Wed Feb 14
Tear your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God, for he is tender and merciful, slow to anger and full of love, forgiving punishment. (Jl 2, 13)
“But see, Theotime, with what ardor God desires that we be his. For this he became one of us, he gave us both his life and his death.” (Treatise Love of God III, 5)
From today I am setting the time of day that I will devote to my Salesian Lent.
Source: Revenir au Seigneur – Association Saint François de Sales (saint-francois-de-sales.com)
Ash Wednesday
“A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit.” (Psalms 51:12)
Here are the preludes for all of Lent, the two aspects of penance: the one from which we depart, ashes; the one to which we reach for, Heaven: from misery, to treasures. “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,” (Matthew 11:25) “though I am only dust and ashes!” (Genesis 18:27) “[A]nd yet I want to amass the treasures of your word.” (Sermon for Ash Wednesday, March 4, 1609)
Lord, give me the will to follow you throughout this Lent in order to convert me through your precious love.
Source: lent-2021 | our-spirituality | public (sfdsassociation.org)
Thursday Feb 15
He said to them all: “Whoever wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23)
Loving the suffering and bitterness of life, for the love of God, is indeed the highest degree of charity. (TLG IX, 2)
I notice in my day: a job, a meeting or an activity that I cannot avoid but which I do not like. I will live it with particular application and good humor, since deep down, it is God who asks it of me.
“Let us keep on and on making our way through these dark valleys; let us live with the cross in our arms, humble and patient. What does it matter whether God’s voice comes to us amongst thorns or amongst flowers?” (To Mme de Chantal, September 14, 1605)
Lord, teach me today to leave my worries to myself and to turn to another who suffers physically or morally.
Fr Feb 16
I offer a sacrifice, you do not want it, you do not accept a burnt offering. The sacrifice that pleases God is a broken spirit; You do not reject, O my God, a broken and crushed heart. (Ps 50, 18-19)
This is how Our Lord acts with regard to his children, continually watching over their conduct […]. If we do not fail in his grace, he will complete in us the good work of our salvation. (TLG III, 4)
I am now setting a gesture of sharing linked to my Lenten efforts. This gesture must correspond to a real sacrifice on my part, to take me out of my comfort zone: to meet a person who is difficult for me, to financially support a good cause…
“For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me.” (Psalms 51:5)
“O my Creator, so far from uniting myself to Thee by a loving service, I have rebelled against Thee through my unruly affections, departing from Thee, and giving myself up to sin.” (“Introduction to the Devout Life,” Part 1, Chapter 9)
Lord, help me today to fight one of my faults which keeps me from you.
Sat Feb 17
Lord, rejoice your servant: to you I lift up my soul! You who are good and forgiving, full of love for all who call you. (Ps 85, 4-5)
It is very good to distrust ourselves, but what good would it do us to do so, except to throw all our trust in God and expect his mercy? (Interviews III, Trust and abandonment)
I choose a situation that presents itself to me today and I ask myself: what would Jesus have done in my place? and I decide to do it.
“If you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted;
Then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall become like midday.” (Isaiah 58:10)
“A person who wants to follow devotion … will say to herself: … Will I give alms, or will I give all my goods to the poor? The Holy Spirit, residing in our hearts, counsels us and inspires us to do what is more for the glory of God and our salvation.” (Sermon LXX for Pentecost)
Help me, Lord, to perform an act of generosity today. Open my eyes and heart to share with someone in need