4th Sunday of Lent (C)

Short Reflection for the 4^th Sunday in Lent (C) – The Prodigal Son

Readings: Joshua 5: 9. 10-12; 2 Corinthians 5: 17-23; Luke 15: 1-3. 11-32

Selected Passage:  “Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.’” (Luke 15: 17-19)

Reflection:  The season of Lent is an invitation to come back to our senses.  Like the Prodigal Son, we need only to recognize our sins and go back to the Father.  The compassion of the Father knows NO end. He is there waiting for us with neither condemnation nor judgment. He is merciful and full of compassion with NO recriminations and instead he prepares a banquet on our return home.  We need to get back our senses and return to the loving Father who is always waiting for our return home. www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR PRAYER SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, Dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

3rd Sunday of Lent (C)

Short Reflection for the 3^rd Sunday in Lent (C)

Readings: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; and Luke 13:1-9

Selected Passage:  'For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. (So) cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' (Luke 13: 7)

Reflection:  Years have we been living on this earth, yet the same question is asked of us - do we bear fruit for others? Why should we exhaust the soil when we neither bear fruit nor give shade for others? We produce NONE or reap only for ourselves.  Beware… else we, too, are cut down!

In this season of Lent, we hear the invitation to conversion -  a change of heart and mending our ways.  Conversion also , means bearing fruits. Thus we need NOT only listen to the Word of god, to pray and fast, but also to do charitable works. www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR PRAYER SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, Dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

2nd Sunday of Lent (C)

Short Reflection for the 2^nd Sunday in Lent (C): The Transfiguration of Jesus

Readings: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1 or 3:20-4:1; and Luke 9:28b-36

Selected Passage: “While Peter was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.  Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘this is my chosen Son; listen to him’."  (Luke 9: 34-35))

Reflection:  Jesus was transfigured before his disciples. Then they heard the voice from the cloud saying: ‘this is my chosen Son; listen to him.’  The challenge to each one is to hear again that same voice during this season of Lent and begin to listen again to the Word of the Lord.

Let the Transfiguration be the powerful presence of Christ, which takes charge of everything in us and transforms even that which disturbs us about ourselves.  God penetrates those hardened, incredulous, even disquieting regions within us, about which we really do not know what to do. God penetrates them with radiant light, with the life of his Spirit, and gives them God’s own face. www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR PRAYER SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, Dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…

1st Sunday in Lent (C)

Short Reflection for the 1^st Sunday in Lent (C)

Readings: Deuteronomy 26,4-10; Romans 10: 8-18; Luke 4:1-13

Selected Passage: "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.”  "It is written: 'You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.'"  "It also says, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'" (Luke 4: verses 4, 8, and 12)

Reflection:  Each one is invited to reflect on Jesus’ three temptations and how Jesus responded to them as he began his public ministry. The first temptation is about  responding to the immediate material needs (Bread). The second temptation is about craving for power and domination (wealth). And the third temptation is about craving for prestige and fame.  Do we easily succumb to these temptations of bread, wealth, power and prestige? Beware, these temptations are very attractive and sweet. www.badaliyya.blogspot.com

DHIKR PRAYER SIMPLE METHOD...

Dhikr is an Arabic word for remembrance. In the “tariqa” (the way) movement, Dhikr developed into a form of prayer… It is a prayer of the heart… following three simple steps:

1.Write in one’s heart a certain passage of the Holy Writ…

2.Make the same passage ever present in one’s lips. 

3.Then wait for God’s disclosure on the meaning of the passage…that interprets one’s life NOW…!

It takes a week of remembering (dhikr)…or even more days to relish the beauty of this method…