February 24, 2026 Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15 The True Meaning of Prayer
When we offer prayers to our Heavenly Father, we often seek all things of this world according to our own will. And when God does not grant us every grace we seek from Him according to what our hearts desire, we complain against God and even turn away from Him. In our view, the God we believe in is always merciful, because He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain upon the just and the unjust (cf. Mt 5:45), yet we overlook the prayer that Jesus Himself taught us to offer to the Heavenly Father.
When we offer prayers to the Heavenly Father, we should first express our gratitude to our Creator, who formed us from nothing and gave us life, nourishing us with all the creatures of heaven and earth that He created, so that we might live in this beautiful world. Then, we should ask Him for wisdom and understanding, so that in this changing world we may discern the Holy Will of the Father, listen deeply within our hearts to His dialogue with us, and treat everyone we encounter according to God’s Holy Will.
Look upon your family, Lord, that, through the chastening effects of bodily discipline, our minds may be radiant in your presence with the strength of our yearning for you. 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. Amen.
February 23, 2026 Monday of the First Week of Lent Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
Today is Monday of the First Week of Lent. The Gospel passage from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew presents us with Jesus’ description of the scene of the Last Judgment. In this changing world, we often yearn for heaven and wonder what the Last Judgment will be like at the end of time. At the beginning of today’s Gospel at Mass, Saint Matthew reveals to us the astonishing vision of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He will reveal all that people have done, separating those brothers and sisters who did the will of God during their earthly lives from those who acted against His divine will. Thus, those who already lived out God’s will on earth will receive eternal reward for the good works they performed, while those who did what the Lord considers evil will face eternal perdition for their wicked deeds.
We often chase the comfortable life that money brings, yet overlook those living in hardship—precisely the five categories of people Jesus mentions in today’s Gospel (Matthew 25:31-36, 42-44): those who are hungry; those who long for eternal happiness; those who are strangers and sojourn in foreign lands because they proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; those who are naked; those who are sick with serious illnesses and abandoned; and those who are bound by various reasons. These are people we encounter frequently in daily life, sometimes unexpectedly, and they eagerly await our care and love.
We can fall into the bondage and captivity of worldly attachments, leading to a numbed mindset. This is like how the righteous, who received a hundredfold reward from God, responded to the King (Matthew 25:37-39). Because our faith often remains superficial, we overlook the small details of daily life. In truth, God offers us opportunities to practice charity in unexpected moments.
Let us make good use of Lent to rediscover the truly vulnerable in our lives, help them according to our ability as God wills, and pray for them often. Amen.
February 22, 2026 First Sunday of Lent Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11
Today is the First Sunday of Lent. The passage from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew presents to us Jesus being tempted.
In life, we too cannot avoid experiencing temptations from this passing world, just as Jesus did. When we are caught up in them, we find ourselves increasingly drawn to enjoying the world, growing more self-centred, and desiring to accumulate its wealth. All this stems from the wound of original sin on human nature, and the root of sin is essentially the inner restlessness and dissatisfaction with the present state that lies deep within each person. Just as our first parents did—who were discontented with the wisdom and discernment God had given them—sin seized the opportunity, and the devil’s deceit succeeded.
Similarly, when participating in the Mass, we often indulge in the sacred music of the liturgy, fix our gaze on the demeanour of the celebrant and ministers at the altar, or desire the Mass to end sooner so we can receive some food at the parish entrance afterward. Yet we forget all that God reveals to us through His servant in the Sacrifice of the Mass; we neglect the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ received in the Eucharist; and we overlook the need to live out the spirit of the Gospel in daily life. In the life of the Christian community, the roles we hold may bring us closer to God, but we forget that without God’s grace, everything we possess now would amount to nothing. We even think that having all the wealth of this world could replace God. This is precisely the source of our weakness.
Today, our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was tempted by the devil, did not yield to him. Instead, He defeated the devil with every word that comes from the mouth of God. Likewise, when we are weak, we must cling closely to the Word of God, using it as a weapon to overcome all temptations and difficulties.
Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects. 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
聖伯多祿·達彌盎(St. Peter Damian),約1007年生於義大利的拉韋納(Ravenna)的一個龐大但貧窮的貴族家庭,是家中的幼子。早年喪父,最初由他的一個哥哥收養,但遭到這個哥哥的虐待,不讓他吃飽。一些年以後,他的另一個哥哥,拉韋納的總鐸達彌盎(Damianus)同情他,讓他去接受教育。因此,伯多祿在自己的姓氏上加上哥哥的名字。聖人在神學和教會法的學習上進步神速,聖人先後在拉韋納(Ravenna)、法恩紮(Faenza)和帕爾馬大學(University of Parma)大學受教。他在25歲的時候就已經成為在帕爾馬和拉韋納的著名老師。
約1035年,他放棄了世俗上的職業,不向克呂尼修道院(Cluniac monasteries)的奢華生活妥協,進入了古比奧附近的豐特阿韋拉納隱修院。聖人在初學和會士期間,都展現出極大的熱情,這樣的熱情使他在苦修生活中走向自我折磨的極端,以致他的健康都受到影響,令他患上了失眠症。他在康復以後被委任為修士們的講師。隨後,他應龐波薩的蓋伊(圭多·德·阿雷佐)及鄰近修道院院長的請求,他連續兩三年為他們的修士們授課,並於(約1042年)為皮耶特拉佩爾托薩(Pietrapertosa)的修士們撰寫了羅慕鐸(Romuald)傳。他在回到豐泰阿維拉納修道院(Monastery of Fonte Avellana)後被委任為該修院的管家,以後,他任該修院的院長,直到1072年2月逝世。
圣伯多禄·达弥盎(St. Peter Damian),约1007年生于意大利的拉韦纳(Ravenna)的一个庞大但贫穷的贵族家庭,是家中的幼子。早年丧父,最初由他的一个哥哥收养,但遭到这个哥哥的虐待,不让他吃饱。一些年以后,他的另一个哥哥,拉韦纳的总铎达弥盎(Damianus)同情他,让他去接受教育。因此,伯多禄在自己的姓氏上加上哥哥的名字。圣人在神学和教会法的学习上进步神速,圣人先后在拉韦纳(Ravenna)、法恩扎(Faenza)和帕尔马大学(University of Parma)大学受教。他在25岁的时候就已经成为在帕尔马和拉韦纳的著名老师。
约1035年,他放弃了世俗上的职业,不向克吕尼修道院(Cluniac monasteries)的奢华生活妥协,进入了古比奥附近的丰特阿韦拉纳隐修院。圣人在初学和会士期间,都展现出极大的热情,这样的热情使他在苦修生活中走向自我折磨的极端,以致他的健康都受到影响,令他患上了失眠症。他在康复以后被委任为修士们的讲师。随后,他应庞波萨的盖伊(圭多·德·阿雷佐)及邻近修道院院长的请求,他连续两三年为他们的修士们授课,并于(约1042年)为皮耶特拉佩尔托萨(Pietrapertosa)的修士们撰写了罗慕铎(Romuald)传。他在回到丰泰阿维拉纳修道院(Monastery of Fonte Avellana)后被委任为该修院的管家,以后,他任该修院的院长,直到1072年2月逝世。
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