#40DaysforLife Day 5 Readings GN 2:7-9; 3:1-7 PS 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 ROM 5:12-19 MT 4:1-11 #Meditation What a wonderful and consoling teaching we have today from the temptation of Christ. Christ – the God-Man is teaching us by his example on how we could handle our temptations. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” Heb:5-14. The catholic teaching tells us that there are three level of temptation: 1. Suggestion, which is external temptation, which we can undergo without committing any sin 2. Temptation in which we take a certain delight, whether prolonged or not, even though we do not give clear consent, this level of temptation has become internal and there is some sinfulness in it, 3. Temptation to which we consent, and this affects the deepest part of the soul. Now Jesus allowed himself to be tempted so He could instruct and show us by His example how to fight and conquer our temptations. We do this by having trust in God and Prayer (The Navarre Bible) Even Jesus was tempted in His trust and faith in God. Satan tempted Jesus in most subtle way, quoting bible, questioning the existence of #God and demanding God to show up to prove His existence. Man somehow wants to find meaning outside God which is impossible. He wants God to prove that He is God thus making God a domain of subjectivity rather A Living God (Jesus Of Nazareth, Pope Benedict) Lent is a beautiful opportunity for us to fight against our temptations with a spirit of piety. Jesus withdrew himself into desert before beginning His mission; we are to imitate Christ whenever we have something important to do or decide, to begin with fast, penance and Prayer. Useful Practice: 1. What are those which tempts you most and takes you away from God 2. Do you take pleasure in the external temptation (like idle browsing, window shopping, spending too much of time shopping online, spend thrift, lethargic, lazy, questioning faith, demanding God to show up, using graces and blessings for selfish purpose, keeping God second in Life etc) 3. Think about the temptations to which you have given consent, do you feel bad having committed them, or do you hide yourself from God after committing them, have you been alarmed by some inner voice about your temptation yet you have let yourself to the point of committing the sin? Let’s pray and offer up our penances to God for those struggling in their temptations in Choosing Life for various reasons. May Love be poured in their soul through God’s mercy because “Love perseveres.... and never fails “ 1 Cor: 13 -7. #Prayer Lord Jesus, You who faithfully visit and fulfill with your Presence the Church and the history of men; You who in the miraculous Sacrament of your Body and Blood render us participants in divine Life and allow us a foretaste of the joy of eternal Life; We adore and bless you. Prostrated before You, source and lover of Life, truly present and alive among us, we beg you. Reawaken in us respect for every unborn life, make us capable of seeing in the fruit of the maternal womb the miraculous work of the Creator, open our hearts to generously welcoming every child that comes into life. Bless all families, sanctify the union of spouses, render fruitful their love. Accompany the choices of legislative assemblies with the light of your Spirit, so that peoples and nations may recognize and respect the sacred nature of life, of every human life. Guide the work of scientists and doctors, so that all progress contributes to the integral well-being of the person, and no one endures suppression or injustice. Give creative charity to administrators and economists, so they may realize and promote sufficient conditions so that young families can serenely embrace the birth of new children. Console the married couples who suffer because they are unable to have children and in Your goodness provide for them. Teach us all to care for orphaned or abandoned children, so they may experience the warmth of your Charity, the consolation of your divine Heart. Together with Mary, Your Mother, the great believer, in whose womb you took on our human nature, we wait to receive from You, our Only True Good and Savior, the strength to love and serve life, in anticipation of living forever in You, in communion with the Blessed Trinity. - Amen
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 04:41:38 +0000
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