Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
The Book of Micah, chapter seven, verses fourteen, fifteen, eighteen, nineteen, & twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Three (R/. eight[a]), verses one & two, three & four, nine & ten, & eleven & twelve;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fifteen, verses one, two, three, & eleven thru thirty-two.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, at the core of today’s Gospel is a portrait of our God, who is prodigal. The father stands for the God whose very nature is to give, the God who simply is love. And the younger son stands for all of us sinners who tend to misunderstand how to access the divine love.chora makra; that means, literally, "the great emptiness." Trying to turn the divine gift into the ego’s possession necessarily results in nothing, nonbeing, the void.
Since God exists only in gift form, his life, even in principle, cannot become a possession. Instead, it is "had" only on the fly, only in the measure that it is given away. When we cling to it, it disappears, according to a kind of spiritual physics.
The Greek that lies behind "distant country" in the parable is
St. John Paul II formulated this principle as "the law of the gift"—that your being increases inasmuch as you give it away. If clinging and possessing are the marks of the chora makra, then the law of the gift is the defining dynamic of the father’s house, where the robe and the ring and the fatted calf are on permanent offer.
Reflect: What gifts do you have that you give away freely? What gifts do you cling to?Video reflection by Father Conrad Stachowiak (U.S. Confer. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
"Easter of Hope" Reflection (Array of Hope):
In Today’s Gospel, we hear the story of the prodigal son. The story is a beautiful representation of God the Father’s love for us and the responses of the sons represent the ways that we can respond to that love. We can look at the younger son as a representation of the tax collectors and sinners that repent and seek God’s mercy and the older son as a representation of the Pharisees who complained that Jesus was the friend of sinners. The older brother is angered because His Father throws a huge celebration for his younger brother, and and yet, he never received any kind of affirmation for faithfully serving him over the years. What the older son does not realize is that He has always been blessed, and His Father reminds Him of His inheritance. Everything that the Father owns has already been given to Him. The older son believed that his servitude to the father is what earned him love while the younger brother believed he should be treated as a slave for his actions. The father’s response to both sons is th at of love; he runs to the younger son, meets him while he is still far off and welcomes him back into his father’s house and he reminds the older son that he already has all that the father owns and is loved just as much. This is the same for our Heavenly Father who loves all of us - those far off and those who remain close to His Love.Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 62
Which son are you? Do you feel distant from God and unworthy of His love? Do you work so hard to achieve holiness, but do not receive the affirmation you are seeking from Our Lord? Christ knows our Hearts and understands our intentions. By freely choosing Christ and following Him, we can inherit eternal life. He desires this for each one of us, which is why He rejoices when the son who rebelled, returns home.
Today’s Tip: Ask yourself and reflect, “are you rebelling against the Father’s will or following Him? What is keeping you from being truly free?” Whatever it is, offer it up to Jesus and let Him help you move towards the true freedom of being His beloved child.
The Book of Exodus, chapter twenty-six, verses fifteen thru thirty.
Commentary: The Framework (Exodus, 26:15-30).
Scripture Study—The 3:16 Project
The Second Book of Maccabees, chapter chapter three, verse sixteen.
To see the appearance of the high priest was to be wounded at heart, for his face & the change in his color disclosed the anguish of his soul.'Tis the commemoration of the Forty-seven Martyrs of Rome (died circa 67), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero, victims of the Neronic Persecution: Martyrs-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Persecution-link & Wikipedia-link Persecution.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Lazarus of Milan, Bishop (died circa 449), Archbishop of Milan (438-449): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Milan.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Leobinus of Chartres, Bishop & Abbot (died circa 557, also spelt Lubin, etc.), Bishop of Chartres (544-557), abbot at Brou: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Chartres.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Boniface Curetán, Bishop & Abbot (died circa 660, also spelt Curitan), Bishop & Abbot at Ross maic Bairend (A.K.A. Rosemarkie): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Rosemarkie.
'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Matilda of Ringelheim (circa 892-968; A.K.A. of Saxony; also spelt Mathilde, Maud), Queen of East Francia, foundress of Quedlinburg Abbey, et al.: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Quedlinburg.
Commentary: Mother of St. Bruno the Great [11 October] & mother-in-law of St. Adelaide of Italy [16 December].
'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Giacomo Cusmano, Priest (1834-1888), founder of the "Morsel for the Poor," formally the Congregation of Missionary Servants of the Poor, & the Sisters Servants of the Poor (S.d.P.): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Brother of Ven. Vincenzina Cusmano.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away & He gives you everything. When we give ourselves to Him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ—& you will find true life."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope Benedict XVI (b. 1927, r. 2005-2013)
"God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering."Chesterton Quote o' the Day
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast: 28 August)
"If there be something that behaves like savagery & boasts of civilisation, then there is the devil in it."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
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