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TODAY’S WORD…

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…the Lord says,

“Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”

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– Joel 2:12 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Lent is a time of penance and interior renewal

to enable us prepare for Easter,

and God is inviting us to purify our souls

and to begin again:

Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

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God wants us to detach ourselves from the things of the earth

and to return to Him.

He wants us to abandon sin, which makes us grow old and die,

and to instead return to the Fount of Life and Joy.

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To turn our hearts towards God, to be converted,

means that we must be prepared to do everything

to live as He wants us to live.

We must be absolutely sincere with ourselves.

We must try not to serve two masters.

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We must love God with our whole heart and soul,

and flee from any deliberate sin in our lives.

Each of us must do this

irrespective of our personal circumstances as regards work, health, family, age or whatever.

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Jesus is looking for a contrite heart within us,

a heart that acknowledges its weaknesses and sins

and is prepared to disencumber itself from them.

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God wants from us a genuine sorrow for our sins,

which we will manifest above all by going to sacramental confession,

and by doing small deeds of mortification and penance out of love.

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PRAYER…

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Have mercy on me, O God,

according to Your merciful love;

according to Your great compassion,

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me completely from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

My transgressions, truly I know them;

my sin is always before me.

Against You, You alone, have I sinned;

what is evil in Your sight I have done.

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Create a pure heart for me, O God;

renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence;

take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore in me the joy of Your salvation;

sustain in me a willing spirit.

I will teach transgressors Your ways,

that sinners may return to You.

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O LORD, open my lips

and my mouth shall proclaim Your praise.

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– Psalm 51:3-6,12-15,17.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Create a pure heart for me, O God;

renew a steadfast spirit within me.

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… … … … … … … … … … … …… …

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Note: The main source of today’s REFLECTION is the seven-volume work

“In Conversation with God” by Padre Francisco Fernández Carvajal.