Thanking God for Spring (Together)
Thanking God for Spring (together)
As the earth once again turns to face the sun we rejoice in this season of Spring. We give thanks, O God, that each day grows longer in light and that the earth has been liberated from the grip of winter.
We remember the resurrection of Your Son Jesus from the depths of death’s decay in the tomb, we lift our hearts to You in gratitude. We thank You for the gift of a day and all the graces it holds.
We ask for the grace, O God, to live in a new way. Grant us fresh dreams and new visions. May this day come upon us like Spring herself, so that our hearts may be filled with hope.
May we thus taste more deeply the joys of simply being alive. May we find the countless hidden treasures that You have scattered throughout this day and season! May Your peace rest upon all the members of the earthen family with whom You have made us one. Amen.
Three Pillars of Lent
1. Prayer (Matthew 6, 6:5 – 6:15)
6:5"When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most assuredly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
6:6But you, when you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
6:7In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
6:8Therefore don't be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.
6:9Pray like this: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
6:10Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
6:11Give us today our daily bread.
6:12Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
6:13Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.'
6:14"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
6:15But if you don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
2. Fasting/Sacrificing (Matthew 6, 6:16 – 6:18)
6:16"Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most assuredly I tell you, they have received their reward.
6:17But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;
6:18so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
3. Alms Giving/Acts of Charity (Matthew 6, 6:1 – 6:4)
6:1"Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
6:2Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most assuredly I tell you, they have received their reward.
6:3But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does,
6:4so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
a) Alms Giving/Acts of Charity; Concern and Service to the Poor (Matthew 25, 31-46)
31'When the Son ofmancomes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then hewilltake his seat on his throneof glory.
32All nationswillbe assembled before him and hewillseparate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats.
33Hewillplace the sheep on hisrighthand and the goats on his left.
34Then the Kingwillsay to those on hisrighthand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since thefoundationof the world.
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome,
36lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me."
37Then the uprightwillsay to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you?
39When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?"
40And the Kingwillanswer, "IntruthI tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."
41Then hewillsay to those on his left hand, "Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for thedeviland his angels.
42For I was hungry and you never gave me food, I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink,
43I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, lacking clothes and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me."
44Then itwillbe their turn to ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or lacking clothes, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?"
45Then hewillanswer, "IntruthI tell you, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me."
46And theywillgo away to eternal punishment, and the upright to eternal life.'
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Reflections
1) During this Lent, how have you experienced God calling you to bring hope and healing to those who are hurting? How might you act on such a call?
2) Think of an instance in which you literally needed someone to comfort you and/or your family. Are you vulnerable enough to ask for help?
“Everything a baptized person does each day should be directly or indirectly related to the corporal and spiritual work of mercy”
~Dorothy Day
“What we give to the poor for Christ’s sake is what we carry with us when we die”
~Fr. Robert Barron
Closing Prayer
Leader: Dearly beloved, theapostlePaul has said: "If we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified with Him. Therefore whoever participates in the sufferings of our Redeemer enjoys the sure and certainhopeof the gloryHe has promised." Hail, O Cross,
All: You are the onlyhopeof man.
Leader: Let us pray. God, all powerful, look upon this staffwith kindness: may your generous bounty take care of our bodies and Your solicitude watch over our souls. This we ask of You through ourLordJesusChrist, Your Son.
All: Amen.