Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent: Daily Lenten Meditations

WHAT DOES IT PROFIT?

They stood about Him the Twelve, eager, attentive. His theme was a serious one—the meaning of life, the value of the immortal soul. He knew well the strong appeal of riches and honors and pleasures to their still earthly hearts. He looked on them pityingly; His gaze reached out to embrace the whole world. Then He spoke: “What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?”

The whole world for my soul! That gives tremendous meaning to the worth of my soul, does it not? The whole world with all its unmeasured treasures, its honors, its pleasures, all of them heaped together and given to me to have and to hold as my very own—yet worthy only of utter contempt if the exchange demanded is my soul! Yes, for earth’s riches and honors and pleasures will all soon fade and cease to be, but my soul shall go on eternally for weal or for woe.

The whole world for my soul! Ah! yes, that were a foolhardy exchange indeed. But I am not offered the whole world for my soul. No, just the vilest pittance the tempter offers when he comes to bargain with me.

A bit of gross pleasure that befouls whatever it touches, a mere handful of tinsel treasures, an hour of meaningless honor—just that and no more the tempter offers in exchange for my soul.

Can I allow myself to be lured into such a foolhardy bargain? I must pause and reflect and resolve.

Jesus, Divine Friend, have mercy on us.

EPISTLE AND GOSPEL: Taken from the Angelus Press 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

EPISTLE:  Esther 13:8-11, 15-17

Prayer of Mardochai in favor of the Jewish people, whom the impious Aman had determined to destroy. He implored the Lord God of Israel to turn their sadness into joy. The Christian people in the same way are mourning by Lenten penance and are looking forward to the holy joys of Easter.

In those days Mardochai prayed to the Lord, saying: O Lord, Lord, almighty King, for all things are in Thy power, and there is none that can resist Thy will, if Thou determine to save Israel. Thou hast made heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven. Thou art Lord of all, and there is none that can resist Thy Majesty. And now, O Lord, O King, O God of Abraham, have mercy on Thy people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us and extinguish Thine inheritance. Despise not Thy portion which Thou hast redeemed for Thyself out of Egypt. Hear my supplication, and be merciful to Thy lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise Thy name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of them that sing to Thee, O Lord our God.

GOSPEL: Mt. 20: 17-28

Jesus foretells His Passion and Resurrection. He will make us participants in His Resurrection if we die to our sins.

At that time, as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and cru-cified, and the third day He shall rise again. Then came to Him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of Him. Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to Him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand and the other on Thy left, in Thy kingdom. And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to Him: We can. He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink: but to sit on My right or My left hand is not Mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by My Father. And the ten, hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them to Him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them: and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them. It shall not be so among you: but whosoever shall be the greater among you, let him be your minister: and he that will be first among you shall be your servant. Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a redemption for many.