Reflections on Daily Readings

The Irish Province of Carmelites assemble all the readings for the coming week and provide a useful reflection on their main themes.  As we begin Lent you may like to browse their reflections for this week. The full suite of reflections is available on the homepage of their website at https://carmelites.ie/

A sample for today , Friday 07 March 2025 is as follows:

Friday after Ash Wednesday

Isaiah 58:1-9; Psalm 50; Matthew 9:14-15

Through the Prophet Isaiah the Lord tells us the sort of fast that is false – one which is trumpeted before others while putting on a false impression of being miserable. Instead, God wants a quiet, private fast. He also wants all oppression to cease and for all people to show charity to their neighbours. Isaiah spells out practical works of mercy that do please God. We might imitate these ourselves in a variety of ways throughout this penitential season. In the gospel, the disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus why it is his that his disciples don’t fast like they and the Pharisees do. In reply he tells them that because he (the bridegroom) is with them, they will not fast – when he is gone, then the time will be right for fasting.