Sunday

“Grace is divided into three classes. Its first action is called purifying. After it purifies a person, he is given another greater gift which is called illuminating grace, that is, he receives enlightenment of spiritual knowledge. And the third grace is called perfecting…if you exert yourself in the prayer and pray continuously, if you read lives of saints and toil a little at night, you will quickly obtain what you seek, and your little soul will rejoice that Christ loves you so much.
(Elder St Joseph the Hesychast in  ‘Monastic Wisdom’)

Prayer:  We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
*Sub Tuum Praesidium

 

 

Monday  of the Sixth Week of Lent

But the righteous live forever, And their reward is with the Lord; And their care is by the Most High.  Therefore they shall receive a kingly dwelling of dignity And a crown of beauty from the hand of the Lord, Because He will shelter them with His right hand And protect them with His arm. – Wisdom of Solomon 5:15-16

THERE is no eternal reward without the Lord.  And the path to Him lies in our affiliation with the Church He established.

Christ is in our midst….He is and always shall be.

 

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Lent

 

Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

WE should remember that we are never alone…our Guardian Angel is always at our side whispering in our spiritual ear and praying for us.

Holy Angel of the Lord my guardian, pray to God for me!

 

Wednesday  of the Sixth Week of Lent

The fear of the Lord is glory and boasting, And gladness and a crown of rejoicing. The fear of the Lord will cheer the heart And will give gladness, joy, and long life. For those who fear the Lord, it shall be well to the utmost, And on the day of his death, he will be blessed. The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord… – Book of Sirach 1: 9-12

IF we don’t fear the Lord, we will not seriously consider the punishment for sin and thus are more likely to not try to resist it.  And sometimes that punishment starts right here on earth.

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.

 

Thursday  of the Sixth Week of Lent

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, And no torture will ever touch them. In the eyes of the undiscerning they seemed to have died, And their departure was considered to be misfortune, And their passage from us to be their destruction; But they are at peace. For though in man’s view they were punished, Their hope is full of immortality. Though chastened in a few things, Great kindness will be shown them, For God tested them and found them worthy of Himself. – Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-5

WE are rightly sad and losing the presence of those we are close to in this life at the time of death, but if they truly sought the Lord and His Church, we know they are at peace.   Modern society ignores this and promotes the fairy tail of a white light and eternal bliss.   Nothing in the Bible promises sin without consequences and many examples are there to guide us.

Our Father, Who art in  Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

 

Friday   of the Sixth Week of Lent

The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man also does not know his time:
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are snared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them. – Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

 

WE do not know where out life will end so everyday must be used for preparation spiritually.

Create in me a clean heart of God and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not from thy presence nor take thy Holy Spirit from me.    Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and by thy governing spirit establish me.

Saturday    of the Sixth Week of Lent

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

NO comment is necessary…this is the purpose of life.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.