Consecrate a fast.
Consecrate the  congregation.
To the last.
In sorrowful meditation.

All this will pass away.
Not just ourselves fast or slow.
But even the sun’s ray.
Everything will go.

So fast.
Pray.
Give alms to the last.
This and every day.

Lent is here.
But there is no need to fear.

…….

Consecrate a fast
Consecrate congregations
For all this will pass

…….

See Joel 2 : 12-18

He who keeps the law makes many offerings.
He who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
Maybe we indulge in too many mutterings.
Too concerned with our own suffering.

He who returns a kindness.
Returns a fine flour.
An end to restlessness.
Living in this hour.

And he who gives alms.
Sacrifices a thank offering.
Absolved from harms.
In grateful giving.

To keep from wickedness.
Is to forsake unrighteousness.

……

If we keep the law
We will make many offerings
And heed commandments

… …

See Sirach 35 : 1-15

Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful.
Because he had great possessions.
Are we too mournful.
Wondering if we will enter his mansions.

I too am disheartened by this Gospel reading.
Not that I have great possessions.
But the little I have , I am slow  in giving.
To hang on to what little we have , we all have reasons.

But I paid five pounds for a candle today.
In gratitude.
Not really enough for today.
In rectitude.

We give a little.
We live a little.

……

He was disheartened
For he had great possessions
But then we do not

…….

See Mark 10: 17-27

When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears.
So a person’s filth in his thought.
But we are never forsaken.
Never permanently in despair caught.

The kiln tests the potters vessels.
Likewise the test of a person’s filth is in his reasoning.
In our hand we have our mental pestels.
In our mind too much is happening.

We spend too much time worrying about the  I.
And too little about the infinite.
We are not truly the I.
Our true destiny is  the infinite.

This is the only path to happiness.
Turning away from exclusiveness.

……..

The sieve is shaken
And then the refuse appears
As with reasoning

…….

See Sirach 27 : 4-7

If salt has lost its taste.
How can it be restored.
Nothing needs to be put to waste.
For we are called.

You are the light.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
As long as we keep this in sight.
We are bidden.

Nor do people light a lamp.
And put it under a basket.
We climb happily our spiritual ramp.
As we remember that one day there is but a casket.

Let your light shine.
As we tread our life’s finite line

…..

You are then the light
A city set on a hill
And then we are called

…….

See Matthew 5: 13-16