Day 9
“Turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.”
“Turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.”
“A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.”
“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.”
“Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.”
Every Mass, like in the first reading (DT 26:4-10), we offer the “fruits” of our labor as an expression of thanksgiving and sacrifice to God. Beyond the bread, wine, and monetary contributions, our presence at Mass is an offering of ourselves to God and a sign of our deep desire to be an instrument of God.
“If you honor [the sabbath] by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice–Then you shall delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth.”
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.”
Thursday After Ash Wednesday. In today’s first reading Moses said to his people “If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish.”
It has always been a slight confusion to me that on Ash Wednesday