March 24, 2020 Tuesday of the 4th Week in Lent-A

Ezekiel 47:1-9,12

Psalm 46

John 5:1-16

“…do not sin anymore…” John 5:14

Lord, the man you healed in today’s Gospel had been ill since before you were born.  You likely saw him each time you went to the temple to offer prayer.  You have the right priorities because You were more concerned with the man’s sins than his physical disease. The Pharisees were more concerned with the man violating the Sabbath than your miracle healing.  Lord, I too have sins needing forgiveness. Like the man I can get comfort table with my sins and carry them forward year after year. Lord, help me to see there is a better way than to accept sinful habits rather than to seek your mercy and forgiving grace. Lord, help me to use this Lent to leave behind those obstacles to your love and those barriers to loving my neighbors. Be my refuge and my strength, dear Jesus and never let me be satisfied with anything less than a pure heart healed by you.  Amen.