Mar. 5 - Wk 1, Day 2

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today's Mass Readings for Ash Wednesday are a great help in this first week: seeking true self-knowledge and sorrow for sin.

From the First Reading:

“Yet even now,” says the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments…

From the Psalm:

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart…

From the Second Reading:

…Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation…

From the Gospel:

...your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

and from a commentary by St. Cyril:

Lent leads to baptism…Now you who are about to be baptized are already disciples of the New Covenant and participators in Christ’s mysteries have already made yourselves “a new heart and a new spirit” to the joy of the inhabitants of heaven… You have set out on a good, a most beautiful journey…

St. Louis De Montfort wrote that consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary is a perfect renewal of our Baptism. As we continue our preparation to consecrate or reconsecrate ourselves on Mar. 25, let us continue to pray to the Holy Spirit and to Mary:
Litany of the Holy Spirit can be found[ HERE](https://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/pent13.htm)
Ave Maris Stella (in English) [HERE](http://www.chantcd.com/lyrics/hail_star_sea.htm)
Litany of the Blessed Virgin may be found [HERE](http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/prayers/bvm.html)

 

[tawny]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today's Mass Readings for Ash Wednesday are a great help in this first week: seeking true self-knowledge and sorrow for sin.

From the First Reading:

From the Psalm:

From the Second Reading:

From the Gospel:

and from a commentary by St. Cyril:

St. Louis De Montfort wrote that consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary is a perfect renewal of our Baptism. As we continue our preparation to consecrate or reconsecrate ourselves on Mar. 25, let us continue to pray to the Holy Spirit and to Mary:
Litany of the Holy Spirit can be found[ HERE](https://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/pent13.htm)
Ave Maris Stella (in English) [HERE](http://www.chantcd.com/lyrics/hail_star_sea.htm)
Litany of the Blessed Virgin may be found [HERE](http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/prayers/bvm.html)

Praying with all.