The Scripture readings today are about choices. Life always presents us with a choice that is either life-giving or life-hindering in different ways. God asks us to choose life.
When anyone forgets to see your value, choose life. Choose to live your life in a way that shows off your gifts and talents.
When you meet someone who is particularly difficult to like or love, choose life. Choose to see them as a human being living the only life they may know how to live in the moment. And, even if it is not easy, wish them well.
When you are faced with a decision, choose life. Not life according to someone else but life according to you in collaboration with the Holy Spirit. Choose life; choose your life already blessed by God who loves you to death, regardless of what you have done or not done.
Thank you Vivian I will choose life. Living faith family sorry for posting this late but been driving to appointments for myself and children. Yesterday they asked me to help with the ash distribution. Was quite an experience, our little church was full. Jane I will pray for you and Scoop right now as well as Jamie and Ed and Catherine. VickyG your mom and Kathy are praying for us in heaven. Ken
LF Family please pray for Ed, my father-in-law who is in the hospital with low blood oxygen and respiratory infection that will not cease. He is immunocompromised with a partial liver. My in-laws proclaim to be Christians, but do not participate in any Christian/Catholic church. Prayers for conversion and healing, mentally, spiritually and physically for Ed and his wife, Catherine. Blessings to all in this beautiful Lenten season! Amen!
Including you and Ed in my evening prayers, Jamie.
Jane...Prayers Up for Scoop ~ and you too. Praying for a definitive diagnosis, treatment plan and steady recovery.
"Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God's hands, and let yourself be guided by the Lord just like a little child." St. Edith Stein
Vivian thank you for those words. They hit home very hard this morning. As I feel today like I have been hit with a baseball bat by every human ever in my life I lean more and more on God and all the good he has done for me. Blessings to all the LFF, especially Scoop, jane, Vicky G. and all needing extra support in their endeavors. May we all by our God filled lives spread the love of God through all the world everyday.
AI Overview, “In the Bible, "being a witness" means to personally experience something, particularly a divine encounter with God, and then actively share that experience with others by speaking about it and demonstrating your faith through your actions, essentially acting as a testament to the truth of what you have seen and believe in; it's often used in the context of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Key points about being a witness in the Bible: Direct experience: A witness is someone who has personally seen or experienced something firsthand, giving them credibility to testify about it. Sharing the testimony: The act of "witnessing" involves actively sharing your personal experience with God with others, often through verbal communication and living a life that reflects your faith!”
3rd anniversary of my mom’s death, one child preparing to move out, another child still needing assistance and transportation weekly to PT 2 hours away, dealing with allergy season in my part of the country as well as warm today & cold tomorrow. Lent has always been a very somber time in my life with much reflection. Most people’s lives here in the southern US continues on just the same during lent as non Catholics don’t practice any Lenten observances. Thank you LF and LFF for sharing the journey. I can only imagine how Jesus walked this time before death alone. We are not alone in our walk, He is with us in Spirit and through each other. May each of you in what you are suffering through feel His shoulder under your yolk and may you be the shoulder someone else needs today. Praying for each of you included readers who don’t post but God know your name and circumstance, including Scoop—Jane not only for his well being but for your decision through discernment on what to do—-when the doctor called and said mom was non responsive (after a long struggle with cancer) I had to choose immediately further intervention or hospice—the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. Decisions on a grand scale need prayer, may you hear God’s voice.
Vicky G you and your family are in my prayers. You are an amazing person and much stronger than I could ever be. Blessings to you!
Amen!
AMEN!
I never heard that you shouldn’t leave the Ashes on your head all day. Rather I believe it is a witness of the Christian faith. In today’s world it is refreshing to see young people, old people, salesclerks, and television commentators who are not ashamed to publicly profess their Christianity. The world sees plenty of evidence of those who reject God and His teachings. Scripture says, let your light shine before men. Amen and Amen.
My 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 live and work and pray in me. - The Grail Prayer" l LOVE YOU JESUS
*** How do I choose life? By losing my life in Luke 9:24, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for Me will save it,” *** What does it look like to lose my life? Say no to myself, carry the cross given to me and follow Jesus in Luke 9:23, “Then He (Jesus) said to all of them, “Whoever wants to follow Me must say no to themselves. They must pick up their cross every day and follow Me!” *** For a long time, I thought my cross is my sufferings on this earth :-( It is NOT, the sufferings and any sufferings on the earth is because we are sinners! I AM NOT A SINNER BECAUSE I SIN, I SIN BECAUSE I AM A SINNER! The cross Jesus was talking about is the cross for Jesus sake, and not my sufferings or anyone’s sufferings!!! ******* Listen more carefully in Luke 9:24b, “But whoever loses their life for ‘ME’ will save it!” Matthew 10:39b, “Whoever loses their life because of ‘ME’ will find it!” *** If I had a terrible childhood and it doesn’t point or bring others to Jesus, that’s not a cross it’s suffering! If someone did me wrong and it doesn’t point or bring others to Jesus, that’s not a cross it’s suffering! If I had life long illness and it doesn’t point or bring others to Jesus, that’s not a cross it’s suffering! You get my point?!?!?! *** What may be God’s purpose for sufferings either in ourselves or others? Draw our attention to repentance, Depend on God and not ourselves, and Devote ourselves towards God and heaven instead of temporary earthly idols! *** How would you answer Jesus question on this day after Ash Wednesday in Luke 9:25, “What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses or gives up their very self?”
Jane, praying for you and Scoop. My back pain was so bad I couldn’t walk around the block with my wife. Got injections twice a year and it helped a lot, but didn’t fix anything. Had surgery and can’t believe how improved my condition is. I’m working out and feel fantastic at 66. A cautionary note though, it’s a difficult recovery. I’ve had two open heart surgeries and back surgery was a much more difficult recovery. For me, it was worth it. I had a great doctor. And I had a lot of prayers from friends and family. Praying Scoop gets a good diagnosis and some heavenly help.
Amen. :)
Amen... interesting to note Jane of the administering of the ashes in Italy
Thank you Vivian, I needed to hear this today! I am choosing the most life-giving responses I can. Thank you for the prayers for Scoop. MRI postponed until today and surgical consult. Prayers heard and felt, amen. Side note….in Italy for Ash Weds, they don’t make the sign of the cross on your head with ashes. They sprinkle them on your bowed head. AMEN!
Aw, I hate when you get yourself all prepared and then......I'll continue my prayers this evening for you and Scoop, jane. Ken, make the traffic lights and crosswalks go away!!! Not a robot either! Bill
Jane, prayers for your husband, Scoop. May he have a successful outcome from the medical staff. I wrenched a muscle in my back in mid January & it is finally starting to heal. Back pain is hard to bear & I offered all of my pain as a sacrifice to Jesus.
jane continued prayers for Scoop. May the pain go away and the news be good.
Sending many prayers for both you and your husband Scoop, Jane. Praying that the MRI will reveal the source of his pain and the medical staff will get him some immediate pain relief and determine which type of treatment is appropriate moving forward. Must be hard for you Jane, just Trust in Our Lord and He will give you strength to go on. ❤️
Jane, I have you and Scoop in my prayers. Hopefully, they can start with conservative treatment until you return home. Interesting about sprinkling ashes on the bowed head. What a lovely place to be on Ash Wednesday.
Why do Italians sprinkle ashes on the head, instead of marking the forehead with them? https://www.catholic.com/qa/why-do-italians-sprinkle-ashes-on-the-head-instead-of-marking-the-forehead-with-them#:~:text=Answer:,(Neh 9:1). *** Matthew 6:16-18, “When you go without eating, do not look gloomy like those who only pretend to be holy. They make their faces look very sad. They want to show people they are fasting. What I’m about to tell you is true. They have received their complete reward. But when you go without eating, put olive oil on your head. Wash your face. Then others will not know that you are fasting. Only your Father, who can’t be seen, will know it. Your Father will reward you, because he sees what you do secretly!” *** The ashes on the forehead is a sign of repentance internally and spiritually! Not that I should wear it all day so others can see that I went to Ash Wed mass as some do! *** Jesus told us the same about praying in Matthew 6:5-8, “When you pray, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, Who can’t be seen. Your Father will reward you, because He sees what you do secretly. When you pray, do not keep talking on and on. That is what ungodly people do. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask Him!”
Lord please hear our prayers and bring your light to all those in need. Come to the side of those experiencing violence in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur, and the Sudan. Please hear the pleas of all those suffering around the world - and give them strength, courage and resilience to continue walking in faith. Send them your light. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in need and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace and rebuilding– we who are working towards it and for all those who are suffering or in danger from conflicts. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.
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Anne: Who said you shouldn't leave the ashes on your forehead all day? I agree with what you said in your comment. The ashes are a sign of our Catholic faith and we should wear them proudly and be ready to answer anyone's questions about them with a good explanation - not preaching or trying to convert anyone, just explaining what they symbolize. I hope you remember this for next year, since it's too late for this year now. :-) God's blessing on you and all the LFF.