Third Week of Lent | 2020

Morning Reflection

March 15 - March 21 marks the Third week of Lent leading up to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

These are a few areas to think about in this season of Lent.

The Presence of God
I remind myself that, as I sit here now, God is gazing at me with love and holding me in being.
I pause for a moment and think of this.

Freedom
"There are very few people who realize what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves into his hands, and let themselves be formed by his grace" (Saint Ignatius). I ask for the grace to trust myself totally to God's love.

Consciousness
Where do I sense hope, encouragement, and growth in my life? By looking back over the past few months, I may be able to see which activities and occasions have produced rich fruit. If I do notice such areas, I will determine to give those areas both time and space in the future.


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Evening Reflection

The Word
Lord Jesus, you became human to communicate with me.

Matthew 18:21-35

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Q: Was Jesus' point to forgive your brother or sister counting up to 77 times then start taking matters into your own hands?

A: No

7 symbolizes the number of perfection and completeness.

Jesus is saying we ought to forgive our brothers and sisters perfectly, and after than, over and abundantly - hence 70x7 times!

Q: Is there someone you need to say sorry to? 

I find it easier to first verbally say sorry to God for what I've done to the person. After coming before God in confession, I try to lookout for opportunity to say or show of my remorse and contrition by asking and allowing the Holy Spirit to work within me through prayer.

Q: Is there anyone you need to forgive? 

Maybe you don't really want to, but you are reminded in Matt 6:12-15 that Jesus taught you to ask Him for forgiveness and also forgiving those who sinned against you. And if you don't, the promise is that the Father in heaven will also not forgive your sins. I find it easier when I first bring this to God by saying a prayer asking God to help me forgive this person. After repeating this prayer a few times, my heart begins to soften and the Holy Spirit enables me to come to that point of releasing forgiveness, not once and for all... But countless times after that. Until the root of bitterness is uprooted from my heart.

End the night with a prayer for forgiveness before God for my sins and a prayer of releasing forgiveness to the ones who have sinned against you.

"And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors"


P.s. Happy Birthday Daddy, I miss you.