Monday March 1
“Seeing that he preferred Joseph to them, his other sons hated him, and they could no longer speak to him without hostility. “(Gn 37,4) I love your advancement in solid piety, and this advancement requires difficulties, so that you may be exercised in the school of the Cross, in which only our souls can perfect themselves. (Letter to a Lady, EA 21, p. 46)
To advance in the faith, we must endure many personal difficulties, but also difficulties coming from those around us. Let us pray today for those who make us suffer and entrust them to Christ.
Tuesday March 2
Once again you will show us your mercy, you will trample our crimes under foot, you will cast all our sins to the bottom of the sea!” “(Mi 7, 19) The mother gives a kiss , (to the child) she receives a kiss from it. Let us turn to this Savior who gives us so much sweetness, and embrace him. To embrace him is to obey him, keep his commandments, fulfill his wills, follow his desires, with tenderness and fidelity. (IDL IV, 13)
The Lord gives himself as the most tender sweetness in the Eucharist. Through it, He manifests, again and again, all His mercy. Will we be able to receive him today “embracing him tenderly with obedience and fidelity”?
Wednesday March 3
“Many believed on his name, seeing the signs he was performing. “(Jn 2, 23) Love him [God] very much, for he wants to do you a lot of good. (Letter to Saint Chantal, August 6, 1606)
In the world, in our lives, in our families, do we see signs from the Lord? Let us open our eyes, our ears and above all our heart and let ourselves be touched by the good that God does in us and around us. Let us know how to thank him and praise him for that.
Thursday March 4
“Shouldn’t you, in turn, have pity on your companion, as I had pity on you? “(Mt 18:33) God’s will is that I serve the rich and the poor; but the service of the poor conforms to it more than that of the rich. The indifferent heart will therefore choose the service of the poor. (TLG IX, 4,)
Lord, look at our limits of love, our lack of patience, instill in us the ardent desire to be artisans of your mercy to our brothers. You showed me, Lord, the road of life
Friday March 5
“Hear my voice: I will be your God, and you will be my people; you will follow all the paths that I have prescribed for you, so that you may be happy. »(Jer 7:23). The servant is less than his master. Make yourself the servant of the poor; go and serve them in their bed when they are sick, I say with your own hands; prepare whatever food you bring them; be their laundress and their laundress. O my Philothea, this service is more glorious than royalty. (IDL III, 15)
The path that the Lord shows us is a royal path since it leads to a shared happiness with our brothers. As Saint Francis de Sales says, everyone can find this path either with the sick or in an association that helps the homeless, refugees, etc., but also by doing their duty of care with joy and gentleness.
Saturday March 6
“Come see a man who has told me everything I’ve done. Would he not be the Christ? “(Jn 4:29) It is the obvious sign of perfection in wanting to be corrected; for it is the main fruit of humility, which makes us know that we need it. (Letter to a nun, EA 19, 13, 9 sept 1619)
Christ joins us in what we keep in the depths of us in secret. Without condemnation, He shows us what is dark in us and wants to put his light there. Like the Samaritan woman, let us convert and proclaim, in wonder, our faith in Christ.
Sunday March 7
And no one dared question him anymore. “(Mk 12:34) You will see that when you no longer think about your deliverance, God will think about it, and when you no longer hasten, God will run there. (Letter to Saint Chantal, February 18, 1605)
Hand over everything to the Father, abandon everything to him: our families, our worries and our joys, our projects, what makes up our life today…. And let us live serene and filled with his strength and his hope.
Source: https://saint-francois-de-sales.com/category/careme-2018/page/3/
