The disciples of John are a bit clueless as to why they ‘Have to’ fast and the disciples of Jesus do not.

If Jesus is with you, how can you feel sad and gloomy? With Him, the world shimmers with joy,

faith becomes strong, hope revives and love is renewed. That is why His disciples could not fast.

Day of abstinence from meat (age 14 and up).

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Isaiah 58:1-9a

Cry out aloud for all you

 Jesus first reveals himself to the disciples and to some chosen individuals before he publicly decares himself to be the One.

When the leper’s audacity brings healing, the prohibition not to tell anyone of what happened.

As soon as he leaves, he sings the praises of Jesus so much so, They have to share and proclaim it to others.

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1st Reading: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron,

 Jesus now openly talks of His future fate. It is tragic but glorious at the same time.

He will suffer rejection and death, but He will rise again from the dead after three days.

The decision for us to take is to whether we are willing to suffer with Jesus or not. This is the trail of the Lenten Season.

Like Jesus, to offer our lives for the benefit of others in love, in caring, in solidarity, in compassion and in justice.

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Deuteronomy 30:15-20 

See, I set before you

 All Christians are called to be missionaries in the sense of sharing God's unconditional love with others.

our small contribution can do so much when joined to his power of love.

God brought Israel out of Egypt? In the wilderness, without food, what did God do?

Every day he dropped Manna, God worked miracle every day.

St. Scholastica, virgin

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1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34 

Jeroboam thought,

 “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Ash Wednesday as a day "focused on prayer, fasting, and repentance."

Our need for repentance and our need for the love and forgiveness shown to us in Jesus Christ.

By self-examination and penitence, by prayer and fasting, by practicing works of love.

ASH WEDNESDAY Begin Lenten preparation for the Easter Triduum.

Day of fast (ages 18-59) and abstinence from meat (age 14 and up).

Jesus always gives strength of mind, body or soul when we place ourselves in God's loving presence.

All power in heaven and on earth was entrusted to his hands.

He was doing the will of the Father, and accomplishing the work with which he had been commissioned.

"The Father," he said, "worketh hitherto, and I work;" 

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1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19

Once, when Jeroboam

 Jesus seems to be pretty frustrated with the “dumbness” of the disciples.

 Disciples Having lived with him day and night, They did not really know him.

The teachings and miracles of Jesus did not sink yet in their minds. Thus they always misunderstood Jesus.

Yet He did not give up on them. Patiently He accompanied them to the truth.

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James 1:12-18

Happy are those

With all his wisdom and experience in life, Solomon fell away from God due to his pride,

Whereas humility lifted up the woman and her daughter and drew God’s favor and healing instantaneously.

her daughter has an unclean spirit. She knows that in every way, according to the standards of the day,

she is unclean, and therefore disqualified to approach any devout Jew,

Jesus admired the woman's persistence in looking for a blessing for her daughter. reached out to this Gentile lady.

 St. Jerome Emiliani, priest St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin

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1 Kings 11:4-13

In Solomon's old age,

The Pharisees’ demand for a sign was a true sign of their lack of faith in him. Jesus giving a deep sigh.

When he sees in us shallowness of faith and rebellious resistance to truth,

a resistance that prevents the Spirit from entering our hearts.

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James 1:1-11

James, a servant of God,

 One  must be looking inward and be concerned with what’s inside the heart.

We battle with ourselves, it is easier to be angry with others than with ourselves.

In the Gospel, Jesus said “Nothing that enters one from the outside can defile that person;

but the things that come from the things that come out from within are what defile.” Purity is from within.

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1st Reading: 1 Kings 10:1-10

The queen of Sheba