Lenten Meditations: Thursday 22 February 2024
am: 50, 59, 60 pm: 19, 46 | Gen 39:1-23 | 1 Cor 2:14-3:15 | Mark2:1-12 | |
Thur
Feb 22 |
||||
FIRST THURSDAY OF LENT – St Margaret of Cortona, Founded a Religious Community, 1247.
LITURGICAL THEME OF THE DAY: Margaret was born in Tuscany. Her mother died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult that Margaret moved out. though not married, and she bore a son. She entered into a life of penance. going to t to Cortona, where her son eventually became a friar, Margaret herself became a Franciscan tertiary. Under the direction of her confessor, who sometimes had to order her to moderate her self-denial, she pursued a life of prayer and penance at Cortona. There she established a hospital and founded a congregation of tertiary sisters. The poor and humble Margaret was, like Francis, devoted to the Eucharist and the passion of Jesus. These devotions fueled her great charity and drew sinners to her for advice and inspiration
MEDITATION OF THE DAY: Genesis 39 explains the importance of integrity for in this passage we again see the faithfulness of Joseph. He remains faithful to His God, and to himself, in the face of some problems that would cause many others to fail.pr He shows that with the presence and power of God in his life, he can overcome evil temptation. A godly person who loves God doesn’t want to displease God. This is timely in our world today as it is not just a story of long ago and far away/ As we pass through this life many situations will arise that have the potential to throw us off course. The world, the flesh, and the devil will all conspire to get us to quit on God. They will do everything in their power to cause us to drop out or to fall far short of our potential. God wants us to be faithful. The greatest thing that can ever be said about you and me, as far as our walk with the Lord is concerned, is that we were faithful. This story should inspire us anew.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: Father in Heaven, ever-living source of all that is good,
keep me faithful in serving You. Help me to drink of Christ’s Truth, and fill my heart with His Love so that I may serve You in faith and love and reach eternal life. Keep me in Your presence. Let me never be separated from You and help me to do Your Will. AMEN
LENTEN DISCIPLINE –. In the spirit of Joseph commit to acts of generosity to those who have betrayed you and turned against you anonymously.
LENTEN LYRICS: Close Every Door to Me from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” — C.S. Lewis