FIRST WEEK OF LENT
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 15, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC, WIDOW; SAINT LONGINUS THE CENTURION, MARTYR AND SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER, PRIEST| Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Saturday, First Week of Lent.
May God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of our Lenten journey 🙏🏽
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN” | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/15/catholic-daily-mass-daily-tv-mass-march-15-2025/
NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins March 10–18, 2025 (in preparation for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/11/novena-to-saint-joseph/
DAY 10: LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/15/day-10-lenten-prayers-and-reflections/
WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/
PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS: May we all unite as one voice to lift up the Vicar of Christ in prayer, during this time of his hospitalization after a prolonged respiratory crisis. We thank God as his health continues to improve and we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis’ speedy recovery and God’s Divine healing and intervention.
Almighty God, we thank you for the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many in Your great mercy. Have mercy on him in his illness now, we pray, and guide the medical staff in his care. Grant him peace and healing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽
LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/
STATIONS OF THE CROSS | A JOURNEY WITH CHRIST | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/stations-of-the-cross/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
Today, as we continue our Lenten journey, we reflect on Jesus’ profound teaching: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” This command challenges us to transcend our natural inclinations and embody a love that mirrors the perfection of our heavenly Father.
In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus redefines the concept of love, extending it beyond friends and neighbors to include even those who oppose us. He emphasizes that God’s love is impartial, as He “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust”. By calling us to this radical love, Jesus invites us to participate in the divine nature and strive for spiritual maturity.
During this Lenten season, we are called to examine our hearts and confront any feelings of resentment or unforgiveness. Through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, we open ourselves to God’s transforming grace, enabling us to love as He loves. This journey is not merely about external observances but about an interior conversion that aligns our hearts with God’s will. May we embrace this call to perfection, seeking to love without boundaries and reflecting the mercy of our heavenly Father. As we pray for our enemies and those who persecute us, let us trust in God’s providence to bring healing and reconciliation to our world.
Wishing us all a grace-filled and spiritually uplifting Lenten journey. Amen. 🙏
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTER: We join our Holy Father, Pope Francis to pray for the people of Bahía Blanca, in Argentina, affected by the recent floods the area is suffering. We specifically pray for those who have lost their lives due to this natural disaster and their families and all those who are missing and displaced from their homes. May the good Lord grant them all peace and comfort during this challenging time.
On this special feast day, as we continue our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, for the victims of the recent flood in Argentina and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏🏽 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their abors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen 🙏🏽
THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH – For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Louise de Marillac, Widow (co-founder of the Daughters of Charity and patroness of social workers); Saint Longinus the Centurion, Martyr (the soldier who pierced Jesus’ side and later embraced the faith); and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, Priest (Redemptorist missionary and apostle of Vienna).
Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints, we humbly pray for the grace to serve others with compassion, to embrace conversion with courage, and to spread the Gospel with zeal. We lift up our prayers for social workers, healthcare professionals, and all who care for the marginalized, that they may be strengthened in their mission. May the Lord’s grace inspire us to live lives of charity, faith, and unwavering commitment to His will.
Saint Louise de Marillac, Saint Longinus, and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽
We thank God for His mercy and the gift of faith. May this Lenten season lead us to deeper conversion, greater love, and unwavering trust in His divine will. ~ Amen. 🙏🏽
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽
God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽
LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards
Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽
SAINT(S) OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC, WIDOW; SAINT LONGINUS THE CENTURION, MARTYR AND SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER, PRIEST: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 15TH: Today, we honor the Memorial of Saint Louise de Marillac, Widow, a devoted servant who co-founded the Daughters of Charity, dedicating her life to serving the poor and sick (Patron Saint of sick people, widows, orphans, and Social Workers); Saint Longinus the Centurion, Martyr (the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Jesus, the Sacred Heart and later converted to Christianity, becoming a martyr for his faith (Patron Saint of the blind and people with poor eyesight, of labor, of power, and of good discernment) and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, Priest, a Redemptorist priest known as the “Apostle of Vienna,” or the Apostle on the Move, who tirelessly worked for the renewal of the Church and the care of the poor (Co-Patron of Vienna and Warsaw).
Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary and these holy Saints on this feast day, we humbly offer prayers for all who serve selflessly in caring for the marginalized, for those who have converted to the faith and face persecution, and for priests and religious dedicated to the renewal and mission of the Church. We pray for all those who are sick, especially those who are blind and those with poor eyesight. We also pray for orphans, widows, social workers, travellers, missionaries and for the conversion of sinners. May the examples of these saints inspire us to deepen our commitment to service, courage in faith, and dedication to God’s will… Amen 🙏🏽
“O God, who have taught your Church to keep all the heavenly commandments by love of You as God and love of neighbor; grant that practicing the works of charity after the example of blessed Saint Louise de Marillac, we may be worthy to be numbered among the blessed in your Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.” Amen. 🙏🏽
Saint Louise de Marillac; Saint Longinus; and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer ~ Pray for us. 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day | March 15th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC, WIDOW: St. Louise De Marillac (1591-1660) was born on August 15, 1591 near the town of Meux, Paris, France to a noble family. Her mother died shortly after her birth, and her father when she was sixteen years of age. St. Louise received an education from the Dominican convent at Poissy and eventually discerned that she was called to religious life. After consulting her confessor concerning her plans to enter the religious life, Louise decided not to pursue this vocation. Instead, in 1613, St. Louise de Marrillac married an official of the royal court, Antony Le Gras and she became known as Mademoiselle Le Gras. Her husband died thirteen years later in 1625, leaving St. Louise with a young son. After his death in 1625, St. Louise again began to think about joining a religious community. She became a nun and chose St. Vincent de Paul, then known as Monsieur Vincent, as her spiritual director. She became an active supporter of the charitable work of St Vincent de Paul, who came to put more and more reliance on her. With the help of Monsieur Vincent, St. Louise established the Daughters of Charity, a group of women dedicated to serving the sick, the poor and the neglected as it was frowned upon for wealthy women to serve those outside of their own social class besides raising money. They were dedicated to the corporal and spiritual service of the poor in their homes.
In 1642, St. Louise wrote the formal Rule for the Daughters of Charity and in 1655 they received formal approval from the Vatican. Her clear intelligence and wide sympathy played a big part in the beginnings of the congregation, whose aspirants she trained and whose rapid growth involved responsibilities which largely fell on her. After forming the Rule for the Daughters of Charity, St. Louise traveled around France forming convents and instituting the Daughters as workers in hospitals, orphanages and other institutions dedicated to helping the neglected. St. Louise worked zealously until her death in Paris in the year 1660. At the time of her death there were already over forty houses of the sisters in France, the sick poor were looked after at home in twenty-six Parisian parishes, hundreds of women were given shelter, and there were other undertakings as well. St Louise was not physically robust, but she had great powers of endurance, and her selfless devotion was a source of incalculable help and encouragement to Monsieur Vincent. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934 and was declared patroness of social workers in 1960. She’s the Patron Saint of disappointing children, widows, loss of parents, sick people, social workers, Vincentian Service Corps, people rejected by religious order
PRAYER: God, You inspired St. Louise to strive for perfect charity and so attain Your Kingdom at the end of her pilgrimage on earth. Strengthen us through her intercession in the way of love. Amen 🙏🏽
SAINT LONGINUS THE CENTURION, MARTYR: The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, a Roman soldier, served in Judea under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the command of Longinus which stood watch on Golgotha, at the very foot of the holy Cross. Longinus and his soldiers were eyewitnesses of the final moments of the earthly life of the Lord, and of the great and awesome portents that appeared at His death. These events shook the centurion’s soul. Longinus believed in Christ and confessed before everyone, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Mt. 27:54). According to Church Tradition, Longinus was the soldier who pierced the side of the Crucified Savior with a spear, and received healing from an eye affliction when blood and water poured forth from the wound. After the Crucifixion and Burial of the Savior, Longinus stood watch with his company at the Sepulchre of the Lord. These soldiers were present at the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ. The Jews bribed them to lie and say that His disciples had stolen away the Body of Christ, but Longinus and two of his comrades refused to be seduced by the Jewish gold. They also refused to remain silent about the miracle of the Resurrection. Having come to believe in the Savior, the soldiers received Baptism from the apostles and decided to leave military service. Saint Longinus left Judea to preach about Jesus Christ the Son of God in his native land (Cappadocia), and his two comrades followed him. The fiery words of those who had actually participated in the great events in Judea swayed the hearts and minds of the Cappadocians; Christianity began quickly to spread throughout the city and the surrounding villages. When they learned of this, the Jewish elders persuaded Pilate to send a company of soldiers to Cappadocia to kill Longinus and his comrades. When the soldiers arrived at Longinus’s village, the former centurion himself came out to meet the soldiers and took them to his home. After a meal, the soldiers revealed the purpose of their visit, not knowing that the master of the house was the very man whom they were seeking. Then Longinus and his friends identified themselves and told the startled soldiers to carry out their duty. The soldiers wanted to let the saints go and advised them to flee, but they refused to do this, showing their firm intention to suffer for Christ. The holy martyrs were beheaded, and their bodies were buried at the place where the saints were martyred. The head of Saint Longinus, however, was sent to Pilate.
Pilate gave orders to cast the martyr’s head on a trash-heap outside the city walls. After a while a certain blind widow from Cappadocia arrived in Jerusalem with her son to pray at the holy places, and to ask that her sight be restored. After becoming blind, she had sought the help of physicians to cure her, but all their efforts were in vain. The woman’s son became ill shortly after reaching Jerusalem, and he died a few days later. The widow grieved for the loss of her son, who had served as her guide. Saint Longinus appeared to her in a dream and comforted her. He told her that she would see her son in heavenly glory, and also receive her sight. He told her to go outside the city walls and there she would find his head in a great pile of refuse. Guides led the blind woman to the rubbish heap, and she began to dig with her hands. As soon as she touched the martyr’s head, the woman received her sight, and she glorified God and Saint Longinus. Taking up the head, she brought it to the place she was staying and washed it. The next night, Saint Longinus appeared to her again, this time with her son. They were surrounded by a bright light, and Saint Longinus said, “Woman, behold the son for whom you grieve. See what glory and honor are his now, and be consoled. God has numbered him with those in His heavenly Kingdom. Now take my head and your son’s body, and bury them in the same casket. Do not weep for your son, for he will rejoice forever in great glory and happiness.” The woman carried out the saint’s instructions and returned to her home in Cappadocia. There she buried her son and the head of Saint Longinus. Once, she had been overcome by grief for her son, but her weeping was transformed into joy when she saw him with Saint Longinus. She had sought healing for her eyes, and also received healing of her soul. St. Longinus is the Patron Saint of the blind and people with poor eyesight, of labor, of power, and of good discernment.
PRAYER: O Saint Longinus, you were chosen as the venerable gate keeper and was granted the gift of discernment by the Lord; an eyewitness of God’s miracle who glorified the resurrected Christ. To your death, you remained Christ’s soldier and for Christ you gave your head. Pray for us, therefore, O St. Longinus so that being inspired by your example and assisted by your prayers, we may live a holy life, die a happy death, and reach eternal life to praise and thank God in heaven with you. I ask you to pray to God this special request if it be His holy will… Amen 🙏🏽
Almighty, Eternal God, You were pleased to make Your Church illustrious through the varied splendor of St. Longinus. As we venerate his memory, may we also follow such shining examples of virtue on earth and thus obtain merited crowns in Heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord… Amen 🙏🏽
SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER, PRIEST: Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer (1751-1821) was born on December 26,1751, at Taswitz, Moravia to a butcher and his wife and was baptized John. His family name was originally Dvorak, but was changed to the German Hofbauer. He was the youngest of twelve children, St. Clement was six years old when his father died. His great desire was to become a priest, but since his family was unable to give him the necessary education, he became a baker’s assistant, devoting all his spare time to study. He was a servant in the Premonstratensian monastery of Bruck from 1771 to 1775, then lived for some time as a hermit. As part of his so-called Josephinist policies, Austrian Emperor Joseph II abolished hermitages, and Clement went to Vienna, where he and a friend, Peter Kunzmann, received permission from Bishop Chiaramonti of Tivoli, Italy, to live in a hermitage. Bishop Chiaramonti later became Pope Pius VII.
He made three pilgrimages to Rome, and during the third, accompanied by a good friend, he entered with the same friend the Redemptorist novitiate at San Giuliano. The two were professed in 1785 and ordained a few days later. They were stationed in Vienna, but Emperor Joseph II closed religious foundations, so they were sent to Courtland. Peter Kunzmann joined Clement as a lay brother, and the three were sent to St. Benno’s Church in Warsaw, Poland, to begin two decades of missionary labors from 1786 to 1808. The church in Warsaw was granted by King Stanislaus Poniatowski, and they labored under incredible difficulties. A larger church was also reserved for them, where daily instructions were given for non-Catholics. Saint Clement preached and also founded in Warsaw an orphanage and a school for boys and established a vast Redemptorist presence in the city. His great friend, Thaddeus Habul, died in 1807; the following year four houses founded by Saint Clement were suppressed and the Redemptorists expelled from the Grand Duchy. Napoleon suppressed all religious institutions, and Clement and the Redemptorists were imprisoned in 1808, each one then exiled to his own native land. St. Clement went with one companion to Vienna, where for the last twelve years of his life he acted as chaplain and director at an Ursuline convent and pastor of the adjoining parish. There he exercised a veritable apostolate among all classes in the capital. He devoted himself in a special way to the conversion and formation of young men. He became known for his holiness and zeal. He founded a Catholic college and began to reform and revitalize the Catholic faith of Austria and Germany. Prince Rupert of Bavaria aided Clement in defeating a move to establish a German national Church. St. Clement also fought against Josephinism and was about to be expelled from Austria for his opposition to such secular control, when, surprisingly, Emperor Joseph’s successor, Emperor Francis I, defended him. St. Clement died in Vienna on March 15, 1821. When he died, Pius VII said, Religion in Austria has lost its chief support. On April 19, the Emperor admitted the Congregation into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thanks to Fr. Joseph Passerat, one of St. Clement´s first companions, the Congregation spread from Vienna throughout Northern Europe. St Clement was canonized by Saint Pius X on May 20, 1909. He is co-patron Vienna and Warsaw.
PRAYER: God of the Journey I pray, O God, for all who under full sail journey upon unchartered waters. God of the universe, You are on a journey and You are taking us with You. Help us to keep up and give as companions along the way. I commend to your care people on really big journeys. I pray with those entering a relationship or leaving one, those leaving home or returning, for the sick and the dying, and for immigrants, asylum-seekers and tourists. St Clement Hofbauer, the Apostle on the move… pray for us. Amen 🙏🏽
Through the intercession of Saints Louise de Marillac, Longinus, and Clement Mary Hofbauer, may we be inspired to live lives of profound faith, unwavering hope, and boundless charity. 🙏🏽
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, Saturday of the First Week of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday of the First Week of Lent, March 15, 2025
Reading 1: Deuteronomy 26:16-19
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48
Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 5:43-48
“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you ….. So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”
“Jesus said to His disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus highlighted to His disciples and all the people that the commandments of God are all ultimately and essentially about Love, first of all, loving God their Lord and Master with all of their strength, might and capacity, and then showing the same kind of love towards all of our fellow brothers and sisters around us. Without these kinds of love, then we cannot truly consider ourselves as being obedient to the Law and commandments of God. Jesus calls on His disciples and us all not only to love our neighbour, which is a call or command to be found in the Old Testament. He also calls on them, on us, to love our enemy, which goes beyond anything to be found in the Old Testament. Many of us might be hard pushed to think of someone who could be described as our enemy. We might struggle to identify an enemy. Yet, we may be able to think of people who have hurt us or who damaged us in some way. We are not likely to have warm feelings towards such people. When Jesus calls on His disciples to love their enemy, He is not talking about warm feelings or feelings of any kind. Jesus is talking about the will rather than feelings. At the very least, Jesus is calling on His disciples to wish their enemies well, all that is good. In the Gospel reading, Jesus identifies one expression of such love as prayer, praying for our enemy, praying for those who have hurt us and who have given us good reason to dislike them. ‘Love your enemy and pray…’ Jesus suggests that to pray for those who persecute us is to do something that has a divine quality to it. It is to give expression to the love of God which goes out to all, even to those who least deserve it.
Reflecting on today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges His disciples to go beyond human tendencies and embrace divine love. The command to “love your neighbor and hate your enemy” was a common cultural understanding at the time. However, Jesus calls His followers to a higher standard—one that reflects the perfect love of God. He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. This is not just about being kind but about imitating God’s unconditional love, which extends to both the just and the unjust. It is easy to love those who love us back, but the real test of our faith is how we treat those who hurt us. Jesus asks us to love, not with mere feelings, but with an active, self-giving love. This includes forgiveness, praying for our enemies, and seeking peace rather than retaliation. Furthermore, Jesus says, “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This perfection does not mean being without flaws but striving for complete and mature love. God’s love is impartial. He blesses both the righteous and the wicked. As His children, we are called to reflect that love in our own lives, even when it is difficult.
During Lent, we are invited to examine our hearts: Are there people we struggle to forgive? Do we hold grudges or resentment? Jesus calls us to let go of hatred and embrace His way of love. “You are to be a people peculiarly His own, as He promised you.”
In our first reading today from the Book of Deuteronomy, words of the Lord spoken to His first chosen people, the Israelites, during their Exodus from Egypt. The Lord spoke to them through their leader, His servant Moses, in which He reminded them all to stay true and obedient to the Law and the commandments which He had revealed and passed to them, namely the Ten Commandments, as well as the many other rules, precepts and practices which He has given to them, for them all to follow and inculcate in each and every moments of their lives. Those laws and commandments were meant to show them and to teach them how they should behave and act as a people that God has chosen and blessed. Moses, the leader of the people of Israel in their Exodus from Egypt, told the people to follow the Lord, His Law and commandments, for they had been chosen by God to be His own people and to be counted among His blessed ones, as God Himself has made a Covenant with them, renewing the Covenant that He once made with Abraham, their forefather. And as part of that Covenant, just as God would bless them and keep them safe, caring for them, therefore the people had to keep their part of the Covenant, which is to follow the Law and commandments of God.
Reflecting on our first reading, Moses reminds the Israelites of their covenant with God. He tells them that they must observe God’s commandments with all their heart and soul. In return, God promises to set them apart as His special people, raising them “high in praise, renown, and glory.” This passage highlights the intimate relationship between God and His chosen people. Just as Israel was called to obey God and walk in His ways, we too are called to remain faithful to Him. Obedience to God is not a burden but a response of love. When we follow His ways, we align ourselves with His blessings. As Christians, we are also God’s chosen people through baptism. We have entered into a covenant of love with Him. But do we truly live as people set apart for God? Do we strive to follow His commandments with our whole heart and soul? Lent is a time to renew our commitment and realign our lives with His will.
Our Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 119 is a beautiful meditation on the joy of following God’s law. It reminds us that those who walk in His ways with sincerity and diligence will be truly blessed. The psalmist expresses a deep longing to remain faithful, praying, “Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes!” Today’s Psalm is a fitting response to the first reading. It teaches us that obedience to God is not just about duty but about love. When we seek Him with all our heart, we find true peace and joy. During this Lenten season, let us reflect on our commitment to God’s law. Do we follow His commands out of genuine love, or merely out of habit or fear? Lent is a time of renewal a chance to deepen our love for God and embrace His will more fully. Do I find it easy to love only those who love me? How can I extend love even to those who have wronged me? Is there someone I need to forgive or pray for today? Am I truly striving to follow God’s commandments with my whole heart, or am I just going through the motions? What steps can I take this Lent to grow in love and holiness?
Today’s readings remind us of the high calling we have as God’s people. We are called not only to obey His commandments but to embody His love, even in the hardest circumstances. Loving our enemies and following God’s law with our whole heart is the path to holiness. As we journey through Lent, let us embrace the challenge of radical love and complete surrender to God. May our hearts be transformed so that we reflect the perfection of our Heavenly Father in all that we do. Heavenly Father, You are perfect in love and mercy. Teach me to love as You love, even when it is difficult. Help me to forgive my enemies and pray for those who hurt me. Strengthen my heart to follow Your commandments with sincerity and devotion. May this Lenten season be a time of true conversion, drawing me closer to You. May God grant us the grace to walk in His ways, love as He loves, and seek perfection in Him. Amen. 🙏🏽
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded to always strive to follow the Lord and His examples in loving us, in how we should always focus ourselves and our whole lives on God, on His love, compassion and mercy. We should also restrain and resist all those temptations of the world, the temptations of worldly glory, pleasures, and also of our pride, ego, greed, ambition and desires, so that we do not end up falling into the trap of sin and evil. Let us all be humble before the Lord, and listen to Him speaking to us, and ask Him to help and guide us in our journey of faith and life, that we do not falter and end up falling into the wrong paths. We are all called to fulfil God’s Law and commandments, to live our lives wholeheartedly according to the way that He has shown to us. We are all called to love one another generously and unconditionally. This means that we cannot just love those who love us or give us happiness and benefit, but love has to be universal and unconditional. This was just exactly how the Lord Himself has loved us, as Jesus pointed out that God still loved and cared even for the wicked and for the greatest of sinners, blessing them just as He had done for the good ones. Let us all therefore make great use of this time and season of Lent to seek the Lord with contrite hearts and minds, willing to humble ourselves, we sinners who are in need of God’s forgiveness and compassionate love. We are called to emulate the Holy men and women, and the Saints, particularly the Saints we celebrate today, Saint Louise de Marillac; Saint Longinus and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer. Let us rediscover the love that we ought to have for God, and let us turn once more towards Him with genuine faith. May the Lord continue to be with us in this journey of faith and life. May He encourage and strengthen us to be generous in loving one another too, to all men and to all people, even those who have not loved us back or even hated us. And may God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and bless us in all the things we say and do, that through our Lenten observances, we will be purified and renewed, drawing ever closer to God. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”
As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey and not a forced march. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: Inspired by today’s Gospel, we pray for the grace to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. May our Lenten practices lead us to deeper conversion and a more profound union with Christ. We also join Pope Francis in his March prayer intention, praying that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. 🙏🏽
LET US PRAY:
My most perfect Lord, I thank You for loving me despite my many sins. I thank You for also calling me to share in the depths of Your love for others. Give me the eyes to see all people as You see them and to love them as You love them. I do love You, Lord. Help me to love You and others more. Jesus, I trust in You 🙏🏽
Heavenly Father, Your Son taught us to love unconditionally, even those who oppose us. Grant us the strength to forgive and the humility to seek reconciliation. May our Lenten journey transform our hearts, drawing us closer to You. We also lift up families in crisis; may they find healing through forgiveness and appreciation of each other’s unique gifts. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Jesus, we trust in You. Amen. 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Louise de Marillac; Saint Longinus and Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
May this day be filled with God’s grace and peace. Wishing us all a safe, blessed, and grace-filled Lenten season and a relaxing weekend. Amen🙏🏽
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖