8 Mar
Fri
3rd Week of Lent
Hos 14:2-10
Ps 80(81):6c-8a,8bc-9,10-11ab, 14 and 17
Mk 12:28b-34
(Ps Wk III)
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A person went to see his doctor for his annual checkup and was told his cholesterol levels were way too high. His overweight doctor suggested that his problem might be helped if he shed a few pounds. The person told me he bit his tongue rather than saying something witty like, "I will if you will." He told me he bit his tongue because he knew his doctor's advice was good and right, what he needed to do, and it really didn't matter whether or not the doctor followed his own advice.

Thomas Aquinas wrote that "Every truth, no matter who speaks it, is from the Holy Spirit." Sometimes we just need to separate the message from the messenger. In our gospel passage for today Jesus is harsh with the scribes and Pharisees because they did not practise what they preached. They were really good teachers of the Law, they knew it all forwards and backwards, but either they did not really understand it or they didn't really care about it because they themselves did not follow it, did not live it in their lives. They had memorized the laws, but had not learned them by heart. They had not laid it to their hearts. They did not understand that the laws are instructions which must be filtered by compassion and especially by love. May God help us to be open to the message regardless of the messenger.



Lord, fill us with the power of Your love.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That respect for nature may grow with the awareness that all creation is God's work entrusted to human responsibility.
Elaboration

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