CALENDARIO / Calendario Cinquepani EN

01 mar 2022

03 March 2022

English transaltion: Marzo 2022

1/3 TUE VIII° O.T. [IV]

(Dioc. Memory in Trento: m: B. Giovanna Mary Bonomo, verg., † 1670)

1Pt 1,10-16; Psal 97; Mk 10,28-31

Be holy yourselves in all your conduct 1Pt 1,15

Today is the last day of Carnival, we receive this Word as a gift: the Father wants us to be his children today as well, for this is truly beautiful and good! We will take time to play with our children and sing for our elders: in simplicity and purity, we’ll taste the joy of our fraternal communion.

2/3 ASH WEDNESDAY [P]

Joel 2,12-18; Psal 50; 2Cor 5,20 - 6,2; Mt 6,1-6.16-18

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful Joel 2,13

Yes, it is because the Lord is gracious and merciful that we, during this time of Lent, commit ourselves on a path of conversion, of change: not out of fear of his punishment, but because he loves us so much that we are sorry that we respond in such a poor way. The punishments we think as coming from him, by the way, are in reality the effects of our bad choices.

3/3 THU after Ash Wednesday [IV]

Deut 30,15-20; Psal 1; Lk 9,22-25

The Son of Man must undergo great suffering Lk 9,22

Yesterday we started walking on our Lenten road: we firmly want to return to the Father, for He is exclusively love. Thank you, Jesus: you make possible for us this wonderful journey. You have been the first to go through the sufferings of getting rid of the sprouts of selfishness that ruin the plant of our life. You still undergo the same sufferings with us and in us… I will say “thank you” for every suffering, it is a medicine offered by your hands full of love and wisdom! You will lead me to the joy of Easter!

4/3 FRI after Ash Wednesday [IV]

(comm: S. Casimir, † 1484)

Is 58,1-9; Psal 50; Mt 9,14-15

Your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly Is 58,8

This is the time to be in front of God, with our poverty and in need of his light for carrying out our daily responsibilities; we are wounded and weak in our life as his children. The Word today shows us the remedy: it does not consist in extraordinary sacrifices or renounciations – they could become a trap for pride -: the remedy is to bend down in love on our brother,… he is poor like us, in need like us. Our God, who is Father of us all, will be comforted and come near to us.

5/3 SAT after Ash Wednesday [IV]

Is 58,9-14; Sal 85; Lc 5,27-32

I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance Lk 5,32

This Word of Jesus is so beautiful and reassuring, yet it’s so hard for me to admit that I am a sinner, and still strive to feel righteous, and to show me as such to others.

Do I want that Jesus may call me? Do I want to stay near to him? Yes, Jesus, I really need your forgiveness that renews me: thus my love – now so weak! - for you and my brethren will begin looking more and more like yours.

6/3 SUN I° LENT Year C [I]

Deut 26,4-10; Psal 90; Rom 10,8-13; Lk 4,1-13

If you are the Son of God, command … Lk 4,3

In the desert the devil wanted that Jesus stops living his relationship of love between him, the Son, and the Father. Jesus, however, kept in his heart the Word given by the Father, the Sacred Scriptures, and he himself was kept safe by it. We will keep alive in our hearts this Word during our Lenten journey; it will mould us as true children of the Father, willing and happy to let Him love us, and in our turn to love.

7/3 MON I° LENT [I]

(comm: Ss. Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs, † 202/203)

Lev 19,1-2.11-18; Psal 18; Mt 25,31-46

You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy Lev 19,2

Godi s love. His holiness consists in the firmness, constancy, faithfulness of his love towards all.

Our holiness has the same characteristics. It is not to avoid evil, but to keep on loving, for this is how God’s life that must be present in us, his children, so that at the end of time he will declare: “I was hungry and you gave me to eat…” .

8/3 TUE I° LENT [I]

(comm: St John of God, religious, † 1550)

Is 55,10-11; Psal 33; Mt 6,7-15

When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases Mt 6,7

O Father, you look so much like our fathers and mothers! They feel that their children love them when they welcome their wise, loving instructions, not when the children tell them many sweet words. What makes precious the time I give you in my prayer every day, o Father, is the obedience I offered you, and still I offer you.

9/3 WED I° LENT [I]

(comm: S. Frances Romana, religious, † 1440)

Jonah 3,1-10; Psal 50; Lk 11,29-32

Who knows? God may relent and change his mind Jonah 3,9

A whole pagan town, Niniveh, reminded through God’s prophet, had converted. Neither we, nor – let us hope – those who guide our society in his Providence, are ashamed of obeying the Lord and of prayer to Him. He then won’t be ashamed any longer of our faults; he will dwell again in the midst of us and bless us. Ha can do everything in his love!

10/3 THU I° LENT [I]

Esth 4,17 n.p-r.aa-bb.gg-hh; Psal 137; Mt 7,7-12

I have no other help but you, Lord Esth 4,17

Queen Esther, who was about to risk her life so as to seek the salvation of her people from being exterminated by the King’s decree, trusts herself to the Lord and puts her faith in him. Each one of us has lived through situations when we felt powerless and we looked towards God as the unique anchor of salvation. Those moments help us to humbly remain united with the Lord, and trust in his faithful love.

11/3 FRI I° LENT [I]

Ez 18,21-28; SPsal 129; Mt 5,20-26

If you are angry with a brother… Mt 5,22

“you will liable to judgment”. Jesus descends to cut the roots of evil, without waiting that it carries out an evil deed, like a murder. Feeling angry is one of those roots. I ask the help of the Holy Spirit that I can uproot my anger; in this way I won’t spoil my brother’s life, either with my hands or my words or my thoughts. On the contrary I will support it, give it priority, do good to it.

12/3 SAT I° LENT [I]

Deut 26,16-19; Psal 118; Mt 5,43-48

He makes his sun rise on the evil and the good Mt 5,45

The love of the Father, Jesus tells us, is perfect, namely it knows no limits, is not influenced by wickedness or refusal. Jesus shows this truth by this beautiful example of the sun shining over everyone alike. O come, Holy Spirit, today be in me the sun of divine love which excludes no one!

13/3 SUN II° LENT Year C [II]

Gen 15,5-12.17-18; Psal 26; Phil 3,17 - 4,1; Lk 9,28-36

When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone Lk 9,36

The three apostles who climbed the Mountain with Jesus had contemplated his glory. The Father himself had spoken: “…listen to him!” It had been just an instant; now “Jesus alone” remained with them: Jesus, meek and humble, soon to be rejected by the great men, condemned and nailed on the cross. After having seen and heard, the disciples could go on trusting in him. They believed, and thus we are founded and supported in our faith.

14/3 MON II° LENT [II]

Dan 9,4-10; Psal 78; Lk 6,36-38

Ah Lord God, keeping covenant and steadfast love Dan 9,4

The History of Salvation, the Sacred Scriptures, is dotted with the initiatives of God, offering covenant after covenant to his people that could never be faithful! We see here the prodigy of love: your blood, Jesus, Son of God, poured from the cross, deletes every disobedience and time after time brings us back into the bosom of the Father. Everlasting, Lord, is your love!

15/3 MAR II° T.Q. [II]

Is 1,10.16-20; Psal 49; Mt 23,1-12

Do not do as they do Mt 23,3

An example convinces and leads more than words. Unfortunately this is also true of a bad example.

I will try, then, to look at Jesus only: his life, his works will be my guide. The fragility of men through whom he speaks to me will not cover his voice, and I will not be an obstacle to anyone.

16/3 WED II° LENT [II]

Ger 18,18-20; Sal 30; Mt 20,17-28

Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant Mt 20,26

Whoever wishes proudly to be great will never start serving! The greatness, in Jesus’ words, is the same that he’s going to make manifest in Jerusalem, on the cross: the greatness of love. The reward for each one is already prepared by the Father.

17/3 THU II° LENT [II]

(comm: S. Patrik, Bishop, † 461 ca)

Jer 17,5-10; Psal 1; Lk 16,19-31

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord Jer 17,7

We thank you, Father whose goodness is limitless, for this Word of yours! We keep it in the heart, as a precious pearl, a gift from your love. You link your blessing – what else could we wish for? – not to our good works, but to the trust we have in you, to our looking at you as your children… always, even in hard times.

18/3 FRI II° LENT [II]

(comm: S. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doct., † 386)

Gen 37,3-4.12-13.17-28; Psal 104; Mt 21,33-43.45-46

This is the heir; come, let us kill him Mt 21,38

The Father’s goodness is really great! He knew the wickedness of those tenants, yet he sent there his Son. Before I was born, he knows my ungratefulness, yet he never ceases to surround me with his love and give me new occasions of conversion. Nothing can mar his hope: by looking at his love, nothing can mar mine.

19/3 SAT S. JOSEPH, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin MARY [P]

2Sam 7,4-5.12-14.16; Psal 88; Rom 4,13.16-18.22; Mt 1,16.18-21.24 or Lk 2,41-51

She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus Mt 1,21

The Father is eventually carrying out his plan of salvation. In this plan he needs you, Joseph. He liked you not because of special human talents, but for your humility: you welcomed and served his love in Mary, you were ready to cooperate while remaining in the background and making of your life a gift. You are a true model of, and a true help for every father! Thank you!

20/3 SUN III° LENT Year C [III]

Ex 3,1-8.13-15; Psal 102; 1Cor 10,1-6;10-12; Lk 13,1-9 (or the readings of year A)

Unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did Lk 13,5

I have known persons who, after welcoming Jesus in their hearts, knew how to live and die “blessed”. Jesus, dwell always in my heart! I will live my death, even the death I meet every day, as a grace, as a passing from this poor world to the heart of the Father, full of love and light!

21/3 MON III° LENT [III]

2Kings 5,1-15; Psal 41-42; Lk 4,24-30

No prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown Lk 4,24

It’s always so easy for us to judge, specially when we know –or think to know – a person. Then we feel so sure, and we fail to have a listening attitude: the same happened to the people of Nazareth, and they rejected a beautiful gift.

Jesus, you are the Gift of the Father: give me the humility to welcome you, through the words or the actions of whoever you will choose… even if it were that surly neighbour, my mother-in-law, my daughter-in-law…

22/3 TUE III° LENT [III]

Dan 3,25.34-43; Psal 24; Mt 18,21-35

Out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him Mt 18,27

That slave – we all know the parable of Jesus – had accumulated such a debt with his lord that it could not be calculated, let alone repaid. Because of his prayer, the lord not only took pity of him, but he condoned that huge debt as well. Let us be certain that even our prayer – and in this Lenten time we want to be faithful to our prayer – will get the Father’s compassion for us and so many others of his children.

23/3 WED III° LENT [III]

(comm: S. Turibius of Mongrovejo, Bishop, † 1606)

Deut 4,1.5-9; Psal 147; Mt 5,17-19

God is near to us whenever we call to him Deut 4,7

It is the Word of God, it is truth! For this reason we love prayer, should it be just a small cry from our heart. He, the Father, He who created us, loves us, waits for us, comes near to us: I adore, I thank, I abandon myself!!

24/3 THU III° LENT [III]

Jer 7,23-28; Psal 94; Lk 11,14-23

If it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the Kingdom has come to you Lk 11,20

When Jesus commanded the demons to go away, they obeyed. Really Jesus brings us the Kingdom of the Father: he makes possible for us to live in such a way that he can reign in us and lead our life! And the Father always leads us in love, in communion, in his Spirit. His action has our happiness for its aim, as we have listened in the first reading from Jeremiah.

Yes, Jesus, raise your finger over me and free me!

25/3 FRI ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD [P]

Is 7,10-14; 8,10c; Psal 39; Heb 10,4-10; Lk 1,26-38

Do not be afraid, Mary Lk 1,30

Mary was not afraid. Even though she could not understand, she decided to trust in the Lord. She overcame the fear that many times overcomes us: the fear of entrusting ourselves to the grace, namely the free love of God. Instead we prefer trust in our own apparent certainties. Thank you, Mary, you did not fear and said yes, the beginning of salvation for the whole of humanity.

26/3 SAT III° LENT [III]

Hos 6,1-6; Psal 50; Lk 18,9-14

Let us press on to know the Lord Hos 6,3

Your Word, Jesus, and the Sacraments you entrasted to your Church, offer us a new knowledge of the Father and allow us to live his very life, a life that is only love, gift. This knowledge is more pleasing to him than any observance, however hard it may be, that does not commit the heart. We too want to press on to know you, Father, in this holy time!

27/3 SUN IV° LENT Year C [IV]

Gs 5,9.10-12; Psal 33; 2Cor 5,17-21; Lk 15,1-3.11-32 (or the readings from year A)

Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you Lk 15,18

It is this word that the Father waits from each one of us in this holy time of prayer, fasting and charity. The Holy Spiri twill put it in our heart, and we will know where to go… The Father will cover us with the blood of the beloved Son, then will kiss and hug us.

28/3 MON IV° LENT [IV]

Is 65,17-21; Psal 29; GJohn 4,43-54

Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe John 4,48

Jesus, everything is normal today: the labour of the daily tasks, of the relations with the people I live with, and of the headache that I have had for a while… But I want to believe in you, to live in your presence, still more: I want to live in you, with your breath which is love. I know that I already am in the eternal life, and I thank you, Jesus! You have already done, and given, everything for me!

29/3 TUE IV° LENT [IV]

Ez 47,1-9.12; Psal 45; John 5,1-16

Do you want to be made well? John 5,6

Jesus, today you look at me, as that day next the pool of Bethzahtà you looked at that paralyzed man. You know my great poverty and ask me: “Do you want to be made well?” “Yes, Jesus, I want that my life as child of the Father in heaven be not paralyzed, rather be strong, able to love. Thank you that you make me well.”

30/3 WED IV° LENT [IV]

Is 49,8-15; SPsal 144; John 5,17-30

Anyone who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father John 5,23

Wonder of wonders, the life in the Trinity! Father and Son giving one to the other, finding joy in the other’s joy; and the Holy Spirit is servant, a tool of this exchange of love! Here is the source of life for every family, for every christian community which wishes, seeks and can live the miracle of love.

31/3 THU IV° LENT [IV]

Ex 32,7-14; Psal 105; John 5,31-47

You do not believe him whom he has sent John 5,38

Jesus speaks to the Jews, who did not recognize his being sent by the Father: soon after he will tell them: “ you refuse to come to me to have life”. Whatever Jesus says or does, speeches and miracles, are not meant for his honour but to raise our faith, my trust in him: he gains nothing from my faith; I, instead, gain all, life itself. He seeks only what is good for me because he loves me. Jesus, I believe in your love, I believe in your Father, and mine!