Wednesday, March 8, 2023

- March 02, 2023

Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent

International Women's Day

Genesis, Chapter 50, Verse 15

Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became FEARFUL and thought, “Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now most certainly will pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!”

Joseph’s reaction to his brothers was complete confidence in God. “Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people” (v. 20) When we are fearful we are showing a lack of confidence in God.

God asks us to boldly go where no man has gone before…for a man must be heroic to live always in faith, hope, and love. Joseph believed and had confidence in a God he could not see. We are the receivers of this confidence and blessed are we that we can see God the Father through His son Jesus. Jesus asks us to believe in His love. His love calls for love. How do you give Jesus love for love? Be great in your faith; before all and above all, by your confidence in Him. Therefore we must have confidence, not in spite of our miseries, but because of them, since it is misery which attracts mercy. We must be as confident as the good thief at the crucifixion. The good thief also teaches us humility and confidence. A whole life of crimes, a whole life of sin: a few minutes before dying, one word of humility and confidence, and he is saved. Be confident that God will save you: How many young people have lost the Faith, not from having fallen, but from not having been helped, with love, to pick themselves up again as many times as was necessary. Jesus needs nothing but your humility and your confidence to work marvels of purification and sanctification in you. It is this confidence which works all miracles.[1]

Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent[2]

Prayer. regard Thy people, O Lord, we beseech Thee, and grant that we, whom Thou commandath to abstain from carnal food, may also cease from hurtful vices.

EPISTLE. Esther xiii. 9-17.

In those days Mardochai prayed to the Lord, saying: Oh, Lord, Almighty King, for all things are in Thy power, and there is none that can resist Thy will, if Thou determine to save Israel. Thou hast made heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven. Thou art Lord of all, and there is none that can resist Thy majesty. Thou knowest all things, and Thou knowest that it was not out of pride and contempt, or any desire of glory, that I refused to worship the proud Arnan. (For I would willingly and readily for the salvation of Israel have kissed even the steps of his feet.) But I feared lest I should transfer the honor of my God to a man, and lest I should adore anyone except my God. And now, O Lord, O King, O God of Abraham, have mercy on Thy people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us, and extinguish Thy inheritance. Despise not Thy portion, which Thou hast redeemed for Thy self out of Egypt. Hear my supplication, and be merciful to Thy lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise Thy name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of them that sing to Thee, O Lord our God.

GOSPEL. Matt. xx. 17-28.

At that time: Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death. And they shall deliver Him to the gentiles to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and the third day He shall rise again. Then came to Him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of Him. Who said to her: What wilt thou?

She saith to Him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left, in Thy kingdom. But Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?

They say to Him: We can. He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink but to sit on My right or left hand, is not Mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by My Father. And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them to Him and said: You know that the princes of the gentile’s lord it over them: and they that are the greater exercise power upon them. It shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister. And he that will be first among you, shall be your servant. Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a redemption for many.

Lenten Calendar

Read: During Lent, it is important for us to remember the corporal works of mercy, which are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others: as if they were Christ in disguise.

Reflect: What small changes would allow you to perform corporal works of mercy: Can you allocate your time differently, so you have a couple extra hours to volunteer? Do you discard food that could instead be donated to a local soup kitchen? When was the last time you participated in a blood drive?

Pray: With mercy on your mind.

Act: Pick one of the seven corporal works of mercy and do it this week!

International Women's Day[3]

The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the feminine "genius" which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations; she gives thanks for all the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which she owes to their faith, hope and charity: she gives thanks for all the fruits of feminine holiness. -John Paul II, Apostolic Letter

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

The Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.

· Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

· Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

Holi in India March 8^th Celebrate spring with a dash of color. The annual Holi festival in India inspires revelers to hit the streets, playfully throwing powdered colors on each other. Once your clothes are doused with all sorts of hues, you’ll understand why this is called a festival of colors.