It is 26th February 2021.
The readings are from Ezekiel 18:21-28; and the Gospel from Matthew 5:20-26.
Lent is the time to take responsibility for our spiritual tiredness and igniting the flame of love and forgiveness. Fear is the major obstacles to have our interior conversion. Sin evaporates the interests and enthusiasm to return to the Lord.
God is interested in our personal conversion not in punishing us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn.3:16). God is patient with us truly that does not mean that God condones all the evil we do. God offers countless times to leave the evil we are clinging on to it.
Let us not go on living avoiding evil alone but by increasing the good we are doing to others. To overcome evil, we need to put our hearts and mind in doing the best we can to those who are in need.
The responsorial Psalm intercedes, “If you O Lord should mark our guilt, who would survive?” (Ps.130:3).
Jesus invites us to be reconciled with those who have left the marks of wounds and pain. No offertory pleases God except reconciling with the other. There is no healing and blessing when we are afraid and stubborn towards others in forgiving them. Our conversion begins with reconciling ourselves the other that allows us to accept the offer of healing from God. Jesus wants us to change our attitude towards the other during the Lent in particular.
Let us begin the process of reconciling with others starting from our home of origin, our immediate family, and those who are close to us. Our complacency delays the blessings of peace and integral healing. Our relating with God depends on the way we treat one another. The more we mistreat one another, we go farther from God. Our piety, fake humility and luxurious offertory do not please God. “If someone says he loves God, but hates his brother, he is a liar” (1 John 4:20). We need to be at peace with one another and be reconciled to enjoy God’s favour. May you have a lovely day. God bless you.