SATURDAY MARCH 9, 2024
SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT B
Hosea 6:1-6
Luke 18:9-14
RISING ABOVE PRIDE AND LIVING IN HUMILITY
The vice of pride which seem to be deep rooted in man is one great task we are called to overcome this Lenten season. And fighting against pride begins with our relationship with God, and starts from our prayer life.
As the prophet Hosea reminds us in the first reading, what God desires from us is particularly not sacrifices but a humble and contrite heart. Our sacrifices and good deeds notwithstanding, the better part of our existence and religious inclination must be to have a humble and contrite heart. We need to project more our humble disposition, our compassionate heart, the recognition of our sinfulness and iniquities. This is the beginning of conversion in us.
We cannot be counting our good deeds as the Pharisee in the gospel did because even our good deeds are not product of our selves but rather products of the grace of God working through us and in us.
And Our debased nature continues to thwart the grace of God working in us and that is the more reason we have to focus more on evolving a humble mind, recognizing our sinfulness and desiring mercy from God not praise.
So, our disposition towards this Lenten season is not to be acclaimed a righteous person, not to be declared free from sin either, and not to be acclaimed sinless creature but to undergo more intensely the discipline of being humble before God, the discovery of our sinfulness and the prayer for mercy and forgiveness over all our sins.
We must then strive to count on God’s mercy and forgiveness, developing love and compassion instead of praise and acclamation. Our prayers must then tilt towards seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness also. It is a period of asking for mercy, forgiveness and working humbly towards it. That instead of pride, arrogance, praise or acclamation, we should be found seeking God’s mercy, in a humble and contrite manner.
God our Father, with the publican, we pray, have mercy on us. Forgive our sins, give us a humble and contrite heart, wash us clean from our iniquities, restore your grace in our lives, remove pride, arrogance and self seeking praise from us and give us grace to live humbly, show us your mercy and forgiveness, so that we may be at peace with you our God through Christ Jesus our Lord,
Fr Norbert Uchuno
