Gospel: March 2, 2026
March 2, 2026 (Monday)
2nd Week of Lent
Psalter: Week 2 (Violet)
Ps 79:8, 9, 11 & 13
Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
1st Reading: Daniel 9:4b-10
I prayed to the Lord, my God, and made this confession: “Lord God, great and to be feared, you keep your Covenant and love for those who love you and observe your commandments. We have sinned; we have not been just; we have been rebels, and have turned away from your commandments and laws. We have not listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, fathers and to all the people of the land.
Lord, justice is yours; but ours is a face full of shame, as it is to this day we, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in all the lands where you have dispersed us because of the infidelity we have committed against you. Ours is the shame, O Lord, for we, our kings, princes and fathers, have sinned against you. We hope for pardon and mercy from the Lord, our God, because we have rebelled against him. We have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, or followed the laws which he has given us through his servants, the prophets.
Gospel: Luke 6:36-38
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Don’t be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over. For the measure you give will be the measure you receive back.”
Reflection:
We, too, are flawed like everyone else.
Judging and condemning are tricky acts. In engaging in either, we often assume we know everything and that we are entirely free from the faults we criticize. For instance, we might judge someone for being late, not realizing that she had to care for a sick child at home before leaving for work. We may condemn and criticize others for their faults, but lo and behold, we are equally guilty of the same or even more serious faults.
In contrast, the Father can be both merciful and a judge because He knows everything about us—our nooks and crannies, as well as the circumstances and contexts that shape who we are and how we act. Nothing is hidden from His all-knowing gaze.
Refraining from judging or condemning implicitly acknowledges that our knowledge is limited and that we, too, are flawed like everyone else. Moreover, to forgive and give reflects the Father, who sees his creation with perfect understanding and love.
