Mar 10 - Wk 1 - Day 7 - seeking true self knowledge

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today ends this Wk 1 in the 33 day journey but it is a blessing to have begun seeking by God’s Grace to know ourselves more than perhaps, we have ever known ouselves, in His sight. Today’s Mass readings bring us to our knees, for again we hear God’s Word of Love and Mercy. In the First Reading, from Hosea, we hear God tell us:

…For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings…

Before the Gospel, we hear this verse:

If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.

Finally in the Gospel we hear Jesus tell us the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, from Luke:

Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let us truly humble ourselves before God admitting we are sinners, and depend solely on His Grace and His Mercy. Let us spend time today asking the Holy Spirit for His wisdom that we may see ourselves as God sees us, and turn to Him to learn how to love God and one another truly. Let us continue to beg Mary our Mother to keep sight of our depedence on God’s Grace as she depended on Him.

Tomorrow God willing we begin Wk 2 seeking a greater knowledge of Mary, to see in her the holiness God invites all of us to enter. We never really leave the knowlede of ourselves for it is an ongoing battle. Love of self and love for the world are temptations that plague us, but knowing our God is a God of Love and Mercy, we look to the Mother of Mercy with hope, fo greater knowedge of her will lead us to Him.

Litany of the Holy Spirit - HERE
Ave Maris Stella - HERE
Litany of the Blessed Mother - HERE