Rocks

And Jesus went unto mount Olivet. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him, and sitting down he taught them. And the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman taken in adultery: and they set her in the midst, and said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou? And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground. When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground. But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst. Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.
John 8:1-11 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father we are the opposite of this reading. We pick up huge rocks and fling them at our neighbors on a daily basis. No matter what the sin, we are always perpetually reminded of them and not forgiven them. We know how truly wrong it is to sin, yet our world has deemed it okay to do it. How often we see it when we watch the television, one doesn't have to physically do the act in order to commit it. So why are we who are sinners always throwing stones at our neighbors for theirs? Jesus is the one without sin, and yet he forgave and didn't condemn but went on to tell this person to sin no more. Isn't that what we should be doing also, seeking forgiveness of our own sins and looking to not sinning anymore. Not judging others and flinging rocks at them as if we were without sin. Shame on us when we do this. Dear Father it is with hope that we find forgiveness in such a loving way as Jesus dealt with this woman in the reading today. That we too will seek the gift of reconciliation and come to not continue sinning as we so often do.

Ever Mindful of Our Sins

And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, he spoke also this parable:two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O god, be merciful to me a sinner. I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.
Luke 18:9-14 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father at some point in our lives we all must have prayed in this way to some extent. We are not perfect in our prayers, nor are we good at praying at times. Thinking about these words dear Father, don't we at times do exactly what Jesus had said in our prayers. Such as thank you God for not making me like them or not making me poor or cripple, or a sinner and so forth. We have a habit to thank you for what we are happy we are not. Rather instead of thanking you for the life we have no matter how difficult or trying it can be. If we truly really think about this long and hard, when we look at the television, or movies from theatres and how people dress in this day and age, we all commit adultery against you. Because our thoughts are not with you, they are focused instead on watching acts played out often in scenes that take our mind away from you and our loved ones. Let us be mindful that we are sinners and in constant need of your mercy. I pray that we do not elevate ourselves but humble our hearts to you dear Father, knowing that you forgive when we are honest with ourselves about our sinfulness. More than anything let us seek reconciliation with you dear Father, for your mercy is great and so is your love.

Weeds

24Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field.
25But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.
26And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle.
27And the servants of the goodman of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle?
28And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?
29And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it.
30Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.
Matthew 13:24-30 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)

Prayer

Dear Father we know there is good and evil and sometimes even in us we are both. Jesus gave us something great to think about. It had me thinking about my garden and when I pull up the weeds around the plants that are ripe with fruit. How I disturb the roots and cause the plant to suffer. At least for me, when I weed I am not graceful about it, I go all out to yank out the offending weed. In my desire to rid the area of weeds I also pulled up the plant. Luckily it was strong enough to survive the onslaught, but one or two were not. But what does the parable have to do with weeds and what is the message he gives. One way could be about sin within us and how we let it grow until we are overcome with it and with faith we strive to combat the sin. Confession is often our means of rooting out the weeds that choke out the life of God within. It is when we find love of God that we come to harvest and completely remove and destroy what took us away from God in the first place. Dear Father you sent us your Son to water and fertilize our gardens, the garden of our soul. When we are ready he will harvest what he has planted and took loving care to make sure we will be separated from the sins of our life. Amen

Wednesday the Fifth Week of Lent

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, 'You will become free'?"
Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father."

They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham."
Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!"
So they said to him, "We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God."
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me."
John 8:31-42

Prayer

Dear Father every time I sin I kill your Son time and time again. And out of your love you restore his life and mine. Today and everyday I will make a conscious effort upon waking not to sin. Not because I destest sin but because I love you and I do not want to hurt you. From the depths of my soul dear Father the desire to love is far greater than sin. Amen