ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS - Comments From the Chair 17 February 2021

#TeachingAboutAlmsgiving #TeachingAboutPrayer #Fasting #PreceptsOfTheCatholicChurch #GiveUpSomething WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GIVE UP AND GIVE MORE THIS LENTEN SEASON? First Reading: Joel 2:12-18 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 12-13, 14 AND 17 Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 Verse Before the Gospel: Psalms 95:8 Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Being the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, our gospel reading today emphasizes and focuses on the three most important acts of a devout Catholic, something handed down from the early Jews. In the next six weeks, as Christians and Catholics, we must settle down and spend more time in prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We must also give up some things. Rev. Craig Gates summarizes these beautifully. This is the 316th installment of our CFC quarantine contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings. [NOTE: All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on   / cfchrist   and Bong Arjonillo’s Facebook page]