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Lenten
Retreat: Week
Five
Theme:
"Be still before
the Lord, wait for God." ~Psalm 37, 3
Grace:
To grow in a deeper
knowledge, love, and imitation of Jesus Christ
The
prayer material for each day of
this week is listed below.
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Day
One: Monday, March
16
Prayer
Material: John 8: 1-11
Reflection:
Throwing
verbal stones can injure the other in a variety of ways.
Jesus invites us to refrain from picking up
anything to throw at another. Negative actions and harsh
words tend to damage the human person. People who are
trying to live with heavy burdens and problems need
compassion, understanding, and acceptance - what Jesus
showed to the woman caught in adultery. Inviting the Holy
Spirit to fashion our hearts in the compassion,
gentleness, and love of the Sacred Heart is to deepen the
life of Christ within us.
"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked
man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he
might live."
~Ezekiel 33, 11
If you wish to read a personal
prayer of repentance
offered by a saint, then please click
here.
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Day
Two:
Tuesday, March 17
Prayer
Material: John 8: 12-20
Reflection: "I
am the way, the truth, and the light"says
the Lord. Light
is the symbol of life, happiness, justice, the joy of
salvation, and liberation in Christ. Darkness
is a symbol of death, disgrace, and negativity. We
need the light of the Holy Spirit to guide us in the way
of God's will - to live with wholeness and harmony; to
give proper values to a meaningful spiritual life.
Jesus would invite us to "let
your light shine that people may see the goodness in your
heart and give glory to God."
"Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear
no evil; for you are at my side."
~taken
from Psalm 23
"Help
me to see with your eyes, Lord! Blind me to the way the
world sees so that I won't give in to judging people on
their looks or skin color or possessions or personality.
Help me to see, and to love, as you love, Lord - with eyes
so wide open that they see past the outside and right into
the heart of another."
~taken
from Seeing with
God's Eyes
[If
you wish to reflect upon the mind and heart of Jesus as
described in the insightful book Jesus
Before Christianity,
please click
here.]
Additional
Prayer References
John
9: 1-41 - the man
born blind receives sight
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Day
Three: Wednesday, March
18
Prayer
Material: Isaiah 49: 8-15
Reflection:
Our
baptism established each of us as an "adopted"
child of God in Christ Jesus making us heirs of eternal
glory - the same life as the Son of God enjoys. This faith
relationship with Jesus Christ opens us to the heart of
God's mercy, love, and peace. An active faith allows the
Lord to work in and through us. As Paul reminds us, this
covenant relationship allows us to call out "Abba,
Father." Listen to this:
"God chose us in
Christ before the world
began to be holy and blameless in his sight. He
predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus
Christ, such was his will and pleasure that all might
praise the glorious favor he has bestowed upon us in his
beloved."
~Ephesians
1: 3-5
Baptism puts each of us in the family-community of the
Church. Do you celebrate being a Christian-Catholic?
"Give thanks to
the Lord on the harp; sing to him a new song; cry out with
joy to the Lord, you holy ones, sing a new song to him.
The plan of the Lord stands forever; the design of his
heart, through all generations. Happy the nation whose God
is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own
inheritance. Our soul waits for the Lord who is our help
and our shield; in His name we trust."
~taken
from Psalm 33
[If you
would like to read a song written by a young Spanish
teenager inviting youth to be Prophets
of Hope,
then please click
here.]
Additional
Prayer References
Ephesians
4: 1-16; Jeremiah 31: 31-34
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Day
Four: Thursday, March
19
Prayer
Material: John 15: 1-9
Reflection: Traditional Catholic Spirituality formerly spoke of the need
for "purification" and "interior cleansing
of the heart" as one grew in the spiritual life.
Jesus uses images of nature to speak of the need for
pruning or trimming "in order to bear more
fruit." In this vein, mortification and
self-discipline provide means to spiritual growth.
Discernment in this area is very important lest one go
overboard and try to do too much penance - as happened in
the life of St. Ignatius.
"Some fasting" is not only good for the body but also for the
spirit. Do you wish to review the words of Jesus that were
presented to us onAsh
Wednesday?
Pray Matthew 6: 1-6 and 16-18.
[If you wish to learn about a special way to pray
with the Scriptures,
please click
here.]
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Day
5: Friday, March 20
Prayer
Material: Matthew
14: 13-21
Reflection: Food was often on the mind of Jesus. "I am the Bread of Life."
A healthy spiritual life needs to be nourished.
Where do you get the strength, conviction to be the
person the Lord calls you to be? "You have been told what is good, and what the Lord
requires of you: to do justice, to love goodness, and to
walk humbly with your God." [Micah 6, 8] And
Jesus quoted the Old Testament to answer the lawyer's
question pertaining to what is most important in life: "You shall love
the Lord your God, with all you heart, with all your soul
and with all your mind. And the second is like it: You
shall love your neighbor as yourself." What is your
source of energy to live this as a
Catholic-Christian?
"If you love me keep the commandments"
says the Lord. Would you want to review the commandments to
see if your attitudes and values line up with these
expressions of the Will of God? If so, please click
here.
Additional
Prayer Reference
Isaiah
65: 17-21
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Day
Six: Saturday, March 21
Prayer
Material: Mark
4: 35-41
Reflection:
We
are old enough to know that life gets rather bumpy at
times, making us feel anxious and worried - even
powerless. When you think of your life, what are the major
storms that rock and batter the heart causing you to fear?
Storms come - whether from within or from outside. And
some of them are so difficult they test the depth of one's
faith and trust. Jesus urged us to build our lives on a
solid rock foundation so that when these trials and
difficulties come we are not shaken from our
religious convictions. The more our life is centered in
Christ and anchored in him the better our chance of
weathering the storm(s). The apostles had to learn the
truth: "I am with you
always: do not be afraid. I have conquered the
world."
Does this comfort your heart?
[If
you want to pray over some comforting words from the Lord
of compassion and mercy thenclick
here.]
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