José Alberto Rincón, L.C.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Christ, our King, Thy Kingdom come!
Preparatory prayer (to put me in the presence of God)
Lord, may my ears always remain open to your voice, which reminds me from eternity of the greatness of your love.
Gospel of the day (to guide your meditation)
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 23:23-26
At that time, Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you pay tithes of mint, dill, and cummin, but neglect the most important matters of the law, namely, justice, mercy, and faithfulness! This is what you should have practiced, without neglecting the other. Blind guides, you strain out the gnat, but swallow the camel!"
”Woe to you, scribes and hypocritical Pharisees, who clean the outside of the cups and plates, while inside they are dirty with your greed and covetousness! Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of the cup first, and then the outside will also be clean.".
Word of the Lord.
Meditate on what God tells you in the Gospel
When reading these words from Jesus, we can't help but feel something move within us. Our conscience immediately leads us to see if this claim also applies to us. One of two things: either we breathe a sigh of relief, convincing ourselves that we are immaculate; or we worry, aware that we have failed multiple times. Which one is correct? Neither. Or both. It depends on how we see it.
It is true that we are sinners, some more than others. It is also true that we easily forget the things that truly matter, and we get too caught up in trivial, not to say openly absurd, things. Perhaps we don't take care of mint, anise, and cumin, but we do take care of harmful comments, possessions, and reputation. We have changed the objects of our devotion, but the attitude remains the same. But not everything ends here. Upon reviewing our lives, we observe that there is also goodness within us. We have not done everything wrong, nor have we always forgotten what matters. There are memories of justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Not all is lost.
So, yes: we are like those scribes and Pharisees, but not only that! By suffering for us, Christ took upon His shoulders all those instances of contempt and indifference, purified them with His blood, and presented them on the cross as a pleasing offering to the Father. Therein lies the entire difference. The scribes and Pharisees did not hear a rebuke, but a cry. They heard the cry of love, which reminded them where their hearts ought to be. Sadly, they did not know how to interpret that cry.
You and I still can. Let's accept that invitation! Let us be transformed by the voice of the guide who knows all the paths! Let us ask Him to cleanse our clay vessels from within! Let us believe in love, let us believe Love, and we will cease to be blind.
«Today's Gospel reading invites us, therefore, to reflect on the profound meaning of having faith, which consists of completely trusting in the Lord. It is about tearing down worldly idols to open our hearts to the living and true God; only He can give our existence that longed-for and yet so hard-to-achieve fullness. Brothers and sisters, there are many, even in our days, who present themselves as purveyors of happiness: they come and promise success in a short time, great gains within reach, magical solutions for every problem, and so on. And here it is easy to fall without realizing it into the sin against the first commandment, that is, idolatry, replacing God with an idol. Idolatry and idols seem like things of the past, but in reality, they are of all times! Also of today. They describe some contemporary attitudes better than many sociological analyses.»
(Homily of H.H. Francis, February 17, 2019)
Dialogue with Christ
This is the most important part of your prayer, prepare yourself to talk with much love with the One who loves you.
Purpose
Propose a personal one. The one that involves the most love in response to the Beloved... or, if you believe that this is what God is asking of you, live what is suggested below.
During the day, when I notice my heart filling with unnecessary distractions, I will take a moment to lift my gaze to Heaven and recenter myself on the only one who truly matters.
Farewell
We thank You, Lord, for all Your benefits, You who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Christ, our King!
Thy Kingdom come!
Most prudent Virgin, Mary, Mother of the Church.
Pray for us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
