Share your food

"Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me: to break unjust fetters, to undo the thongs of yoke; to let the oppressed go free, and break all yokes? Is it not sharing your food with the hungry, and sheltering the homeless poor; if you see someone lacking clothes, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own kin?" (Isaiah 58: 6 – 7)

Lord, you are all powerful, all wise and all loving. Why do you allow the conditions of injustice to exist and even flourish? Why do you allow some people to go without food and clothes? Lord, what will you have me do?

Continue to follow your Lenten program. I will speak to you at appropriate times.

When I am afraid

"Master! Master! We are lost!' Then he woke up and rebuked the wind and the rough water; and they subsided and it was calm again. He said to them, 'Where is your faith?" (Luke 9: 24)

When I become afraid in the face of trials, I will call on the Lord to help me. I remember Psalm 56: 3 – 4:

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you,

in God, whose word I praise,

in God I put my trust and have no fear,

What power has human strength over me?" (Psalm 56: 3-4)

 

Help me Jesus to realize that you are always near.

Promised Land

"Look, today I am offering you life and prosperity, death and disaster …. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live, in the love of Yahweh your God, obeying his voice, holding fast to him; for in this your life consists, and on this depends the length of time that you stay in the country which Yahweh swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would give them." (Deuteronomy 30: 15, 19 – 20)

I confided the reflection on the above scripture to my journal in 1997.

"This is one of my PL scriptures. What is Yahweh, my Lord saying to me today?

His provision for me here and now is life and prosperity. Father, thank you.

To obtain this provision, I must:

• Obey his voice, that is, listen t and comply to what he says to me. I know I can do it by God's grace. I feel I can do. And I want to do it.
  
• Love Yahweh, my God. But how do I love Yahweh? What does the scripture say on this? Love your neighbor whom you see. Do to him in every occasion as you would like him to do to you. For example, I love people to pray for me. Do likewise to your neighbor. I enjoy gifts from people. Give gifts to your friends. I like receiving emails and letters from friends. Send friends emails and letters. Show that you love God by doing to your neighbor as you want him to do to you.
  
• Hold fast to God, that is, hold fast to his words and promises. Let no delay shake you. Nor obstacles and disappointments dislodge you from the chosen path. Affirm God's promises all the time. Be patient as you wait for the fulfillment of God's promises in your life."
  

 

Lent and Food

"For God says, 'In an acceptable time I have heard you; on the day of salvation I have helped you.' Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!" (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Ten years ago, I confided the reflection on the above scripture to my journal:

"Lent is the time acceptable to God for 'rending the heart.' Does that mean that in seeking God, certain times are more acceptable than other times? Likewise, are some places more acceptable than others?

Lent is a time of grace. I recall that I experienced the miracle of healing from tobacco in the Lent of 1988. My great desire during this Lent is to overcome and neutralize the attraction of food in my life. God healed me of tobacco and alcohol. Now I want to be totally healed of food. But food is unlike alcohol and tobacco. It is a necessity. I want to overcome the inordinate attachment to food."

I am happy to report that God has totally healed me of attachment to food. I cannot recall the exact time of this healing. But without doubt, the healing started during the period of Lent.

 

A Clean heart

"A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me." (Psalm 51: 12)

Lenten objective

"Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me." (Psalm 51:14)

Without God, I can do nothing. O Lord, if you open my lips, my mouth shall then proclaim your praise. I am willing. Open it, dear Lord.

I read, I believe, I teach, I practice

"Keep your deeds of mercy secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." (Matthew 6: 1-6)

"Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what no man sees, will repay you."

"When you fast, see to it that you groom your hair and wash your face. In that way no one can see you are fasting but your Father who is hidden; and your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you." (Matthew 6: 16 – 18)

We are mid way in Lent 2007 and it is a good time to remember what we heard at the beginning of Lent.

Lord, help me to believe what I read, to teach what I believe and to practice what I teach.

I read, I believe, I teach, I practice.

 

Rend your hearts

"Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God." (Joel 2: 13)

We hear this scripture usually on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. How do I rend my heart?

Jesus supplies the answer in another Ash Wednesday reading from Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18:

1. Pray
   
2. Fast
   
3. Almsgiving
   

When we do this in response to the word of God in Joel 2:13, we die with Christ during Lent and therefore are qualified to rise with him at Easter.