AD SENSE

Lent 2nd Week, Friday, Mar 13th


Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28 / Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Jesus teaches the people: “Hear another parable”

This parable reveals three important points. First, it reveals God’s patience. God gave the tenant farmers three chances, even in the face of violence. Second, it reveals Jesus’ uniqueness. Jesus is not just another prophet, like the other prophets (slaves). Third, it reveals our accountability. It shows that sooner or later we will be held accountable to God for our actions, just as the tenant farmers religious leaders) were held accountable for their actions.

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In what ways has God exercised great patience with us, just as he did with the tenant farmers? “Patience is power; with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes silk.” Chinese proverb
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Family feuds are not just something that we see only in movies and soap operas. It happens in real life. We read about it in the papers, we hear about it from friends, it may have even happened to us. One of the main causes of these family feuds is over money and property. Over money and property, children have brought parents to court and vice versa. Over money and property, sibling rivalry can become so ugly that blood relationships can become like dirty water. It had happened from the earliest times in the story of Cain and Abel. It happened between Joseph and his brothers as we heard in the 1st reading. That coat with long sleeves was a symbol of favour and blessing. Over that coat, Joseph's brothers came up with evil thoughts like murder, and then mugging and then slavery. It was also over money and property that the tenants in the parable of today's gospel resorted to violence and murder.

It can be frightening to know, and even to realize, that money and material possession can have such a destructive grip over us to the extent that we can even lose our sense of integrity and morality.

Hence, the Lenten practice of alms-giving has that purpose of helping us break free from this grip of being money-minded and being possessed by materialism. The Charities Week envelope is a means of helping us in this Lenten spiritual exercise. Let us see if we can give cheerfully. After all whatever we have is given to us from above, and we are only stewards, not owners.
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LITURGY

Introduction

Joseph suffered because his brothers were jealous. Yet later he would save them from famine. Jesus was rejected and died for our sins. He became the keystone for a new kingdom, for the life of all. And we? We want happiness without pain, without paying the price for it, though sacrifice and happiness are close relatives. If the grain of wheat does not die… We know this, but it’s too uncomfortable to put into practice if we are not forced by circumstances.

Penitential Rite:
-The brothers of Joseph hated him because their father was fond of him. As you call us to look at our jealousies
- The brothers of Joseph finally wanted to kill him, as our jealousies become dangerously harmful actions in life
-Judah pleads with his brothers to spare the life of Joseph; as we learn to defend and protect innocent lives

Opening Prayer
God, we do not want to die; we want to live. We want to be happy but without paying the price. We belong to our times, when sacrifice and suffering are out of fashion. God, make life worth the pain to be lived, Give us back the age-old realization that life means to be born again and again in pain, that it may become again a journey of hope to you, together with Christ Jesus our Lord.

General Intercession
– For those who are betrayed in their friendship and trust, we pray:
– For street children and young people abandoned and neglected by their families, we pray:
– For all those who suffer in their bodies and for those seriously ill, that they may find strength and consolation in the cross of our Lord, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God, we celebrate your Son's victory over death. Through him, you give us life and teach us to accept death. Lord, help us to love life without refusing to suffer when necessary for the sake of love and renewal. May we see the fear of death and the urge for life in the light of the life and death of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion
Lord God, make us fully accept the realities of life: that there is no birth without pain, no growth without effort, no adulthood without struggle, no wisdom without experience and practice. God, raise us above ourselves, that we may understand and accept the wisdom of the cross of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Blessing
Joseph forgave his brothers and became a blessing to them. On the cross, Jesus brought us forgiveness and life and the beautiful sign of this was how he forgave those who had led him to the cross. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.