Third Friday of Lent

Daily Reflection

Third Friday of Lent

What separates us from God?

From today’s Scripture: “And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” —Mk 12:34

By his passion and cross, Jesus exemplifies what it means to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength…. And love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus suffered and died to pay the price of our sins and so to fulfill the will of the Father of saving and restoring us to eternal life.

Just like ‘the verdant cypress tree bears fruit’, so do we receive the saving fruit of God’s mercy from the cross. Sin holds us back from loving God and neighbor. Perhaps the question we need to ask ourselves today is, ‘What guilt(s) do we have in our hearts that separate us from the love of God?’ Is it envy, jealousy, pride, hatred, love of money, immorality, or selfishness?

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, grant me the wisdom, understanding and prudence to choose love over hate, forgiveness over enmity and self-giving over selfishness. Reform my heart and life through my Lenten observance, that I may love God with my whole being and love my neighbor as myself.

 

 

Today’s author is Glenmary student Fredrick Ochieng’, of the Diocese of Kisumu, Kenya.

 

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