Come, let us return to the Lord, For it is he who has rent, but he will heal us. Hosea 6:1

At a young age we are taught to listen by our parents or gaurdians. For some, being taught to listen has merited obedience in the fine art of listening. In many others, it has fallen short. What does this have to do with this reading? Well for one thing in Hosea, he is telling us that the Lord is calling us. He wants us to come back to him, where he takes care of everything. But in order for us to go back to him and be healed we first have to listen. Where today many do not do that, they do as they please, disregard others who know better and try to guide them, but no they must do it their way. Somewhere these individuals never really had the teaching from a loving parent on listening, because the parent did not listen either or chose to not give but push away. Where lack of respect for each other is not part of their daily life. How Jesus is calling all to come back to him so he can make everything right. It's time we listen, and come let us return to the Lord.

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, "You fool," will be liable to fiery Gehenna, Matthew 5:22

It's not hard to know that words hurt. That anger is not healthy, how we somehow put ourselves in a fiery hot bed. All it ends up doing is causing much trouble. Jesus teaches us to forgive, yet we, on many occasions have opportunities to do that and we fail. How we go to the table of the Lord with the slander of those we dislike on our lips. It's not only from our mouths but our thoughts too. How often do you sit and judge another and think them a fool for some unknown reason. Or pass judgement on a mother who lets her child run amok, calling her a fool, or idiot. Or if our family displeases us in some way or another, where we become angry with them, yet we do not forgive them, but go on daily with this within our hearts. Can we say we will receive in clean hearts our Lord then at Communion, without forgiving or asking forgiveness, and meaning it.

Calling people names is not Christian, yet we do it many times a day. Take a day and just pay attention, to your speach to another or your own thought of another. Take a day and really listen to those around you, how we speak of each other. Pay attention, you might be amazed to what you find. If you can do this for one day, try it for another day, make a conscious effort to do this. I do this daily, myself, I make a conscious effort to stop any unkind thoughts, I listen to those around me, speak unkindly of others. I shudder at the many unkind remarks that flow daily. So, for those who are reading this, please try. You will truly be amazed.

Unless your in holy company then there just may be an exception.

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

This is so straight forward it's not hard to understand. Yet it's one thing many do not do. When we do things for others out of the kindness of our hearts, people tend to tromp on them just for being nice. I can easily give an example of this. I do my homework, but I am called upon by one of the students for my homework. Since there is a language barrier at times, it is often difficult to understand a request. I did not have this particular homework, plus I kept saying something else because I could not seem to understand what she was talking about. Anyway, being nice does not guarantee niceness in return. This person was angry because I did not give. And it continues each day now with a mockery. With the other students following suit, yet they all claim to be Christians. By their actions they have showed me their own uncharitableness. But today it happens to many people out there, and we wonder why the world is going to the devil.

I took this reading from this mornings psalm from the Liturgy of Hours for today's Lenten reflection.
Where we should automatically know this in our hearts. I do not mean know the text by heart but know that this is God and how he is our Rock, our Refuge, our Shield, our Mighty Help, and most of all our Stronghold.
There are people in the world who have very little, who truly are starving, because we take so much away from them, in order to promote a new area of growth for those who are abundant. How evil that is, to make new for those who have but yet we cannot do for those who are thought of beneath them. This seems to be the practice of many companies, who build in order to reap more. Just like anything else it is a controversial subject.
Many who have nothing look to God for his constant strength, to be their refuge, their shield, the very rock that keeps them stable in a world where they live in instability. Each day they encounter strife, they give praise to God for seeing them through another day, where they call upon God to conquer and vanquish their foes.
For those who have nothing have truly the Kingdom of God, for the suffering they endure by the hands of others, where evil is their daily foe.

Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:11-13

Forgiveness is a key to life, more importantly it is the key to heaven. Jesus gave us a very beautiful prayer that shows us what we are to do. Forgive, forgive and forgive.

When we have been hurt, and we forgive from our heart, how do we feel after? Release, a good feeling, the weight is gone.

When we hold back forgiveness because of being oppressed by credit card companies, or companies that demand more of you so you have less for your family, or from a spouse or neighbor who is abusive, to name a few, then we hold back God's forgiveness for us.

More importantly is when God forgives then we too need to forgive ourselves and others. There is a great freedom in forgiveness. That is why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is very freeing when you enter it with an open heart. It delivers us from the very evil that keeps our heart closed.