Thursday, April 6, 2017

5th Week of Lent, Friday, 07-04-17

Jeremiah 20:10-13 / John 10:31-42

Before the Mass we had the Stations of the Cross, which is a devotion that is practised during the season of Lent on Fridays.

After the Mass, there will be the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, which is practised every Friday in our parish and more so today being the first Friday of the month.

So if we were to participate in all three, ie. Stations, Mass and Devotion, then it would easily take one and a half hours, which is certainly a good form of sacrifice and prayer for Lent.

But if we to choose between Stations and Devotion, which would it be? Maybe it would be Stations, since it is Lent. As for the Devotion, we have it every Friday, and since it is a regular feature then we can always go for it another time.

But when we reflect on it, there is a progression from one to the other. The Stations help us to understand the sufferings of Christ, which we celebrate in the sacrifice of the Mass, and the Devotion to the Sacred Heart helps us to unite our sacrifice with Jesus through reparation and expiation so that we can continue the saving work of Jesus.

In the 1st reading, we hear from the prophet Jeremiah lamenting about those disparaging him, those who watched for his downfall, those who want to seduce him into error and those who want to take their revenge on him.

His consolation is that the Lord is at his side, and his opponents will stumble and unforgettable disgrace will be theirs

He claimed that the Lord of hosts will probe with justice and let him see the vengeance on his enemies.

Presumably, it means that his enemies will be punished. And that is what we will hope for too - that our enemies will be punished for the evil they did to us.

Yes, there will be punishment for the bad and evil people, but the justice of God is also mercy and compassion.

God would also want to see the wicked and evil people repent and come to believe in His love for them.

On the cross, Jesus forgave His enemies. And through His Sacred Heart, He revealed His desire for all to be saved.

So as we participate in the Stations, the Mass and the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, we also must pray for our enemies, and for all the wicked and evil people.

We must pray for their salvation. It is not an option. We must make it our commitment. Because the justice of God is mercy and compassion.