Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or 13:41c-62Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6John 8:1-11

Praise to Jesus, our Savior; by his death he has opened for us the way of salvation.
Let us ask him:
Lord, guide your people to walk in your ways.

God of mercy, you gave us new life through baptism,
- make us grow day by day in your likeness.
May our generosity today bring joy to those in need,
- in helping them may we find you.
Help us to do what is good, right and true in your sight,
- and to seek you always with undivided hearts.
Forgive our sins against the unity of your family,
- make us one in heart and spirit.

Help us to pass from our old life of sin to our new life of grace. This week we let the powerful light of God's love shine into the deepest, darkest corners of our soul, revealing the most un-loving parts of our hearts, and we ask for forgiveness and healing.
We might make the Stations of the Cross to stir our hearts more deeply with the sense of his love for us.
Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me. Psalm 23

Let us pray faithfully :
God of love,
We know that You are the source of all
that is good and graced in our Life.
Help us to move from the Life of sin
to which we so often cling,
into the new Life of Grace You offer us.
You know what we need to prepare for Your Kingdom.
Bless us with those gifts.Amen

Let us end the this day meditation by reading the recommended Bible texts .

Today’s readings move me every time I hear them. They stir up a lot of different emotions.
The first reading reminds me of how much I abhor injustice and lies. The two elders, whom people revered because of their wisdom, knew that their word would carry more weight than that of the righteous woman, Susanna. They knew that their reputation would serve as a perfect cover for their accusation and lies. Their lust and power could overcome their “conscience” with impunity. Susanna recognized that she was in a “no win” situation. She chose to trust in the Lord, to trust Him with her predicament. I must admit that I would find it difficult to let go of my “rational” brain and to trust God in such a precarious situation. I often find that I rely on my own problem solving capabilities rather than to rely on the power of prayer. I often forget how powerful it can be to share my problems with the Lord. Susanna was saved because she believed that justice would prevail.
John’s Gospel 8:1-11 reminds me of how easy it is to judge others and how easy it is to condemn others for some action.

Individuals tend to attribute invariable dispositions or traits to people’s action while underestimating the impact of situational factors. We are quick to judge others. To make us feel better, we tend to judge others as inferior to our own. We see ourselves as “better than average.” This better-than-average effect is helpful in keeping our self-esteem and self-concept intact. However, it also assumes that others are worth somewhat less than us, that they may be acting wickedly while we would refrain from doing the same. Jesus made explicit what we typically do not see: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” It is so much easier to judge others than to be honest with ourselves. This parable goes to the heart of what it means to be human. We are sinners; we are imperfect and rather than look inwards and ask for forgiveness, we look outward and judge others.
I pray that I will not judge others, that I will work toward a just world, and that I will see the light, “even though I walk in the dark valley.” I pray that I will trust the Lord, for He is at my side.
( meditation taken from Daily Reflections ~~Isabelle Cherney )

Sunday of the fifth week of Lent

We continue to try to choose Lent, to act Lent, in very concrete ways. Our hearts are being renewed, as we experience God's reconciling love through sorrowful and lifegiving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ , through His glorious Resurrection .
All this is wonderfully supported by the drama of the daily liturgies. We begin with the raising of Lazarus (and we may celebrate the Scrutinies).Scrutinies are very special rites are celebrated on the last three Sundays of Lent, at liturgies where the Elect are present.
The Scrutinies ( From the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, prepared by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy and the Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops )

141 The scrutinies, which are solemnly celebrated on Sundays and are reinforced by an exorcism, are rites for self-searching and repentance and have above all a spiritual purpose. The scrutinies are meant to uncover, and then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good. For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. These rites, therefore, should complete the conversion of the elect and deepen their resolve to hold fast to Christ and to carry out their decision to love God above all.

Before starting again posting , I must ask again and again forgiveness for my latest weakness and laic attachment , instead of keeping myself close to the Lent spirit and Real Presence of our Lord. There are several christian places/sites on internet , where we can listen beautiful worship songs , or where we can join so called christian forums , where people should share their faithful thoughts and prayers , to help each other to discover God and the meaning of christianity , but these forums are only endless debats and contraditions , these forums are internet places to loose your precious time you could use to pray and meditate . I ask once more forgiveness , I'm returning to my journals with contrite heart and I humbly pray

O Lord Jesus, lover of our souls,
who, for the great love with which You loved us,
willed not the death of a sinner,
but rahter that he should be converted and live,
I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I offended You,
my most loving Father and Redeemer,
to whom all sin is infinitely displeasing,
who so loved that You she Your blood for me,
and endured the bitter torments of a most cruel death.
O my God, my inifinite Goodness,
would that I never offended You.
Pardon me, O Lord Jesus,
as I most humbly implore Your mercy.
Have pity on a sinner for whom Your blood pleads
before the face of the Father.

O merciful and forgiving Lord,
for the love of You,
I forgive all who have ever offended me.
I firmly resolve to forsake and flee from all sins,
and to avoid the occasions of them,
to confess, in bitterness of spirit,
all those sins which I committed against Your divine goodness,
and to Love You, O my God,
for Your own sake,
above all things and for ever.
Grant me grace so to do,
most gracious Lord Jesus.
Amen

Thanksgiving in Time of Desolation

By Father Daniel A. Lord S.J. (1888-1955)

I'm posting this awesome meditation , prayer and conversation with our Lord Jesus Christ , our Savior and Redeemer ( for all passing through desolation , sorrows and dissapointmens , for all needing Divine Mercy in own life )

1. Lord Jesus, present in my heart, I confess to you the sorrow and desolation of my soul. I ask you to speak to me, to console me, to give me the vivid realization that God my Father loves me, that you my Saviour have come to me as my nearest and dearest Friend, and that the Holy Spirit dwells within me, waiting to light my darkened way and warm my chilly soul if I will only give Him the chance.

2. How easy and meritorious it is, dear Lord, to serve you when you are sweet and tangible and my way stretches smooth in the white and gold of the sunshine! How hard it becomes to serve you when the clouds lower, the thunder rumbles, and the earth seems to quake under my feet! Yet my service when things are easy is perhaps hardly worthy to be offered to you. When your grace is making my tasks light and my burdens sweet, when my cross is entwined with roses, what have I really to offer to you, my Saviour? Now I have something worthy to present to you. I give you my service because I find service hard. I offer you obedience because inwardly I rebel against obedience. I smile despite the loneliness of my heart. Because I myself am sad, I will hurry to do what I can to make those around me happier. That may be worthy offering to you, dear Saviour. May I ask your acceptance of this offering?

3. "Into each life some rain must fall, some days be dark and dreary." Do you mind, dear Lord, if I quote thoughtfully those rather commonplace lines of a poet? Today those words happen to be particularly true for me. Life is measured in sunshine and rain, in laughter and tears, in happiness and pain, in crowns won and crosses borne. No life can be exempt from this motley division and diversity. I cannot expect to be different from the rest of mankind. For some the early days are easy and the latter ones hard. To some is given the disappointment of never reaching your house or following their desire to enter your services. Some know the pains of sickness. Some are weighted by a sense of continuous failure. I must have my share of trial. May I then, dear Lord, accept what you send me now as my portion of the darkness of Good Friday? Life knows only a very small proportion of unhappiness compared with the happiness that you constantly shower on the world. Perhaps what I now experience is my rightful share of unhappiness. Let me be aware how trial and storm sent or permitted by you hold the implicit promise and unspoken hope that, knowing storms and problems now, I shall know not too remotely my full share of happiness and peace.

4. A soul is tempered in trial. This too is platitude; but to my consolation it remains absolutely true. I have too deep and unreasonable a pride; surely I cannot continue to be proud now that I know how far down I can go into depression and near despair. I have a love of physical comfort; but now I know that physical comfort fades in the presence of spiritual trial. I could easily be cold and hard toward others; never again should I be otherwise than tender and sympathetic with others' weaknesses and sorrows, for I have known weakness and been acquainted with sorrow. I have learned pity because of my need for pity.

5. Lord Jesus, it is your desire to see me happy. In religious life I was meant to know real peace and joy. You have been good to let me know my sorrows early. Once the storms have passed, I can be certain of my share in serenity. If now you are silent, I can wait in the certainty that you will speak soon. The cross is heavy now. But your shoulder is under that cross, waiting for proof of my courage before you take it wholly upon yourself. You are giving my soul its trial by fire; out of that trial it should emerge purified, tender, merciful, and kind.

Lord Jesus, I accept my time of depression. I ask you to use that depression for my soul's advancement and for the development within me of deep understanding for the trials of others. I await your voice whenever you are ready to speak again. I look forward to the peace you have promised we shall someday know. Out of my depths let me rise to a new stature of purity and courage. It may well be that I shall find you in the depths before I shall find you upon the heights.

Friday of the Second Week of Lent

Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

We hear of the vineyard owner whose tenants killed his servants and then his son. Let us be called open our hearts and lives to the challenge of your Gospel. It is possible to say it every day
"Therefore, I say to you,the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and be given to a people that will produce its fruit." Matthew 21

It seems only a few weeks ago that we reflected on Cain’s infamous words, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Jealousy and spiritual blindness had driven him to take his own brother’s life, the first murder and the first familial betrayal after the Fall. Here, in today’s reading from Genesis, we find that the situation is not much improved. Humanity, in its fallen state, still envies its brother and still fails to see the image of God in its neighbor. Humanity still fails to love.
However, in such guilt, we also find a message of hope. No matter the brokenness of humanity, God’s own love still overcomes all evil and brings deliverance to those in sorrow. In the reading and the Gospel, we learn about the loss of a son three times: first, Israel’s loss of Joseph; second, the landowner’s loss of his son and heir; and finally, a foreshadowing moment of the death of God’s son, Jesus Christ. We also see, in these moments of trial, that redemption always follows. Joseph, rejected by his brothers in hate, saved a nation. We can read on to discover how he was brought to the land of Egypt and interpreted a dream for Pharaoh that ultimately saved the region from famine. His brothers came to Egypt in search for food, were given hospitality by Joseph, and thus survived to make the nation of Israel and its twelve tribes a reality. For Israel (Jacob by another name), seeing his son, once thought dead, alive, it was a resurrection experience, and for us as Christians, it was the foundation of the faith and tradition that lives on in us today.
In the Gospel parable, the landowner sends his servants, his prophets, and they are rejected and killed by greedy, envious, and ungrateful tenants. The land owner then sends his heir, his beloved, who is also rejected and killed. By his son’s death, the landowner expels the evil tenants and shares his kingdom with those worthy, those who will be faithful and love the landowner, his messengers, and each other. It is in the death of the son that those who labor forward in fidelity can be redeemed, that the righteous can become true heirs of the kingdom.
And so the connection is made to Christ, God’s own son, coming after Israel’s rejected prophets, who, though scorned, beaten, and murdered by those in whom God so entrusted the kingdom, has brought redemption to all and opened the kingdom to those who seek after Truth with endurance.
In the end, salvation prevails, in spite of human failure. God’s love for the world surpasses all envy, hatred, and greed, and we as brethren of the kingdom only have to strive to be true heirs in the way that we love in imitation of Christ.
So, today, who are we in these readings? Are we the jealous brothers, denying the father’s passionate love for his son and casting the son away? Are we the repentant brothers, who reconcile ourselves with both the son and the father in our desire to love? Are we the greedy tenants, or are we the redeemed tenants who will be heirs to the kingdom of God? Are we to reject the corner stone, or build on it the foundation of a Church that welcomes all and loves all? Can we love each other as God loves the son and the son loves humanity, loves us?
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

Jeremiah 17:5-10 Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 Luke 16:19-31
Today we're recalling the powerful teachings of Saint Luke's Gospel 16:19-31 .

The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is our lesson today. We beg to be open to the workings of the Spirit, that we might not settle for the consolations of this life alone.
Jesus then said, "I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die". Do you believe this?
The story of the rich man and the beggar at the gate is so familiar that it probably has lost its power to disturb us – as surely it should. Why? Well, there is no indication in the story that the rich man had broken any of the commandments – no indication that he even realized Lazarus lay in distress outside his door. So why this terrible reversal in the life after death?
The message Jesus is conveying is not just that we should be generous. Of course we should! Not just that we should comfort those in need. Of course we should! It is much more.
If we have more than we need – of anything – we are charged with finding and sharing with those who need what we have been given. As Isaiah told us the Saturday after Ash Wednesday, “. . . give of your own food for the hungry . . .” (58:10). The rich man did not do that. You possibly could hear him saying (in a modern way of expressing himself) “I felt I owed it to myself” or “God gave me this. I should enjoy it . . .” (as one of the Renaissance popes said of the papacy). Yes, gifts are to be enjoyed, but the enjoyment comes not in indulgence, but in sharing. Gifts are to be given away.
It is tempting to feel “I worked hard for what I have. I studied hard, got good grades, worked long hours . . . don’t I deserve to enjoy what I have earned?” We need to reflect for a moment. Is my aptitude for learning, my basic intelligence, of my own making? Is my motivation, the values I received from my parents, my religion, my country, my citizenship, are any of these things of my making? The truth is: it’s all gift – a gift given to be shared. It is our own selves that we need to give. After all, that is what God did in Jesus. Our future lives with God are the life of God. It is pure, eternal self-giving.We prepare for that in our earthly lives precisely by self-giving. Self-giving is not a test to see if we make the grade. It is the goal.
The story of Lazarus and the rich man sets a high standard. It should. The stakes are terribly high.
God bless and be with you all !

This could be the last victory ...

.. the last victory of evil ( written with the most little letters , exactly as it deserve .. ) . It's very possible that evil can have victory over Catholic religion , the oldest and the one Jesus build on Earth , 2000 years ago on a chosen one stone : Saint Peter .
Catholics voting and electing Hussein Obama , so called Pro-choice catholics , indifferents to the great sin of homosexuality , euthanasy and pornography promiscuity , catholics like Biden or what's her name ... Pelosi , antisemitic "catholics" with sympathy for SSPX and bishop Williamson , all these evil manifestations and anomalies inside the Catholic Church , lead me to the sad reality that evil is preparing only for the moment victory ! But is only a ephemere victory , because in the end Justice will triumph over evil's destruction of world , through the Second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ !
Jesus , we are waiting for You , come soon !
Forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of hell !
Save us once more and for one Eternity !