“ Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus ”

Dear Little hearts, To all our much loved and missed friends in Wales, we remember you all especially today, a very blessed Feast of Saint David !!

Oh! How we recall the Daffodils and leeks ! Lovingly all your sisters

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Part 3 of Sundays Gospel /Matthew

‘Next taking him up a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.

“I will give you all these” he said, “If you fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus replied, “Be off, Satan! For scripture says:

YOU MUST WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ALONE.”

Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him. (Matthew 4)

Dear Little hearts,

May this be for you all a grace filled, joy filled lent, if Lent discourages you, oppresses you, or makes you sad, pray for the grace to see how great is the love of Our Saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ for each and every one of you, and dwell upon that and all that he has done for you!!

Today we look at the third temptation.

Who is the source of all mischief, division, and confusion kidding here? Here Satan is gabbing from his own mouth, it seems like that having failed with his first two attempts, he has given up trying to use scripture and now it’s a more direct hit at Christ, in a word he reveals what he is really after the power that belongs to God alone !! But Jesus again responds with the WORD, which is the truth against the devils lies.

What pride and arrogance on the part of the evil one he speaks as if everything already belongs to him to give.

In all this we can see what sin consists of, what it leads to, that is a good thing because then we know how to make the right choices.

Again this is an enduring temptation in man, the desire to possess more and more money, more possessions, leading to endless excesses. We see it all too often on the media, in the papers, celebrities, mega-stars who own billions and in so many cases it destroys them and does not bring happiness.

There is nothing wrong in having money, but it’s what the person does with the money that matters, some very rich people have put great sums of money at the service of the poor or contributed to other humanitarian causes and that is praiseworthy. We should pray for the rich ( only by appearances) for in fact they are the poor ones, having everything they have nothing… for man was made for God and without him we are and have…nothing.

Speaking from the point of our religious life there is such a deep joy in non-possession of goods, away from such attachments one is free to fly!!0

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Behold- Hold- Enfold.

Lectio Divina

Prepare. ( Silencio) -We prepare by making ourselves aware that we need to come to stillness, surrendering to the silence, and then pray from the Heart, in our own words, to the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us through this time of prayer.

Read. (Lectio)- Now read the text slowly, then pause- read it again, allowing the Holy Spirit space to breathe, then pause, and read it or even sing it out aloud. When you find that your heart connects with some word, phrase, verse in particular, allow time for that verse to speak its own message.

Reflect. (Meditatio)- Re-read the Passage , the verse over again, and then reflect quietly what this word is saying to you at this moment, …….. sit in silence thinking upon the word, what is it saying to you in your life now. Try and enter in to the scene.

Pray. (Oratio)- Now pray with the text in your own simple words, respond to what God has given to you in this word, tell God what your response is, enter into a conversation, an exchange with him, pray with this word as you feel the Holy Spirit is enlightening you.

Rest ( Contemplatio) Now abide- rest in His Presence, allow him to enfold you in his love, just be!! Words at this stage are not needed, or if they are whispered words of love and praise between your hearts. The time that you allow for this is your choice.

*The latin terms used here are of course from the Benedictine Tradition and give one a good framework, but the steps of :

Behold- (read), Hold-( ponder in the heart), Enfold (Embrace, let the silence of love speak, surrender to the Lord, dwell in His love ).

These three steps are easily remembered and practised, but both approaches have their place.

community@marianhouseoftheholyspiritpcc.org

March 1, 2020

Feast of St. David