Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“He who does the commandments and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 5:17-19), Jesus puts to bed the idea that somehow he came to abolish the old law or that he replaces the old. Instead he tells us, “I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.” So what does that actually mean? Jesus wants us to live our lives not only in compliance with the Mosaic law, but also with the spirit of the law. To fulfill the law means he is here to complete what is written. We know that God gave us his only Son to save us from our sins. He gave us his son out of the pure love He has for humanity. It is the love conveyed by God that fulfills the commandments. To obey the laws is to love God. This is why disobeying the laws injures our relationship with God. Jesus tells us that, “Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” When we try to justify our sins and transgressions, we are teaching others that it is okay to sin. Not only do you damage your relationship with God, you also cause others to damage their relationship with God. He wants just the opposite. He wants us to bring the kingdom of God to others through our actions and our practices. “He who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

A Simple Prayer

God, help me to obey your commandments.

Give me the strength and courage need to respect your law.

Give me the grace to lead others to your will.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus talks about the forgiveness of sins. Jesus

tells the story about the king who was settling his debts with his servants. One of the servants owed him 10,000 talents but could not pay. The king ordered him and his family and all their belongings to be sold to pay the debt. The man said to the king, “Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” The king took pity on the man and forgave him his debt. When the servant returned home, he came across a fellow servant who owed him a hundred denarii, only a micro fraction of the debt he had owed. He demanded immediate payment. When this man begged for mercy, he refused and put him in jail until his debt was paid. The king, hearing this, summoned the servant saying to him, “I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” The king recanted his mercy and delivered the man to the jailers till his debt be paid.

In the time of Christ, it was the custom of Jews to forgive a person three times. But if they had committed a fourth transgression, then God would retract his mercy. Therefore, Peter thought he was being rather clever when he suggested that they forgive their brothers who sinned against them seven times. Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” What is Jesus really saying in his response Peter? You must always forgive your brother, no matter how many times he sins against you. We are all sinners and owe great deal of mercy to God for all the forgiveness he has poured out for us. But this mercy is limited if we can’t forgive others who sin against us. The servant owed 10,000 talents. In today’s money, this would be millions of dollars. This was a debt that would exceed the coffers of the king. It was literally a debt that was impossible to repay and the king still forgave the man. There is no way we can repay God for all our transgressions, yet Christ died on the cross to save us from everyone of our sins. How can we be forgiven if we cannot release the hatred against our brother? God is not asking us to die for their sins, just release them from our hearts. During lent, when you examine your conscience, spend time thinking about those who have sinned against you and focus your prayers on forgiving them. Focus on releasing the debt that they owe you. This is a great time to renew bonds between friends whose relationship has been strained.

A Simple Prayer God, give me strength to release the sins of my brothers and sisters. May I have the strength to not only forgive them but forget the sins which they have committed against me. Wash away the hatred and the sorrow that forms in heart So that I may experience the joy of your love.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country.” In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 4:24-30), Jesus is preaching to his own home town. As the hometown boy, they expected a lot from him. They expected that he would heal all them and perform miracles just because he grew up in Nazareth. But Jesus tells them that there are many people who need to be healed, but only those with faith are healed. He tells them, “There were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them were cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” Naaman was healed not because he did what God told him, but because he had faith that if he did what God told him he would be cured. The people of Nazareth felt that they were entitled to Christ’s miracles and demanded that they be healed. However, this would not change the hardness in their hearts. Jesus knew that they lacked the faith that would make the healing possible. Healing comes through conversion. One must truly submit to God to open ones heart to the power of faith. Jesus performed no miracles in Nazareth because of their lack of faith. His attitude towards their selfishness pride upsets them so much that they want to kill him. Instead of falling on their knees and asking for his love, their true feeling of hatred and resentment come forth. But Jesus demonstrates his power over them by paralyzing the crowd so that the crowd cannot harm him.

A Simple Prayer Christ Jesus, give me the power to open my heart and my soul. My I be an example of your love and compassion to my family and friends. May I lead them to your table to take part in the bounty of your salavation.

Yours in Christ Michael F. Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 21:33-45), we hear the parable about the wicked tenants. The householder built the perfect vineyard with everything the tenants needed. The householder “planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country.” When the fruit was ready, the householder sent his servants to get the fruit. How did the tenants repay him? “The tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.” The householder sent more servants and they did the same to them. Finally, he decided to send his son. Surely they wouldn’t do anything to his son. When his son arrived the tenants said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.” God did the same for us. He created the perfect world and he gave us everything we needed to survive. He gave us food, shelter and sent profits to aid in our spirituality. How did we respond to his love and charity? We killed the messenger. Finally He sent us His only Son to save us from our wickedness. Again, we killed the messenger.

God is so generous to us. He provides everything we need to survive. No matter how many times we shoot the messenger, He forgives us and calls us back to His arms. The parable tells us that God has unlimited mercy. God loves us so much that He gives us absolute freedom over our lives. We are free to choose our actions which may be in direct conflict with that of God. Our God is very patient with us. Every time we fall, he helps us back up and provides a new path for us. However, we must remember, we will all face a final judgment. At some point in our life, our earthly journey will end and we will face God in heaven. Where is it that we want to be? Our actions today are leading us to our final destiny. Are you heading for heaven or hell? Lent is a great time to make a course correction. God sends his son to us every time we receive the Eucharist. He sends the purification we need to cleanse our souls. He provides everything we need in the Eucharist. Do you fully embrace the Eucharist or do you mock the very sacrament you receive?

A Simple Prayer

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,

But only say the word and I shall be healed.”

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

"Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” In today’s Gospel reading (Mark 2:18-22), Jesus is being challenged by the disciples of John the Baptist regarding fasting. They ask Jesus, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Fasting, along with prayer and almsgiving, were the three major duties of a Jew in the time of Jesus. Jesus simply replied that there is a time to fast and a time to feast. The purpose of fasting, prayer and almsgiving was a way to prepare for the coming of the messiah. Jesus is telling the disciples that the Bridegroom their savior was among them. It was time to celebrate with joy and happiness. Jesus compares himself to the new wine. He tells his disciples, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins.” Jesus tells the disciples that he is the new spirit and should not be confused with the old. The old ways are still valuable, but something new is among them and they need to adopt new ways. This new spirit does not necessarily fit into the old ways and new wine cannot be placed into old wine skins. To walk with Christ is a feast in itself. He brings about a whole new joy that can consume our lives. We do not want to lose the old ways, but bring to them the new joy of Christ.

A Simple Prayer Lord, I walk with joy in the feast of salvation. Help me to renew my life through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. May I celebrate this Lenten season with the joy in knowing that I can serve you.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 20:17-28), Jesus again prophesies his death and resurrection. Hearing the news, the mother of James and John came to him and said, “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” In response, Jesus asks them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”. While the reply, “Yes,” Jesus tells them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” The passage says that when the ten heard what had happened, they became angry and annoyed at James and John. Why should they get to sit at the right hand of Jesus and not us? Why are they so special? To sit at the right hand would be to claim that you are superior to the others. Jesus says, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.” To sit at the right hand of the father, we must be willing to sacrifice everything we have. We must be willing to surrender our total life to God. That means that we must be willing to become a slave to others. Jesus did not come to earth to “Lord over us” but to free us from the bonds of sin. To do so, we must drink the cup of Christ. This cup involves true sacrifice. Jesus shed his blood for us. We also must be willing to make that sacrifice for others. During Lent, who is more important – you or the your fellow man? What do you desire more – your own worldly goods or to cloth and feed those who have nothing? To sit at the right hand of the Father is not an easy request. You must be willing to lead the sacrificial life we are called to live.

A Simple Prayer Lord God, you are my master and my ruler. Give me the strength and wisdom to drink from your cup. I want to carry the cross which leads others to heaven

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 23:1-12), Jesus criticizes the scribes and the Pharisees for their self glorifying righteousness and false piety. He tells his disciples to “practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.” Jesus tells us, “They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.” But who doesn’t want to be recognized when they do something good? We need to be willing to do things for others because we want to do it, not so others will praise us. God sees us truly as we are. We are completely exposed to the eyes of God. He sees us as the sinners we truly are. The scribes and the Pharisees wanted to set an example; but in doing so they eventually set themselves on the pedestal above all others. They wanted people to focus their attention on them and their own actions and not on the will of God. When we do things to show off our religious zeal, then we too are placing our self above God. Jesus calls us to be humble and to be contrite. We should do good deeds not to impress others, but to honor God for all He has given us. When we humble ourselves, we remove the barriers of pride. We also remove the fear of inferiority. This frees our heart to open and giving to others. Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” If we truly want to be exalted, we must first become humble.

A Simple Prayer Lord Jesus, you were the servant of all mankind. Teach me to be humble and contrite. Teach me to love my neighbor as myself.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 6:36-38), we are told how to be merciful “even as your Father is merciful.” We are told that we should not judge or condemn others, but that we should forgive those who trespass against us and give of ourselves if we expect to receive. If we follow this simple rule, Jesus says, “It will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.” Everything we give will be given back to us. All the glory we give to others is also given to God and God returns the glory to us. The model that Jesus presents to us is the exact model of God himself. God is the most merciful and loving and we are commanded to be as merciful and loving to others. During lent, we are called to abandon those things which keep us from becoming like Christ. This means abandoning our judgmental ways and to avoid condemning others. Instead, we are called to give of ourselves even to those people we would judge. This is the ultimate definition of mercy. We are called to be understanding to those who are in error. The love which God expects from us saves us from error. We are called to reject the error but we are never called to condemn the person who may commit the error. If we condemn the person, he loses his dignity as a person. God alone is our judge and that day is coming. While we are on earth, we are only commanded to give, forgive and love our fellow man.

A Simple Prayer Lord God, you are so kind and merciful. Help me to set aside my judgment and condemnation. Help me to forgive my fellow man. Help me to see past his sins as I too am a sinner.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the fires of hell.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 5:20-26), Jesus teaches us about sin and anger. More importantly, he teaches us that anger is a form of sin which can consume our heart. Jesus tells us that sin is more than an action, it is a will. Sin starts as a small seed in our soul; a small desire. If we let it, it will take root in our soul and grow. Anger is the same way. The Jews believed that only our actions could be sins and not our thoughts. One had to actually kill someone to have violated the commandment thou shall not kill. Jesus says that even if you think it, it is a sin. He tells us that anger is a form of murder. We must not allow evil thoughts to build within us. Eventually, these evil thoughts become evil actions. These evil thoughts become our will and our desire and consume our soul. Lent is all about abandoning these thoughts and purging them from our hearts. Jesus asks the important question, “How can you make just offerings to the Lord when you have hatred in your heart?” If someone has wronged you, you need to forgive them first so that wrong does not grow into resentment which separates you from Christ.

A Simple Prayer “Lord Jesus, help me remove the hatred from heart. Help me forgive those who have sinned against me. Allow me to be loving and compassionate to all.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 7:7-12), Jesus talks to the heart of prayer. Jesus tells us that the Father in heaven will give us what we need if we ask for it. He tells us, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” More importantly, Jesus tells us that our Father in heaven will only give us what is good for us. “Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?” When we pray to God, he listens. He also answers every prayer we send to him. However, he will only give us what we need to be nourished and fed. He will not send us anything that will harm us. So when we ask for things from God and he does not appear to answer them in the way we want them answered, you should think about what you asked for. Was it something that we truly needed or was it something that would lead us away from our salvation? Know that God has answered that prayer. Not only does God answer that prayer, he responds more abundantly then we deserve. Sometimes the most abundant answer he can give us is “No.”

I guess the real question is, “Can you ever pray to much?” The simple answer is no. God is like an unending supply of mercy. If we need God’s help, we can ask for it. Those who truly know the mercy and love of God pray often to God. The more they pray, the more the know and understand the power of prayer. The more they understand and know the abundant and glorious love of God that is pour out to us sinners on earth. No matter how evil man becomes, God is always there to pour out his love and grace for us. No matter how serious our needs, God is always willing to help pick us up and carry us through the troubled waters. We can either decide to swim through the turbulent water of life alone or we can surrender our lives to God who calms the seas. How often do we refuse help or think we can tackle a problem on our own? We should learn to turn these things over to God. Many times, it is our pride that keeps us away from the glory of God. Surrender your pride to God today.

A Simple Prayer Lord God in Heaven, you are my master. Let me love you as I am, let me surrender myself to you. Give me the strength to be a true disciple Make my prayer life more bountiful and Help me to conquer those things that keep me from you.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation.” In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 11:29-32), the Jews are demanding a sign from Jesus. Jesus responds, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So what was the sign of Jonah? Jonah was a profit who lead the Ninevites to do penance for their sins. His actions and preaching were seen as a sign that he was sent by God. The Ninevites were in trouble because of the sinful ways, but because of their repentant ways, God was merciful to them. This was the same message that Jesus brought to the Jews and is still true today. Jesus came to free us from the slavery of sins and to free us from the burdens of evil. His divine mercy was poured out for us for our own salvation. We are called to examine our conscience and to seek out mercy for those sins which darken our soul. We are called to actively seek forgiveness for our sins. God has mercy to us no matter what sin we commit. This generation is an evil generation; it should seek the sign, that Jonah brought to the Nievites.

A Simple Prayer Lord God, help me to recognize my sinful ways. Help me to free myself from the bonds of Satan It is through your mercy and goodness that I am set free.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 6:7-15), Jesus presents us with the most perfect of prayers, the Lord’s prayer. One of the three pillars of Lent is a focus on prayer and prayerful life. It is interesting how this readings starts out, “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” He goes on to tell them, “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” God in heaven already knows our needs. We are told not to show off with prayer, but to be simple with our request. Do not ramble, the simpler the request, the better. Any time you think that you need something, it should always be preceded with “If it is your will, …” Of all the prayers we say, the Lord’s prayer is the most perfect prayer of all because it was given to us by Christ. It encompasses everything Christians should stand for. It is truly a prayer formed from the Words of God.

No matter how bad the transgressions we have committed, God is waiting for us with open arms. In the Lord’s prayer, we ask for so much with so few words. First, we call forth God, not as a deity but as a paternal person when we say “Our Father”. This means that we have a loving relationship with God. God is the Father who protects us. We them give homage to his deity, “Hallowed by thy name.” We recognize that he is almighty. We also recognize that the kingdom of God is here among us and that it is God’s will that is important, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” We call forth the kingdom to be here with us. We should desire eternal life with God and that must begin today. You cannot wait until the last day. It is through our actions today and our fulfillment of the sacraments that leads us to heaven. We ask God in this prayer to give us all that we need to survive the day, “Give us our daily bread.” God provides all that we need to survive. But likewise, we should only ask for what we need to survive that day otherwise greed and gluttony begin to consume our lives. We thank God for providing our daily needs by being sorrowful for our sins. However, not only must we be sorrowful for our own sins, we must also forgive those who have sinned against us for Jesus says, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Lastly, we ask God to be the light of our life. We ask him to lead us out of the darkness of sin and to deliver us from evil. During Lent, say the Lord’s Prayer as often as you can. If you made a Lenten promise to God and you stumble along the path, say the Lord’s prayer to help you get back on your feet.

A Simple and perfect Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 25:31-46) we hear the story about the final judgment of the world. Jesus tells his disciples how they will be judged in the end, “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.” This passage confirms three important truths about our faith. First, there will be a final judgment at the end of time; second, that Christ identified himself with everyone in need; and third, confirmation that the sinful will experience eternal damnation. The good news about this passage is that Jesus tells us what we need to do to sit at the right hand of our Father in heaven. He tells his disciples, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Jesus is quite clear that the path to heaven lies in our works and the things that we do to bring the kingdom of heaven to others. During Lent, we are called to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We are called to open our hearts and our souls to the needs of others. Each of the criteria above are based in the three pillars of Lent. Through our prayers, our fasting and our almsgiving we can feed those without food or drink, we can be kind to those people we do not know, we can give to the poor so they have clothes and shelter and we can visit the sick and infirmed. These are all actions which express true compassionate love; the same type of love that Christ expressed on the cross. It is through our own unconditional love that we will be saved. Jesus told the disciples, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me and they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Do you want eternal life or eternal damnation?

A Simple Prayer Lord, you are all that is good. May I learn to help and care for others. May my charitable acts bring others to the kingdom of God.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” In today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 9:14-15), Jesus is questioned about fasting. Jesus replies, “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.” So who are wedding guests? They are generally the closest friends of the bridegroom. Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom and his disciples are his closest friends. The wedding is a time of great celebration. How can one fast when they are in the presence of the wedding party? How can one fast when Jesus is with them? Jesus’ disciples are hungry for the kingdom of heaven. They celebrate because Christ is with them. They do not fast from God, but seek God to enter their lives. So what type of fasting should we practice? We should fast from things that separate us from God. We should fast from our bad habits, our sinful ways and our vices. But most importantly, we should share in the hunger of those who go without food. Today is a fast day. Take time to decide what it is that you need to fast from. While you abstain from meat, think about those who do not have food for their own table. Think of those who have no shelter to live in. Pray for the poor and the hungry that they may be fed today. Today, we should hunger for God and we should hunger for peace to cover the world.

A Simple Prayer Come Lord Jesus, I hunger for your love. I hunger for the love you poured out for us. Help me conquer those things which keep me from you. Help me fast from sins of my life.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.” Today’s Gospel reading (Luke 9:22-25) proclaims the coming of the passion and the need for self denial. Jesus tells his disciples that “the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” The message is meant to open the eyes of his disciples so that they can see who he is and why he was sent to earth. He also tells them this so that they can understand their own mission on earth. We are told that no matter what happens to us, if we give up our life to Christ, we will rise up triumphant in the end. To gain eternal life, we must follow Christ. To follow Christ, you must be willing to deny yourself and carry the cross of Jesus. When Jesus was crucified, he was joined by to other crosses; one man accepted Jesus and one man denied him. We must chose which cross we want to bear, the cross of good or the cross of evil. Which cross will you chose this Lent? Our materialistic and relativistic world can appear to be appealing and desirable. The materialistic things in our lives can become the god that we worship. If we are not careful, our spiritual life can be dominated by the material things we desire. The material things such as new cars, fancy expensive clothes, the latest Ipod or Xbox can become more important than honoring God and walking in His ways. If these things become the most important thing in your life, then you have lost site of the true cross. If Christ were to walk into your home, which altar would he find. Would he even know that you are Christian? “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”

A Simple Prayer "Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work. I give you my feet to go your way. I give you my eyes to see as you do. I give you my tongue to speak your words. I give you my mind that you may think in me. I give you my spirit that you may pray in me. Above all, I give you my heart that you may love in me, your Father, and all mankind. I give you my whole self that you may grow in me, so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who lives and works and prays in me." (Prayer from The Grail)

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Today we begin the season of Lent and today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 6:1-6,16-18) hits right to the point. Jesus begins with a warning about our piety and good works. For some reason people believe that Lent is time to be sad and to be withdrawn. That we are suppose to look gloomy so that others can see that we are suffering. Lent is just the opposite. Lent is a time to rejoice and a time to refocus our journey to Christ. Lent begins with a reminder that this life is not permanent but temporal and that life after death is eternal. The ashes we receive today serve to set the focus of the journey over the next 46 days to Easter. As we begin our Lenten walk, we should rejoice in the fact that God loved us so much that he sent his only son to save us from our sins. God wants to set us on fire with the Holy Spirit so we can truly experience the love he pours out for us. To do so, we must be willing to make our own sacrifices through prayer, fasting and giving alms. The Jews considered these acts as the cardinal works of religious life. These are the three pillars of a life focused on God. Lent is all about refocusing our life to the cross; to put Christ in the “cross hairs.” We must make sure that our journey is Christ centered. But Jesus warns us that true piety is something much greater than a show we display for others. He tells us “when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you,” “when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,” and “when you fast, do not look dismal.” The message is simple. Jesus is telling us that what we do during Lent, the sacrifices that we make, should not be to glorify our own holiness to others, but as a true commitment to God. The only person who should glorify in your sacrifice is God.

So why do we make these sacrifices? Jesus says after each discussion, “and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” The reward we seek is unity with God and the creation of the Kingdom of Heaven. By praying, fasting and giving alms, we help bring the kingdom of Heaven to earth. We start building what we hope for in life after death. By our own secret sacrifices, we celebrate the life of Christ and the sacrifice that he made for us. Lent should be a 40 day celebration of the fullness of life and happiness which was given to us by God through his son on the cross and eventually through the resurrection into eternal life. As we begin this Lenten season of preparation, we should ask God to be washed over by the Holy Spirit so that we may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in our lives.

A Simple Prayer Lord Jesus, may I celebrate the Lenten season with true piety, joy and love. May I find the strength to pray, to fast and to give alms May I rejoice in the graces that you have given to me and may I share these with others So that they may come to know you as I do.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” In today’s Gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43), we hear the story of two different miracles; Jairus’ daughter is brought back to life and the curing of the woman with a hemorrhage. The reading starts out with Jesus arriving at the shore and being greeted by the crowds. Jairus, the Jewish leader of the local synagogue, greets Jesus begging him to come help his daughter who is dying. He says that if only Jesus would touch her she would be healed. On his way to see the girl, a woman reaches out to touch Jesus. This woman had a “flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” She thought, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.” She reaches out “and immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.” During this time, a person comes out from Jairus’ house and says, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” Jesus simply responds, “Do not fear, only believe.” Again, the life of Jairus’ daughter was restored. Both Jairus and the woman express unbelievable faith and a desire for God to enter more fully into their lives. This story exemplifies God’s omnipotence, for only a miracle can cure these two women. These people tried everything humanly possible to overcome these inflictions, but only through the power of Christ were they healed. We as Christians should also expect Christ to help us overcome the obstacles in our lives which prevent us from our sanctification. We are attacked from Satan from so many directions. Things are placed in front of us to tempt us. Satan can not force us to turn from God. It is only by the nature of free will that we do so. He places desires of the flesh and mind to trick us into falling away from his grace. In this reading we are given hope that God’s love will save us and bring us fully into eternal life. These afflictions which torment us should be offered up this Lent.

A Simple Prayer Lord Jesus, you are the healer. You cure my afflictions and free me from the bonds of Satan You give me hope of life eternal.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” In today’s Gospel reading (Mark 5:1-20), we hear the story of a man that possessed by a demoniac spirit. The demoniac spirit tormented the man to the point that he no longer had control over his life. When he saw Jesus, he ran up to him and said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” The man was possessed with a number of demons. Before Jesus does anything, he asks the demon his name. The demon replies to Jesus, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Jesus, feeling the torment of the man’s soul, casts the demons out of the man into a herd of swine. The swine, possessed by the demons, run down into the sea and drown. How many times are we plagued with demons in our lives? These demons overpower and oppress us to the point where we feel we have no more control over our lives. We too can cry out to God for help. Jesus demonstrates his power over Satan and his ability defeat these demons. However, we must ask for help.

Lent starts in two days. This is a time for us to identify the demons in our life and to offer them up to Christ as a sacrifice. It is a time for us to remove the demoniac road blocks that prevent us from see Christ. These are things which should become the subject of our fasting. We fast from flesh on Fridays to help focus our prayers during lent. However, we should also fast from those things which prevent us from walking towards Christ. During your examination of conscience, spend some time deciding which demons have inflicted your soul.

A Simple Prayer Lord, my heart longs for you. Free me from the bonds of satan so I can fully enjoy my relationship with you.

Yours in Christ Michael Marcon

Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground.” In today’s Gospel reading (Mark 4:26-34), Jesus again uses the example of the seed. He tells us “The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Eventually the seeds of life mature and they must be harvested. We will all face that time when we must face the final judgment. Once the ground is prepared, there is nothing that can be done but watch the seed grow. Jesus says, “the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.” God places a special grace within each soul. Our souls grow inside, yet we know not how. It is through the graces of God that the soul grows. Without the grace of God, the soul is empty. God silently transforms us causing us to make decisions. While God places these graces within us, we must decide to faithful, to be loving, to be compassionate, to surrender ourselves to the will of God. These decisions are placed within us through the power of the Holy Spirit. We should pray that when the fruit of our effort has finally ripened, we are worthy of the harvest. It is only by the grace of God that we can become one with Christ and one with the church.

The parable goes on to talk about the mustard seed. This is one of the smallest of seeds yet it grows into a might tree. A tree so big “that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” The holy grace which was placed in our heart is like the mustard seed. It starts out small and then transforms into the large tree. The seed does not cause the transformation, but the power of God. Our heart transforms because God wills it so. Just like the seed cannot grow until it receives the nutrients from the earth, our soul cannot grow in the kingdom of God unless God wills it. God wants all of us to grow and become a might force within the kingdom of God. However, we must be willing, we must humble ourselves and receive the nutrients from the Word of God.

A Simple Prayer

God, you have placed the seed of life within my soul.

Give me the nourishment and riches to make it grow into a mighty tree.

May my faith become attractive to guide others to you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon