Friday of the First Week of Lent
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit
iniquity, and dies, it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must
die. But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed, does what
is right and just, he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from
all the sins that he committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. (Ezekiel
18:26-28)
If
you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered. (Psalm 130:3-4)
(Jesus
said:) “Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise
your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over
to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will
not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
(Matthew 5:25-26)
Piety
Lord, I beg
Your help in turning from the wickedness I find so attractive and tempting in
the moment. I am confident in Your forgiveness; I also am totally confident I
cannot find and stay on the narrow path without Your guidance.
Study
It doesn’t
sound fair, does it, the pronouncement in today’s first reading that someone who
was good and became bad will die, despite that past goodness… while someone who
was bad and turned good will live with God, despite that past badness?
It doesn’t
seem fair, does it, that in today’s Gospel reading, Jesus calls on us to settle
up with our opponents rather than let grudges and wrongs fester until a higher
authority comes in to sort it all out?
It doesn’t
seem fair, does it, that as we’re told in today’s Psalm, God sees our
wickedness but longs to forgive us and bring us back into His family?
No, none of
it seems fair. And probably, it isn’t. But then, God’s not about fairness.
May we be
ever grateful for this God, who loves us beyond our understanding and cares
less about fairness than on bestowing grace and mercy on us as we struggle to draw
closer to Him.
Action
The 139th
Arlington Women’s Weekend is under way at Missionhurst. Please consider
offering up prayers today for the babe chicks and team to accept that which is
beyond all understanding: God’s awesome love for them.
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