ACT OF RECONCILIATION - YOU MUST CONTROL YOUR ANGER

FIRST FRIDAY OF LENT

LET THE WICKED  RENOUNCE HIS WICKEDNESS

PRAYER BEFORE HOLY MASS  Act of Love before Mass 

O my God, I love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with no other desire than to be inseparably united to Thee. It is through Thy Divine Son that this union is about to be realized within me. 

In Holy Communion I long to identify myself with Him, that it will no longer be myself, but Him, who lives in me; and when I have received Jesus within myself, then I shall love and be loved by Thee in that same measure, in which I am united to Him.

Hasten then, to give me Thy Divine Son, at the hands of Thy priest, that through Jesus, I may unite myself forever to Thee, O God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

First Reading(s) Ezekiel 21:18-21  I prefer to see the wicked man renounce his wickedness and live

Thus says the Lord: 

‘If the wicked man renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is law-abiding and honest, he will certainly live; he will not die. All the sins he committed will be forgotten from then on; he shall live because of the integrity he has practised. What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man – it is the Lord who speaks – and not prefer to see him renounce his wickedness and live?

‘But if the upright man renounces his integrity, commits sin, copies the wicked man and practises every kind of filth, is he to live? All the integrity he has practised shall be forgotten from then on; but this is because he himself has broken faith and committed sin, and for this he shall die. But you object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.’ Lectures

Responsorial Psalm: If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord, who would survive

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. 

‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. 

So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’ Reflections'

Your Birthday Saint. Saint Eulogius Cordoba, Priest and Martyr. May he pray for you a you ceebrate your birthday.

Loving Father, if you should mark our guilt, Father who would survive? Thank you for your loving kindness, thank you for your compassion and mercy. Transform me. Father remove every spirit of anger from me.  Give me a forgiving spirit. Give a heart full of compassion and mercy.  Father remove every pride that would hinder me from reconciling with my brothers and sisters.  Father may your love dwell in my heart.

Lord Jesus Christ thank you for loving me. May I love my follow creatures and be willing to forgive.  Jesus  I trust in you. Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me. God's Holy Angels pray for me. My Angel Guardian pray for me. Guide and guard me. Be my protection.

Pray the Holy Rosary. May Our Lady Queen of Peace and the Mother of Jesus Christ Prince of Peace pray for us.