"Lent 2008" at:
--> http://www.presentationministries.com/BST/latestBST.asp
Pope Benedict XVI, Shepherd of Truth is designed as a bulletin insert
which you can use at your local church to keep up to date on what the Holy
Father is saying. You are free to reproduce it for this purpose.
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Saturday, February 16, 2008
Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8, Matthew 5:43-48
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/021608.shtml
THE DISTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT PEOPLE
"Today the Lord is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people
peculiarly His own, as He promised you." —Deuteronomy 26:18
God is holy, set apart, unique. We, His people, also are holy. We are "a
people peculiarly His own," that is, owned by Him in a unique way (Dt
26:18). The Lord owns everything because He created everything (Ps 24:1).
However, He owns us in a special way because He has chosen, redeemed, and
adopted us as His sons and daughters. We are "a people sacred to the Lord"
(Dt 26:19).
Because we are holy, we act differently than others. For example, we love
our enemies rather than hate them (Mt 5:43-44). We pray for our
persecutors (Mt 5:44) rather than curse them or gossip about them. By
God's grace, we forgive those who have hurt us. In this way, we show that
we are God's holy people, for "to err is human, to forgive is divine."
Only God and those graced by Him can forgive. Like God alone, we love
unconditionally, sacrificially, with a crucified love. This proves that we
are sons and daughters of our heavenly Father (Mt 5:45).
"In a word, you must be made perfect" (Mt 5:48). The Lord commands: "Be
holy, for I am holy" (1 Pt 1:16).
Prayer: Father, this Lent may I become holy in every aspect of my life (1
Pt 1:15). May I be in Your likeness (see Gn 1:26-27).
Promise: "Provided you keep all His commandments, He will then raise you
high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations He has
made." —Dt 26:18-19
Praise: Richard, a devout Christian, confounds the world by his reverent
attitude toward God even after the untimely deaths of his wife and four
children.
(For a related teaching, order our leaflet "Be Holy, For I Am Holy".)
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
February 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati,
August 14, 2007
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.
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