Matthew 6:7-15 How to Pray: Our Father

Jesus said to his disciples:
"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
"This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
"If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

In this passage Jesus reminds us that our relationship with God is one that is close and intimate. In the Old Testament, God is often called lord, or King. He is in heaven far from his people. Jesus reminds us that God is also close. Our relationship should be like a father, daddy, to a child. In this prayer we see  a focus on forgiveness. Sins are forgiven as we forgive others, because when we allow our hate to over come us, it eats away at our soul. Forgiveness of debts is important because debt is what traps us. It creates slaves out of free people. As a society we should focus on eliminating debt so the poor can be free to live out their own lives. 

Matthew 25:31-46 We are called to feed the hungry

Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left,
'Depart from me, you accursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome,
naked and you gave me no clothing,
ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say,
'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life."

In this passage, we see Jesus reminding us that we are called to serve others. Here Jesus does not encourage us to feed the hungry, he demands we feed the hungry. He is not simply saying we have a moral obligation to serve others, he is demanding us to do so or else we will never see the Kingdom of God. During this season of Lent, we are called to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, bury the dead, and visit the sick.

Mark 1:12-15 Jesus Tempted in the Desert

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,
and he remained in the desert for forty days,
tempted by Satan.
He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

In this passage we see Jesus retreating to the desert to find himself. He goes to fast, to escape from the world, and be tempted by Satan. So many times in our lives we refuse to enter the desert. We refuse to make time for God and ask the hard questions about ourselves. Jesus reminds us that without the desert, we cannot truly reflect on who we are. During this time of Lent let us be be given the grace to go forth into the desert so that our relationship with God may be strengthened. 

Luke 5:27-32 Jesus came for sinners not the righteous

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
"Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
Jesus said to them in reply,
"Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."

In this passage, we see Jesus calling a tax collector to follow him. The reactions of the Pharisees was typical because tax collectors in the time of Jesus were considered to be 'sell outs' to the Roman Empire. They collected taxes on behalf of Rome and they often inflated the taxes because they were not paid a wage by the empire. So often in our lives it is difficult to stop what we are doing to follow our Vocation. Here it is the tax collector who shows us how we should answer God's call.

Matthew 9:14-15 Can the Wedding Guests Mourn as Long as the Bridegroom is With Them?

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
"Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?"
Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast."

In this passage, Jesus is explaining that his time with the disciples is short. He, the Messiah, has very little time on earth. His time should be used to celebrate and usher in the Kingdom of God.  His example of the bridegroom is important during the Lenten Season because it points to his crucifixion. God incarnate, will sacrifice himself for our sins out of his profound love for us.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Is holiness about fasting to be seen, praying out loud to be heard, or giving to the poor to be popular?

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

In this passage, Jesus outlines for us how we are to pray, give alms, and fast. These are the pillars to inner purification. These acts help us centre ourselves on God rather than our own selves. The danger of these practices is if we turn it to benefit ourselves. It is our egos that often prevent us from establishing a relationship with God.  If we fast to impress others, give to charity in order to help ourselves, and pray in public to appear to be holy, we lose sight of the real purpose of these exercises; establishing a relationship with God.

Mark 8:22-26 Jesus Heals the Blind Man: The meaning behind seeing trees

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
"Do you see anything?"
Looking up the man replied, "I see people looking like trees and walking."
Then he laid hands on the man's eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, "Do not even go into the village."

 In this passage, Jesus touches the blind man and gives him sight. At first the blind man does not see clearly but after Jesus laid his hands upon him a second time he is able to see. This story represents our own spiritual journeys. So often we are called by Christ and attempt to respond but when we first respond we do not fully understand our vocation. It is not until we are called multiple times do we respond. We, like the disciples in the Gospel of Mark, and like the blind man, only see clearly after we encounter Christ multiple times.