Kon kamo magpangamuyo, magpuasa kag magpanglimos

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 6:1-6, 16-18)

Miyerkules (Marso 5)

"Mag-andam kamo nga indi magpakitakita sa mga tawo sang inyo maayo nga ginahimo. Kay kon magpakitakita kamo wala na kamo sing balos sa inyo Amay nga yara sa langit.

"Gani kon ikaw magpanglimos, indi mo ini pag-ipanugidsogid subong sang ginahimo sang mga salimpapaw sa mga sinagoga kag sa mga dalan. Ginahimo nila ini agod nga ang mga tawo magdayaw sa ila. Dumdoma ninyo ini! Nabaton na nila ang ila balos.

Pero kon magbulig ka sa tawo nga nagakinahanglan, himoa nga bisan ang imo mahirop nga abyan indi makahibalo, kundi ikaw lamang. Kag ang imo Amay nga nagatan-aw sang imo ginahimo sa tago magabalos sa imo."

"Kon magpangamuyo kamo, indi kamo magmanginkaangay sa mga tawo nga salimpapaw. Luyag sila magpangamuyo nga nagatindog sa mga sinagoga kag sa mga ginsang-an sang mga dalan, agod nga makita sila sang mga tawo. Dumdoma ninyo ini! Nabaton na nila ang ila balos.

Pero kon magpangamuyo ka, sulod ka sa imo kuwarto, sirahi ang puwertahan kag magpangamuyo ka sa imo Amay nga indi makita. Kag ang imo Amay nga nagatan-aw sang imo ginahimo sa tago magabalos sa imo. 

"Kag kon magpuasa kamo, indi kamo magpakita nga masinulob-on kamo subong sang mga salimpapaw, kay luyag sila magpakita sa ila guya sang ila kagutom agod nga ang mga tawo makahibalo nga nagapuasa sila. Dumdoma ninyo ini! Nabaton na nila ang ila balos.

Kon magpuasa kamo, panghilam-os kag panghusay kamo, agod nga ang iban nga mga tawo indi makahibalo nga nagapuasa kamo, kundi ang inyo lamang Amay nga indi makita. Kag ang inyo Amay nga nagatan-aw sang inyo ginahimo sa tago magabalos sa inyo."

Prayers:

 "Lord Jesus, give me a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, and a great love of you. Take from me all lukewarmness in the meditation of your word, and dullness in prayer. Give me fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace, and fill me with compassion for others, especially those in need, that I may respond with generosity."

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Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

Are you hungry for God and do you thirst for his holiness? God wants to set our hearts ablaze with the fire of his Holy Spirit that we may share in his holiness and radiate the joy of the gospel to those around us. St. Augustine of Hippo tells us that there are two kinds of people and two kinds of love: "One is holy, the other is selfish. One is subject to God; the other endeavors to equal Him." We are what we love. God wants to free our hearts from all that would keep us captive to selfishness and sin. "Rend your hearts and not your garments" says the prophet Joel (Joel 2:12). The Holy Spirit is ever ready to transform our hearts and to lead us further in God's way of truth and holiness.

Why did Jesus single out prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for his disciples? The Jews considered these three as the cardinal works of the religious life. These were seen as the key signs of a pious person, the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus pointed to the heart of the matter. Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God? The Lord warns his disciples of self-seeking glory - the preoccupation with looking good and seeking praise from others. True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion to God. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2).

What is the sure reward which Jesus points out to his disciples? It is communion with God our Father. In him alone we find the fulness of life, happiness, and truth. May the prayer of Augustine of Hippo, recorded in his Confessions, be our prayer this Lent: When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrows or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete. The Lord wants to renew us each day and give us new hearts of love and compassion. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Seek him expectantly in prayer, with fasting, and in generous giving to those in need.

The forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus' forty days in the wilderness. Forty is a significant number in the scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. We are called to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penitence as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover. The Lord gives us spiritual food and supernatural strength to seek his face and to prepare ourselves for spiritual combat and testing. We, too, must follow in the way of the cross in order to share in the victory of Christ's death and resurrection. As we begin this holy season of testing and preparation, let's ask the Lord for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit that we may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in our lives.