March 21

Readings for the Day: Hos 6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4, 18-20, Lk 18:9-14

The first line of today’s first reading says, “Come, let us return to the Lord.”

When Masses in our diocese were suspended until further notice, my phone and social media accounts blew up with people asking my opinion. My opinion was that there were too many opinions and not enough prayer.

So, what is my prayer? Beyond the defeat of this insidious pandemic, I am praying that this situation helps us all recognize that we have taken Mass for granted. Whether it was nothing more than a habit, or the highlight of our week, attending Mass was something that could never be taken away. Until now.

Tomorrow, this new (if temporary) reality is going feel very surreal.

Let me say it. It should hurt. It should ache. We should long to rejoin our family at the feast. This should be the hardest thing that has ever been taken away from us.

But I’d encourage us to resist the urge to entertain judgement. If we get stuck in what we think others should do, we aren’t focusing on what we should do.

Let’s make the Sabbath holy. Not an hour. The whole Sabbath. Rest. Savor what the Lord has given you. Do some spiritual reading. Find Mass online. Watch a spiritual movie on Formed.org. Pray the rosary.

Come. Let us return to the Lord.

David is the Director of Faith Formation at Our Lady of Joy.

If you have comments or questions, send your emails to dlins@oloj.org.

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