2ND WEEK OF LENT
Psalter: Week 2 / (Violet)
Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 & 23
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
1st Reading: Is 1:10, 16-20
Hear the warning of Yahweh, rulers of Sodom. Listen to the word of God, people of Gomorrah.”
Wash and make yourselves clean. Remove from my sight the evil of your deeds. Put an end to your wickedness and learn to do good. Seek justice and keep in line the abusers; give the fatherless their rights and defend the widow.”
“Come,” says Yahweh, “let us reason together. Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be white as snow; though they be as crimson red, they will be white as wool.
If you will obey me, you will eat the goods of the earth; but if you resist and rebel, the sword will eat you instead.” Truly Yahweh has spoken.
Gospel: Mt 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have sat down on the chair of Moses. So you shall do and observe all they say; but do not do as they do, for they do not do what they say. They tie up heavy burdens and load them on the shoulders of the people, but they do not even lift a finger to move them. They do everything in order to be seen by people: they wear very wide bands of the law around their foreheads, and robes with large tassels. They enjoy the first places at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and they like being greeted in the marketplace, and being called ‘Master’ by the people.
But you, do not let yourselves be called Master, because you have only one Master, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Neither should you call anyone on earth Father, because you have only one Father, he who is in heaven. Nor should you be called Leader, because Christ is the only Leader for you. Let the greatest among you be the servant of all. For whoever makes himself great shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be made great.
Reflections
THOSE WHO EXALT THEMSELVES WILL BE HUMBLED; THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED
Jesus never tires of exhorting his disciples to be humble. He reminds them of this on many occasions. He warned the sons of Zebedee against aspiring for high positions. He related the story of the Pharisee and the Publican to illustrate this truism. He gave an object lesson of this when he washed the feet of the apostles. He reverses the world’s idea of greatness by saying that the greatest should be the servant of all. But the ego can be very wily. It can insinuate itself even in humility. There is a phrase “humility with a hook” meaning you put on a humble mien so people can admire your humility. There is a false humility when we deprecate ourselves so that people will contradict us and say the opposite. One can be proud of being humble. Perhaps the basis for true humility is a realistic self-knowledge and a conscious self-acceptance. So one does not underestimate or overestimate oneself. One recognizes one’s gifts and uses them for the good. But one is also conscious of one’s limitations and “does not bite more than one can chew” Lord, help us to really know and accept ourselves and give us the grace to be authentically humble.
Daily Reflection 2018
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
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