ²In the city near the sheep gate was a pool with five porches, and its name in Hebrew was Bethzatha. ^3-4Many sick, blind, lame, and crippled people were lying close to the pool. ⁵Beside the pool was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw the man and realized that he had been crippled for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to be healed?" ⁷The man answered, "Lord, I don't have anyone to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up. I try to get in, but someone else always gets there first." ⁸Jesus told him, "Pick up your mat and walk!" ⁹Right then the man was healed. He picked up his mat and started walking around. The day on which this happened was a Sabbath. ¹⁰When the Jewish leaders saw the man carrying his mat, they said to him, "This is the Sabbath! No one is allowed to carry a mat on the Sabbath." ¹¹But he replied, "The man who healed me told me to pick up my mat and walk." ¹²They asked him, "Who is this man that told you to pick up your mat and walk?" ¹³But he did not know who Jesus was, and Jesus had left because of the crowd. ¹⁴Later, Jesus met the man in the temple and told him, "You are now well. But don't sin anymore or something worse might happen to you." ¹⁵The man left and told the leaders that Jesus was the one who had healed him. ¹⁶They started making a lot of trouble for Jesus because he did things like this on the Sabbath.                  Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 47:1-9,12                                     Meditation: The Lord manifests his power and saving grace towards those who desire transformation of life in Christ. The Lord approaches each of us with the same probing question: “Do you really want to be changed, to be set free from the power of sin, and to be transformed in my holiness?”                                                                              Prayer: “Lord Jesus, put within my heart a burning desire to be changed and transformed in your holiness. Let your Holy Spirit change my heart and renew me in your love and righteousness.                          Psalm 46:2-9 ²And so, we won't be afraid! Let the earth tremble and the mountains tumble into the deepest sea. ³Let the ocean roar and foam, and its raging waves shake the mountains. ⁴A river and its streams bring joy to the city, which is the sacred home of God Most High. ⁵God is in that city, and it won't be shaken. He will help it at dawn. ⁶Nations rage! Kingdoms fall! But at the voice of God the earth itself melts. ⁷The LORD All-Powerful is with us.

   Wednesday (3/17): "My Father is working still, and I am working"

Gospel Reading: John 5:17-30 ¹⁷But Jesus said, "My Father has never stopped working, and that is why I keep on working." ¹⁸Now the leaders wanted to kill Jesus for two reasons. First, he had broken the law of the Sabbath. But even worse, he had said that God was his Father, which made him equal with God. ¹⁹Jesus told the people: I tell you for certain that the Son cannot do anything on his own. He can do only what he sees the Father doing, and he does exactly what he sees the Father do. ²⁰The Father loves the Son and has shown him everything he does. The Father will show him even greater things, and you will be amazed. ²¹Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants to. ²²The Father doesn't judge anyone, but he has made his Son the judge of everyone. ²³The Father wants all people to honor the Son as much as they honor him. When anyone refuses to honor the Son, that is the same as refusing to honor the Father who sent him. ²⁴I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life. ²⁵I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live! ²⁶The Father has the power to give life, and he has given that same power to the Son. ²⁷And he has given his Son the right to judge everyone, because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸Don't be surprised! The time will come when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Man, ²⁹and they will come out of their graves. Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned. ³⁰I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don't just try to please myself.                                             Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 49:8-15

Meditation: Jesus' words and actions reveal God's mercy and  justice. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah when he brings healing, restoration, and forgiveness to those who accept his divine message.                       Prayer: "Lord Jesus, increase my love for you and unite my heart and will with yours, that I may only seek and desire what is pleasing to you." Psalm 145:14-21 ¹⁴When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand. ¹⁵Everyone depends on you, and when the time is right, you provide them with food. ¹⁶By your own hand you satisfy the desires of all who live. ¹⁷Our LORD, everything you do is kind and thoughtful,

Thursday (3/18): The Father's witness

Gospel Reading:  John 5:31-47 ³¹If I speak for myself, there is no way to prove I am telling the truth. ³²But there is someone else who speaks for me, and I know what he says is true. ³³You sent messengers to John, and he told them the truth. ³⁴I don't depend on what people say about me, but I tell you these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵John was a lamp that gave a lot of light, and you were glad to enjoy his light for a while. ³⁶But something more important than John speaks for me. I mean the things that the Father has given me to do! All of these speak for me and prove that the Father sent me. ³⁷The Father who sent me also speaks for me, but you have never heard his voice or seen him face to face. ³⁸You have not believed his message, because you refused to have faith in the one he sent. ³⁹You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, ⁴⁰but you refuse to come to me for eternal life. ⁴¹I don't care about human praise, ⁴²but I do know that none of you love God. ⁴³I have come with my Father's authority, and you have not welcomed me. But you will welcome people who come on their own. ⁴⁴How could you possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don't care about praise that the only God can give! ⁴⁵Don't think that I will be the one to accuse you to the Father. You have put your hope in Moses, yet he is the very one who will accuse you. ⁴⁶Moses wrote about me, and if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me. ⁴⁷But if you don't believe what Moses wrote, how can you believe what I say?                                               Old Testament Reading: Exodus 32:7-14                                           Meditation: The Lord Jesus reveals to us the mind and heart of God. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit he opens our ears so that we may hear his voice and he fills our hearts and minds with the love and knowledge of God.                                                                                  Prayer: "Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may listen to your word attentively and obey it joyfully."                                             Psalm 106:19-23 ¹⁹At Horeb your people made and worshiped the statue ²⁰of a bull, instead of you, their glorious God. ²¹You worked powerful miracles to save them from Egypt, but they forgot about you ²²and the fearsome things you did at the Red Sea. ²³You were angry and started to destroy them, but Moses, your chosen leader, begged you not to do it.

Thursday (3/19): Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him

Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, ^12-16From the exile to the birth of Jesus, his ancestors were: Jehoiachin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim; Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah¹⁸This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding. ²⁰While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. ²¹Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."                                                                             Old Testament Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14-16
Meditation: God gives strength and guidance to those who seek his help, especially when we face trials, doubts, fears, perplexing circumstances, and what seems like insurmountable problems and challenges in our personal lives. God our heavenly Father has not left us alone, but has given us his only begotten Son Jesus as our savior, teacher, lord, and healer. Where do you need God's help and guidance? Ask the Lord to increase your faith and trust in his promises and in his guiding hand in your life.

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, you came to free us from the power of sin, fear, death, and Satan, and to heal and restore us to wholeness of life. May I always trust in your saving help, guidance, wisdom, and plan for my life". Psalm 89:2-5,27,29 ²I will tell them, "God's love can always be trusted, and his faithfulness lasts as long as the heavens." ³You said, "David, my servant, is my chosen one, and this is the agreement I made with him: ⁴David, one of your descendants will always be king." ⁵Our LORD, let the heavens now praise your miracles, and let all of your angels praise your faithfulness.

Saturday (3/20):  Reaction to Jesus' words

Gospel Reading:  John 7:40-53 ⁴⁰When the crowd heard Jesus say this, some of them said, "He must be the Prophet!" ⁴¹Others said, "He is the Messiah!" Others even said, "Can the Messiah come from Galilee? ⁴²The Scriptures say that the Messiah will come from the family of King David. Doesn't this mean that he will be born in David's hometown of Bethlehem?" ⁴³The people started taking sides against each other because of Jesus. ⁴⁴Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.  ⁴⁵When the temple police returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, they were asked, "Why didn't you bring Jesus here?" ⁴⁶They answered, "No one has ever spoken like that man!" ⁴⁷The Pharisees said to them, "Have you also been fooled? ⁴⁸Not one of the chief priests or the Pharisees has faith in him. ⁴⁹And these people who don't know the Law are under God's curse anyway." ⁵⁰Nicodemus was there at the time. He was a member of the council, and was the same one who had earlier come to see Jesus. He said, ⁵¹"Our Law doesn't let us condemn people before we hear what they have to say. We cannot judge them before we know what they have done." ⁵²Then they said, "Nicodemus, you must be from Galilee! Read the Scriptures, and you will find that no prophet is to come from Galilee."  ⁵³Everyone else went home,                                           Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 11:18-20                                  Meditation: There will often come a time when we have to take a stand for Christ and for the gospel. To stand for Jesus may provoke mockery or unpopularity. It may even entail  hardship, sacrifice, and suffering. There are fundamentally two choices we must choose between: to have our lives fueled by God’s selfless love for others or by our own self-centered love and selfish desires, to be loyal to God’s wise rule and kingdom laws or to the standards of a worldly kingdom opposed to God, to be servants of Jesus our Master or slaves of sin and Satan. Are you ready to stand for Jesus and to show him honor and loyalty whatever it may cost you?                                                  Prayer: "Lord Jesus, your gospel brings joy and freedom. May I be loyal to you always, even though it produce a cross on earth, that I may share in your crown in eternity".                                                  Psalm 7:2-12 ⁹You know every heart and mind, and you always do right. Now make violent people stop, but protect all of us who obey you.

Sunday: (March 21): "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again"

Gospel Reading:  John 8:1-11 ¹but Jesus walked out to the Mount of Olives. ²Then early the next morning he went to the temple. The people came to him, and he sat down and started teaching them. ³The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses brought in a woman who had been caught in bed with a man who wasn't her husband. They made her stand in the middle of the crowd. ⁴Then they said, "Teacher, this woman was caught sleeping with a man who isn't her husband. ⁵The Law of Moses teaches that a woman like this should be stoned to death! What do you say?" ⁶They asked Jesus this question, because they wanted to test him and bring some charge against him. But Jesus simply bent over and started writing on the ground with his finger. ⁷They kept on asking Jesus about the woman. Finally, he stood up and said, "If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!" ⁸Once again he bent over and began writing on the ground. ⁹The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest. Finally, Jesus and the woman were there alone. ¹⁰Jesus stood up and asked her, "Where is everyone? Isn't there anyone left to accuse you?" ¹¹"No sir," the woman answered. Then Jesus told her, "I am not going to accuse you either. You may go now, but don't sin anymore."                                                               Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21                                                         Meditation: God’s grace enables us to confront our sin for what it is – unfaithfulness to God, and to turn back to God with a repentant heart and a thankful spirit for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Do you know the joy of repentance and a clean conscience?                                                                Prayer: “God our Father, we find it difficult to come to you, because our knowledge of you is imperfect. In our ignorance we have imagined you to be our enemy; we have wrongly thought that you take pleasure in punishing our sins; and we have foolishly conceived you to be a tyrant over human life. But since Jesus came among us, he has shown that you are loving, that you are on our side against all that stunts life, and that our resentment against you was groundless. So we come to you, asking you to forgive our past ignorance, and wanting to know more and more of you and your forgiving love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Prayer of Saint Augustine) Psalm 126:1-6  ¹It seemed like a dream when the LORD brought us back to the city of Zion. ²We celebrated with laughter and joyful songs. In foreign nations it was said, "The LORD has worked miracles for his people."

Monday: (March 22): "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness"

Gospel Reading:  John 8:12-20 ¹²Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, "I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won't be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life." ¹³The Pharisees objected, "You are the only one speaking for yourself, and what you say isn't true!" ¹⁴Jesus replied: Even if I do speak for myself, what I say is true! I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don't know where I am from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge in the same way that everyone else does, but I don't judge anyone. ¹⁶If I did judge, I would judge fairly, because I would not be doing it alone. The Father who sent me is here with me. ¹⁷Your Law requires two witnesses to prove that something is true. ¹⁸I am one of my witnesses, and the Father who sent me is the other one. ¹⁹"Where is your Father?" they asked. "You don't know me or my Father!" Jesus answered. "If you knew me, you would know my Father." ²⁰Jesus said this while he was still teaching in the place where the temple treasures were stored. But no one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.                                                                             Old Testament Reading: Daniel 13:22-23 ²² Susanna sighed deeply, and said, “I am hemmed in on every side.  For if I do this thing, it is death for me; and if I do not, I shall not escape your hands. 23 I choose not to do it and to fall into your hands, rather than to sin in the sight of the Lord.

Meditation: The light which Jesus gives enables us to walk freely and confidently without stumbling in the darkness of sin and disbelief. His light warms our heart to the truth of God's love and it opens our vision to the reality of God's kingdom. Do you walk confidently in the light of God's truth and love?                                                      Prayer: "O gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord." (Prayer of Benedict of Nursia)

Psalm 23:1-6

Tuesday: (3/23): "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he"

Gospel Reading:  John 8:21-30 ²¹Jesus also told them, "I am going away, and you will look for me. But you cannot go where I am going, and you will die with your sins unforgiving." ²²The Jewish leaders asked, "Does he intend to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying we cannot go where he is going?" ²³Jesus answered, "You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don't. ²⁴That is why I said you will die with your sins unforgiving. If you don't have faith in me for who I am, you will die, and your sins will not be forgiven." ²⁵"Who are you?" they asked Jesus. Jesus answered, "I am exactly who I told you at the beginning. ²⁶There is a lot more I could say to condemn you. But the one who sent me is truthful, and I tell the people of this world only what I have heard from him." ²⁷No one understood that Jesus was talking to them about the Father. ²⁸Jesus went on to say, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know who I am. You will also know that I don't do anything on my own. I say only what my Father taught me. ²⁹The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him, and he will never leave me." ³⁰After Jesus said this, many of the people put their faith in him.                                                          Old Testament Reading: Numbers 21:4-9                                 Meditation: To fail to recognize Jesus and where he came from is to remain in spiritual darkness; to believe Jesus and his words is to walk in the joy and light of God's truth. There are certain opportunities in life that come and do not return. Each of us is given the opportunity to know and to accept Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. But that opportunity can be rejected and lost. Life here is limited and short, but how we live it has everlasting consequences. Do you take advantage of the present time to make room for God so that your life will count for eternity?                                                                             Prayer: "Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern our hearts and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words and deeds may be according to your Father's law and thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty help."                                     Psalm 102:2-3,16-21 ²Don't hide from me in my time of trouble. Pay attention to my prayer and quickly give an answer. ³My days disappear like smoke, and my bones are burning as though in a furnace.

Wednesday: (March 24): "The truth will make you free"

Gospel Reading:  John 8:31-42 ³¹Jesus told the people who had faith in him, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. ³²You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ³³They answered, "We are Abraham's children! We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?" ³⁴Jesus replied: I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! ³⁵And slaves don't stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. ³⁶If the Son gives you freedom, you are free! ³⁷I know that you are from Abraham's family. Yet you want to kill me, because my message isn't really in your hearts. ³⁸I am telling you what my Father has shown me, just as you are doing what your father has taught you. ³⁹The people said to Jesus, "Abraham is our father!" Jesus replied, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did. ⁴⁰Instead, you want to kill me for telling you the truth that God gave me. Abraham never did anything like that. ⁴¹But you are doing exactly what your father does." "Don't accuse us of having someone else as our father!" they said. "We just have one father, and he is God." ⁴²Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and only from him. He sent me. I did not come on my own.                                                                        Old Testament Reading: Daniel 3:14-20,91-92,95                   Meditation: A disciple is a follower and a listener. If we want to follow Christ and live as his disciples, then we must listen to the words of Jesus, with a humble and teachable spirit. As we listen with faith and obey with trust, Christ himself gives us grace – the enabling power of his Holy Spirit – to live, think, and act in the truth of his word. Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change your life and to set you free to walk in Christ's way of love and holiness?                                    Prayer: "Lord Jesus, write your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a diligent student and a worthy disciple of your word." Psalm 18: 25-27 ²⁵You are always loyal to your loyal people, and you are faithful to the faithful. ²⁶With all who are sincere, you are sincere, but you treat the unfaithful as their deeds deserve. ²⁷You rescue the humble, but you put down all who are proud.

Thursday (3/25): "For with God nothing will be impossible"

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38  ²⁶One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee ²⁷with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. ²⁸The angel greeted Mary and said, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you." ²⁹Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. ³⁰Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, ³¹and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. ³³He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end." ³⁴Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen? I am not married!" ³⁵The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. ³⁶Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. ³⁷Nothing is impossible for God!" ³⁸Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her.                                                                 Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.” (Isaiah 7:14-15)                                                      Meditation: God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace? Prayer: "Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified "yes" to your will and plan for my life." Psalm 40:7-11   ¹¹You, LORD, never fail to have pity on me; your love and faithfulness always keep me secure.

Friday: (March 26): "I am the Son of God"

Gospel Reading:  John 10:31-42 ³¹Once again the Jewish leaders picked up stones in order to kill Jesus. ³²But he said, "I have shown you many good things that my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?" ³³They answered, "We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!" ³⁴Jesus replied: In your Scriptures doesn't God say, "You are gods"? ³⁵You can't argue with the Scriptures, and God spoke to those people and called them gods. ³⁶So why do you accuse me of a terrible sin for saying that I am the Son of God? After all, it is the Father who prepared me for this work. He is also the one who sent me into the world. ³⁷If I don't do as my Father does, you should not believe me. ³⁸But if I do what my Father does, you should believe because of that, even if you don't have faith in me. Then you will know for certain that the Father is one with me, and I am one with the Father. ³⁹Again they wanted to arrest Jesus. But he escaped ⁴⁰and crossed the Jordan to the place where John had earlier been baptizing. While Jesus was there, ⁴¹many people came to him. They were saying, "John didn't work any miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true." ⁴²A lot of those people also put their faith in Jesus.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13

Meditation: Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?                                  Prayer: "Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only."                                                                                                  Psalm 18:2-6 ²You are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector, the rock where I am safe, my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter. ³I praise you, LORD! I prayed, and you rescued me from my enemies. ⁴Death had wrapped its ropes around me, and I was almost swallowed by its flooding waters.

Saturday (March 27):  They took counsel how to put him to death

Gospel Reading:  John 11:45-56 ⁴⁵Many of the people who had come to visit Mary saw the things that Jesus did, and they put their faith in him. ⁴⁶Others went to the Pharisees and told what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, "What should we do? This man is working a lot of miracles. ⁴⁸If we don't stop him now, everyone will put their faith in him. Then the Romans will come and destroy our temple and our nation." ⁴⁹One of the council members was Caiaphas, who was also high priest that year. He spoke up and said, "You people don't have any sense at all! ⁵⁰Don't you know it is better for one person to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?" ⁵¹Caiaphas did not say this on his own. As high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation. ⁵²Yet Jesus would not die just for the Jewish nation. He would die to bring together all of God's scattered people. ⁵³From that day on, the council started making plans to put Jesus to death. ⁵⁴Because of this plot against him, Jesus stopped going around in public. He went to the town of Ephraim, which was near the desert, and he stayed there with his disciples. ⁵⁵It was almost time for Passover. Many of the Jewish people who lived out in the country had come to Jerusalem to get themselves ready for the festival. ⁵⁶They looked around for Jesus. Then when they were in the temple, they asked each other, "You don't think he will come here for Passover, do you?"                                                                          Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 37:21-28                            Meditation: Brethren, let us then fearlessly acknowledge, and even openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us; let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory."The way to glory and victory for us is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to take up your cross and follow Christ in his way of victory?                   Prayer: "Lord Jesus, may we your disciples be ever ready to lay down our lives in conformity to your will, to willingly suffer and die for you, that we may also share in your victory and glory."                                      Psalm 22:1, 6-10     ¹⁰From the day I was born, I have been in your care, and from the time of my birth, you have been my God.

Palm Sunday (March 28): "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"

Gospel Reading: Luke 19:28-40  ²⁸When Jesus had finished saying all this, he went on toward Jerusalem. ²⁹As he was getting near Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead. ³⁰He told them, "Go into the next village, where you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks why you are doing that, just say, `The Lord needs it.' " ³²They went off and found everything just as Jesus had said. ³³While they were untying the donkey, its owners asked, "Why are you doing that?" ³⁴They answered, "The Lord needs it." ³⁵Then they led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back and helped Jesus get on. ³⁶And as he rode along, the people spread clothes on the road in front of him. ³⁷When Jesus was starting down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. ³⁸They shouted, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God." ³⁹Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!" ⁴⁰But Jesus answered, "If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting."                                                                                                        Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;  I hid not my face  from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded;  therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame                                                          Meditation: Jesus Christ came to bring us the kingdom of God.  He is the true King who offers peace, joy, and everlasting life for those who accept his kingship.  Does the King of glory find a welcome entry in your heart and home?  And do your walls echo with the praise of his glory?     Prayer: "Lord Jesus, be the King and Ruler of my heart, mind, life, and home.  May my life reflect your meekness and humility that you may be honored as the King of glory!"                                                                                               Psalm 24:3-10 ³Who may climb the LORD's hill or stand in his holy temple? ⁴Only those who do right for the right reasons, and don't worship idols or tell lies under oath. ⁵The LORD God, who saves them, will bless and reward them, ⁶because they worship and serve the God of Jacob. ⁷Open the ancient gates, so that the glorious king may come in. ⁸Who is this glorious king? He is our LORD, a strong and mighty warrior.

Monday (March 29): Extravagant love for Jesus

Gospel Reading: John 12:1-11 ¹Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus from death. ²A meal had been prepared for Jesus. Martha was doing the serving, and Lazarus himself was there. ³Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it on Jesus' feet. She wiped them with her hair, and the sweet smell of the perfume filled the house. ⁴A disciple named Judas Iscariot was there. He was the one who was going to betray Jesus, and he asked, ⁵"Why wasn't this perfume sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?" ⁶Judas did not really care about the poor. He asked this because he carried the moneybag and sometimes would steal from it. ⁷Jesus replied, "Leave her alone! She has kept this perfume for the day of my burial. ⁸You will always have the poor with you, but you won't always have me."  ⁹A lot of people came when they heard that Jesus was there. They also wanted to see Lazarus, because Jesus had raised him from death. ¹⁰So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus. ¹¹He was the reason that many of the Jewish leaders were turning from them and putting their faith in Jesus.                                 Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 42:1-7

Meditation: The Lord Jesus showed us the extravagance of his love in giving the best he had by pouring out his own blood for our sake and by anointing us with his Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul says that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39). Do you allow the love of Christ to rule in all your thoughts and intentions, and in all your words and deeds?

Prayer: "Give us, Lord, a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of you. Take from us all lack of passion in meditation, dullness in prayer. Give us fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace, your tender compassion towards me. The things we pray for, good Lord, give us grace to labor for: through Jesus Christ our Lord."  (Prayer of Sir Thomas More, 16th century)                                                Psalm 27:1-3,13-14  ¹You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe. I am not afraid of anyone. You protect me, and I have no fears.

 Tuesday (March 30): Betrayal and faltering loyalty to Jesus

Gospel Reading: John 13:21-38 ²¹After Jesus had said these things, he was deeply troubled and told his disciples, "I tell you for certain that one of you will betray me." ²²They were confused about what he meant. And they just stared at each other. ²³Jesus' favorite disciple was sitting next to him at the meal, ²⁴and Simon motioned for that disciple to find out which one Jesus meant. ²⁵So the disciple leaned toward Jesus and asked, "Lord, which one of us are you talking about?" ²⁶Jesus answered, "I will dip this piece of bread in the sauce and give it to the one I was talking about." Then Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷Right then Satan took control of Judas. Jesus said, "Judas, go quickly and do what you have to do." ²⁸No one at the meal understood what Jesus meant. ²⁹But because Judas was in charge of the money, some of them thought that Jesus had told him to buy something they needed for the festival. Others thought that Jesus had told him to give some money to the poor. ³⁰Judas took the piece of bread and went out. It was already night.  ³¹After Judas had gone, Jesus said: Now the Son of Man will be given glory, and he will bring glory to God. ³²Then, after God is given glory because of him, God will bring glory to him, and God will do it very soon. ³³My children, I will be with you for a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won't find me. I tell you just as I told the people, "You cannot go where I am going." ³⁴But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. ³⁵If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples. ³⁶Simon Peter asked, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "You can't go with me now, but later on you will." ³⁷Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I go with you now? I would die for you!" ³⁸"Would you really die for me?" Jesus asked. "I tell you for certain that before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't even know me."        Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6 Meditation: The Holy Spirit will give us grace and strength in our time of testing. If we submit to Jesus we will walk in the light of his truth and love. If we turn our backs on him we will stumble and fall in the ways of sin and darkness. Are you ready to follow Jesus in his way of the cross?            Prayer: "Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy thought can drag downwards; an unconquered heart which no tribulation can wear out; an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.  Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord."  (Prayer of Thomas Aquinas) Psalm 71:1-6,15,17 ¹I run to you, LORD, for protection. Don't disappoint me.

Wednesday (March 31): The tragedy of the betrayal

Gospel Reading: Matthew 26:14-25 ¹⁴Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests ¹⁵and asked, "How much will you give me if I help you arrest Jesus?" They paid Judas thirty silver coins, ¹⁶and from then on he started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus. ¹⁷On the first day of the Festival of Thin Bread, Jesus' disciples came to him and asked, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal?" ¹⁸Jesus told them to go to a certain man in the city and tell him, "Our teacher says, `My time has come! I want to eat the Passover meal with my disciples in your home.' " ¹⁹They did as Jesus told them and prepared the meal. ^20-21When Jesus was eating with his twelve disciples that evening, he said, "One of you will surely hand me over to my enemies." ²²The disciples were very sad, and each one said to Jesus, "Lord, you can't mean me!" ²³He answered, "One of you men who has eaten with me from this dish will betray me. ²⁴The Son of Man will die, as the Scriptures say. But it's going to be terrible for the one who betrays me! That man would be better off if he had never been born." ²⁵Judas said, "Teacher, you surely don't mean me!" "That's what you say!" Jesus replied. But later, Judas did betray him.       Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9 Meditation: Jesus knew beforehand what would befall him. As Jesus ate the passover meal with his twelve apostles he put them under trial and suspicion (one of you will betray me) to teach them to examine themselves rightly, lest they be highminded and think themselves more strong than they were. We, also must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and grace and ask him to strengthen us in faith, hope, and love that we may not fail him or forsake him when we are tempted. Do you pray with confidence in the words Jesus gave us to pray: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13)?                     Prayer: "God our Father, we are exceedingly frail and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking.  Strengthen our weakness, we beseech you, that we may do valiantly in this spiritual war; help us against our own negligence and cowardice, and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts; for Jesus Christ's sake."  (Prayer of Thomas a Kempis)                                                                                                                Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31-34 ³³The LORD will listen when the homeless cry out, and he will never forget his people in prison. ³⁴Heaven and earth will praise our God, and so will the oceans and everything in them.