LENTEN DIGEST with FR. PIUSRALPH EFFIONG, SMMM

WEDNESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT

Mystery of the day: Glorious

Lenten Exercises: Meditatively pray the mystery of the day and assist a vulnerable of any kind today

Theme: A call for repentance

"If you repent of your sin,  I will forgive you." (cf. Jonah 3:10)

God is merciful and loving. It is out of His love that He sent prophet Jonah to the land of Nineveh to preach for repentance. And Ninevites heard and repented. However, "When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it." (Jonah 3:10). This word is being addressed to us on this day as we continue our Lenten observances. We need a U-Turn in our way of life, there should be some elements of detachment. If we do this, He will not inflict the pain on us, closed doors will  be opened, barren womb will conceive, desert will have water flowing out of it, our lands shall be fertile and yield in hundreds and thousands. We need His mecy to forge ahead, as He further invited us in the Gospel acclamation: 

"Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am gracious and merciful." (Joel 2:12-13)

Finally, dearest friends in Christ, what then are we waiting for? Let us join the psalmist today in prayer: "Create a pure heart for me, O God, renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).  In doing this, we will make amends of our shortcomings.

Peace be with you!

Let us pray

Look kindly, Lord, we pray, on the devotion of your people, that those, who by self-denial are restrained in body, may by the fruit of good works be renewed in mind. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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