March 3, 2026 Second Week of Lent, Tuesday Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
We often act like the Pharisees, being overly concerned with our image before the world. In our view, our public image determines our worth. In fact, our public image does not draw us closer to God and the world He created; on the contrary, it pushes us further away from God and His creation, and closer to the devil and his minions. Similarly, we may also act like the Pharisees—imposing undue burdens and compelling others to do what they are unwilling to do. Worse still, we often call those who follow the logic of this world our master and imitate their behaviour. Today, our Savior Jesus teaches us: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”(cf. Mt 23:12). This means we should not pursue the wealth of this world or follow its logic, for both make us arrogant—something entirely contrary to all Jesus taught. He calls us to be humble always: to acknowledge our shortcomings before God, to rely on the help of the Holy Spirit, and to do what pleases Him.
Guard your Church, we pray, O Lord, in your unceasing mercy, and, since without you mortal humanity is sure to fall, may we be kept by your constant helps from all harm and directed to all that brings salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
March 2, 2026 Monday of the Second Week of Lent Gospel: Luke 6:36-38 Misericordes sicut Pater
We often lose ourselves in life. In our eyes, those who live with us day by day sometimes interact with us according to their own wills, without regard for our feelings. Thus, when we encounter those who treat us arbitrarily based on their own thoughts, we clash fiercely with them, even labelling them with judgments rooted in human reasoning. When we gather with the People of God, we also choose to associate with those who align with our preferences, guided by our own inclinations. When we engage with brothers and sisters who please us, our attitude toward them is often kind and merciful; we strive to meet their various needs. Yet, when we inevitably encounter brothers and sisters who go against our wishes, we often grow resentful, avoid contact with them, and may even reveal unfriendly attitudes. To act thus in our faith life is to base ourselves on human judgment, following the guidance of the flesh rather than that of the Holy Spirit. Today, Jesus calls us not to respond to all things by the law of this old world, but by the law of the new world He proclaims. This new world consists of the God who loves, those loved by God, and children of God who love one another. They hold fast to Jesus’ teaching: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (cf. Lk 6:36). Following St. Paul the Apostle’s exhortation, they constantly rely on the Holy Spirit to mortify the misdeeds of the flesh (cf. Rom 8:13cde), thereby becoming children of God (cf. Rom 8:14). Though they continue to live in this passing world, their conduct no longer conforms to its ways; instead, they resemble Jesus Christ, so that others may see in them all that they do the merciful face of the Father.
O God, who have taught us to chasten our bodies for the healing of our souls, enable us, we pray, to abstain from all sins, and strengthen our hearts to carry out your loving commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
圣史玛窦想要藉此告诉我们：耶稣是天主子，是天主的默西亚。他又以此告诉我们一个更深奥的奥秘，那就是默西亚秘密。我们之前谈过默西亚秘密：包括丹尼尔·J·哈林顿（Daniel J. Harrington）在内的天主教神学家和圣经学家告诉我们：只有耶稣在显神迹的时候，才会显出祂是天主的默西亚的身份和德能，但是在祂没有显神迹的时候，祂的形状一见如人，直到祂被钉在十字架上的时候，才正式显露出祂默西亚的身份，耶稣战胜了死亡，从死者中复活以后，祂默西亚的身份，才完全展现出来。
聖史瑪竇想要藉此告訴我們：耶穌是天主子，是天主的默西亞。他又以此告訴我們一個更深奧的奧秘，那就是默西亞秘密。我們之前談過默西亞秘密：包括丹尼爾·J·哈林頓（Daniel J. Harrington）在內的天主教神學家和聖經學家告訴我們：只有耶穌在顯神跡的時候，才會顯出祂是天主的默西亞的身份和德能，但是在祂沒有顯神跡的時候，祂的形狀一見如人，直到祂被釘在十字架上的時候，才正式顯露出祂默西亞的身份，耶穌戰勝了死亡，從死者中復活以後，祂默西亞的身份，才完全展現出來。
March 1, 2026 The Second Sunday of Lent Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9 The True Face of the Messiah, the Son of God
Today is the Second Sunday of Lent. The passage from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew presents to us the mystery of the Transfiguration of Jesus. We often think that Jesus Christ does not seem different in form from other men, and thus, we frequently overlook His divinity. Today, on the holy mountain, He revealed His divine countenance to His beloved disciples, Peter, James, and his brother John: His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light (Matthew 17:2). As He revealed His divine and radiant face, there appeared Moses, representing the Law of the Old Testament, and Elijah, representing the Prophets of the Old Testament, conversing with Jesus. Saint Luke, in his account of the Gospel, records the content of the conversation between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, which was about His “exodus,” that is, what He was to accomplish in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). And Peter spoke to Jesus out of a carnal impulse, saying to Him: “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You wish, I will make three tents here, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). Saint Matthew the Evangelist wishes to tell us through this that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah. He also tells us of a deeper mystery, which is the Messianic Secret. We have previously discussed the Messianic Secret: Catholic theologians and biblical scholars, including Daniel J. Harrington, explain that Jesus would only reveal His identity and power as the Messiah of God when He performed miracles. However, when not performing miracles, His appearance was entirely human. It was not until He was crucified on the Cross that He formally revealed His messianic identity. After He conquered death and rose from the dead, His messianic identity was fully manifested. Today, by faith, we foresee the face of God that was to be gloriously revealed on the Cross. This face of God is completely different from what the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Zealots had imagined. It is the face of a suffering Messiah, the Son of God. A similar face also appears in our lives, on the faces of those who live in hardship, those who are hungry, those who are homeless, those who are sick, and those who are deprived of freedom. When we practice charity, follow the holy teachings of our Savior, and strive, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to help them to the best of our ability, we are replicating the face of the merciful Father in heaven. When the face of the merciful Father in heaven and the face of Jesus Christ appear together in the world, this suffering world can be restored to the harmony of its creation by God.
O God, who have commanded us to listen to your beloved Son, be pleased, we pray, to nourish us inwardly by your word, that, with spiritual sight made pure, we may rejoice to behold your glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
February 28, 2026 Saturday of the First Week of Lent Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48 A Counsel to Upright Conduct
Today is the Saturday of the First Week of Lent. The Gospel passage continues Jesus’ counsel on the conduct of Christians.
In life, it is difficult to avoid living in isolation, and even more so to refrain from relating to others, for human beings are not meant to be solitary. When we interact with others, we often follow the logic of the world and its laws. The law of the world is this: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; love your neighbour and hate your enemy.
We have all received Christian Baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God. So, what should we do in the face of enemies, or those who persecute us? Jesus tells us: “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”(cf. Mt 5:44-45).
Perhaps we find this almost impossible. We feel it is impossible because we struggle to set aside our own positions, humble ourselves, and choose to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us—just as Jesus Christ did. Let us consider how Jesus acted. When He was crucified, He prayed to the Father: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”(cf. Lk 23:34). Through receiving Christian Baptism, we are united with Christ; thus, we must love our enemies and pray always for those who harm us, just as Christ did.
Even more, we must love our neighbours from the depths of our hearts—including brothers and sisters who, for various reasons, no longer associate with us. We must take the initiative to reconcile with those who have been hurt in body or spirit by our bad example and sin against God, so that they may see again the merciful face of the heavenly Father through our actions. In this way, we become perfect.
Turn our hearts to you, eternal Father, and grant that, seeking always the one thing necessary and carrying out works of charity, we may be dedicated to your worship. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
全属于祢 
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