MONDAY, THIRD WEEK OF LENT Go and wash...and your flesh will heal. (2 Kings 5:10) Reflection. Although I know well, Margaret, that because of my past wickedness I deserve to be abandoned by God, I cannot but trust in his merciful goodness. His grace has strengthened me until now and made me content to lose goods, land, and life as well, rather than to swear against my conscience. Gods grace has given the king a gracious frame of mind toward me, so that as yet he has taken from me nothing but my liberty. In doing this His Majesty has done me such great good with respect to spiritual profit that I trust that among all the great benefits he has heaped so abundantly upon me I count my imprisonment the very greatest. I cannot, therefore, mistrust the grace of God. By the merits of his bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit for me all that I can suffer myself, his bounteous goodness shall release me from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my reward in heaven besides. I will not mistrust him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how Saint Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Christ and pray to him for help. And then I trust he shall place his holy hand on me and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning. And finally, Margaret, I know this well: that without my fault he will not let me be lost. I shall, therefore, with good hope commit myself wholly to him. And if he permits me to perish for my faults, then I shall serve as praise for his justice. But in good faith, Meg, I trust that his tender pity shall keep my poor soul safe and make me commend his mercy. And, therefore, my own good daughter, do not let you mind be troubled over anything that shall happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be the best. -- a letter by St Thomas More to his daughter Margaret Lenten Question. Q: Are wedding permitted during Lent? A: The rite of marriage does not forbid weddings during Lent but reminds couples that the celebration should be consistent with the special nature of this penitential season. The customary feasting associated with weddings is difficult to harmonize with the lenten fast. Similarly, the floral decorations and festive music, which are usual at church weddings, are out of place during Lent. The wedding Mass with its proper Scripture readings is not permit¬ted on the Sundays of Lent, during Holy Week, or during the Triduum. --Rev. Paul J. Niemann Lenten Action. Forgive one who has betrayed you and ask forgiveness from one you have betrayed. Prayer. Jesus, may we know that when a person is forgiven and begins to walk in the path of righteousness he will go on to become the recipient of many spiritual blessings. May this be the inheritance of every true believer. Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 01:49:29 +0000
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