Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY
Psalter: Week 4 / (Viole)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 1: 1-2, 3, 4, 6: Blessed are they who hope in the Lord
1st Reading: Deuteronomy 30: 15-20
See, I set before you on this day life and good, evil and death. I command you to love Yahweh, your God and follow his ways. Observe his commandments, his norms and his laws, and you will live and increase, and Yahweh will give you his blessing in the land you are going to possess. But if your heart turns away and does not listen, if you are drawn away and bow before other gods to serve them, I declare on this day that you shall perish. You shall not last in the land you are going to occupy on the other side of the Jordan.
Let the heavens and the earth listen, that they may be witnesses against you. I have set before you, life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life that you and your descendants may live, loving Yahweh, listening to his voice, and being one with him. In this is life for you and length of days in the land which Yahweh swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Gospel: Luke 9: 22-25
And he added, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the law, and be put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life.”
Jesus also said to all the people, “If you wish to be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day, and follow me! For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.
What does it profit you to gain the whole world, if you destroy or damage yourself?
REFLECTION:
“A steadfast heart.”
In this season of Lent, we pray for the grace that we may be given a heart that is steadfast. A steadfast heart is the one that can endure daily difficulties. Unwavering.
The Book of Deuteronomy, in the first reading, invites us to love the Lord through the decisions we make every day – between life and death, between blessing and curse.
This passage from Deuteronomy invites us to have a steadfast heart, one that listens and does not turn away from the Lord. Today’s Gospel narrates the condition of discipleship in the context of the Lucan version of the first prediction of Jesus’ passion.
The challenge to whoever wishes to follow Jesus is self-denial and the taking up of one’s cross daily. Daily connotes a certain duration. Daily implies endurance. Taking up one’s cross every day indicates challenges that go even beyond this season of Lent.
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