Daily Readings
“Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”
RESPONSORIAL Psalm:
PS 79:8, 9, 11 AND 13
Response <R> : Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. <R>
Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; Deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. <R>
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you; with your great power free those doomed to death. Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; through all generations we will declare your praise. <R>
SECOND READING:
Philippians 3:17—4:1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord.
GOSPEL: Luke 6:36-38
At that time:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
DAILY REFLECTION - 17 March 2025
Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel comes as a climax to His discourse on love. It comes naturally to us to judge, to criticize, to condemn, to withhold forgiveness, and we justify this particularly when we experience personal hurt or harm. But to be compassionate and merciful towards others is to act as God does. God is ever true and faithful to His covenant. He does not return our infidelity and failings with condemnation but keeps giving us chances to change and invites us to do the same for others.
No matter how far we have strayed, we can pray like Daniel did on behalf of the people of Israel, “Integrity is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today… because of the treason we committed against you”. And to those who come with truly penitent hearts desiring change, today’s responsorial psalm consoles with the assurance that ‘God does not treat us according to our sins’!
God never gives up on us. Don’t give up on others or yourself.