WHEN CAN I SEE THE FACE OF GOD

Monday Week Three of Lent

First Reading 2 Kings 5:1-10

There were many lepers in Israel, but only Naaman, the Syrian, was cured

Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favour, since through him the Lord had granted victory to the Aramaeans. But the man was a leper. 

Now on one of their raids, the Aramaeans had carried off from the land of Israel a little girl who had become a servant of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would approach the prophet of Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’ Readings

Naaman went and told his master. ‘This and this’ he reported ‘is what the girl from the land of Israel said.’

‘Go by all means,’ said the king of Aram ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ 

So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal robes. He presented the letter to the king of Israel. It read: ‘With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments. ‘Am I a god to give death and life,’ he said ‘that he sends a man to me and asks me to cure him of his leprosy? Listen to this, and take note of it and see how he intends to pick a quarrel with me.’.......

Responsorial Psalm

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

Gospel  Luke 4:24-30  No prophet is ever accepted in his own country Lectures

Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the synagogue: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. 

'There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’ 

When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away. Reflections

My soul yearns for you God of my life.  Keep me loving Father. Help me appreciate the beauty of having a personal relationship with you God my Father.  Teach me your ways.  My God and Father, I thank you for my being. Thank you for your faithfulness and love. Father forgive me my sins. Make me humble.

Lord Jesus Christ 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 protect me.

Pray the Holy Rosary. Our Lady Queen of Sorrows, pray for us.

Your Birthday Saint: Saint Nicholas of Flue Hermit. May he pray for you as you celebrate your birthday today.