THE FRAGRANCE OF LEBANON

PRAYER MOMENT 

Friday 13 March 2015, second anniversary of Pope Francis’ election.

THE FRAGRANCE OF LEBANON

Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading: “I will love them with all my heart for my anger has turned from them. I will fall like dew on Israel … and she shall have the fragrance of Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:2-10)

Reflection. In these poetic words the prophet ends his indictment of Israel with a promise for the future. Pleasant sights and sounds and smells delight the heart of the pilgrim and here fragrance is invoked to lift the hearts of the weary. The central message is God’s love. ‘I will love them with all my heart.’ And this is taken up in today’s gospel (Mark 12: 28ff) which proclaims the response of Israel and of all the followers of Jesus to ‘love God with all your heart and your neighbour as your self.’ This is the basic Lenten message; to love. Love breaks down barriers between different social classes, tribes, religions and recognises that everyone is a human being. We share a common origin and a common destiny.  

            

Prayer. Lord, teach us to love you with all our heart and to love one another, especially those we are not naturally drawn to. Amen.

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