Lent: Prayer

Lent: Prayer

“The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.” ~Psalms 145:18

  There are Three main areas that come to my mind when it comes to making those changes we want during Lent and they are 1) Prayer 2) Fasting and 3) Almsgiving. During the next few days I will explore each one of these and give some ideas that I hope will spark ideas for yourself as well. As I have said before make it yours. We can not compare our journey through Lent to others because we all have different levels of faith that we need to explore. Also if we personalize our journey we become more determined and vested. 

    The first one I will tackle is Prayer. Prayer would seem to be the easiest of the three to do. Yet, it seems to be the one that people find the hardest to do. For some they will say they find prayer to be repetitive, they do not know how, do not have the time, feel that it is a waste of time, etc.... No matter what the reason or reasons are Lent is a time that can be used to change that.  

     The first step I would start with is write down what you want your prayer life to be. Then write down what is blocking you from having that prayer life. Once you know where you want to be and where you are you can map out that course to get you there. Remember just like any journey you have to remember that at times you have to take pit stops, take a break, stay a night to rest. Some journeys take time and you have to be realistic as well. It may take longer then the 40 days of Lent to get where you want to be but its the best place to start. 

     Tomorrow I will have a list of prayers and some conventional and not so conventional ways to get to the prayer life that you are seeking.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember any journey starts with one step and then is followed by step by step and by step. 

Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 344

Reading 1

JAS 5:1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.

Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,

your gold and silver have corroded,

and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;

it will devour your flesh like a fire.

You have stored up treasure for the last days.

Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers

who harvested your fields are crying aloud;

and the cries of the harvesters

have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;

you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.

You have condemned;

you have murdered the righteous one;

he offers you no resistance.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 49:14-15AB, 15CD-16, 17-18, 19-20

R. (Matthew 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

This is the way of those whose trust is folly,

the end of those contented with their lot:

Like sheep they are herded into the nether world;

death is their shepherd and the upright rule over them.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Quickly their form is consumed;

the nether world is their palace.

But God will redeem me

from the power of the nether world by receiving me.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Fear not when a man grows rich,

when the wealth of his house becomes great,

For when he dies, he shall take none of it;

his wealth shall not follow him down.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,

“They will praise you for doing well for yourself,”

He shall join the circle of his forebears

who shall never more see light.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Gospel

MK 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink

because you belong to Christ,

amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 

it would be better for him if a great millstone

were put around his neck

and he were thrown into the sea.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life maimed 

than with two hands to go into Gehenna,

into the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.

It is better for you to enter into life crippled 

than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye

than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“Everyone will be salted with fire.

Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,

with what will you restore its flavor?

Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”