Saturday 28th February – Saturday of the 1st week of Lent

Reflection: Psalm 118: 1-8

TRUE HAPPINESS

Tade was confused. She had made new friends during registration week on her new campus but as they settled down to work, she realised she was becoming more and more alone. All her friends had new boyfriends whom they were into sexual relationships with and were very excited about it as they had all the pleasure they wanted and money to throw around. Should I just join them and enjoy this new exciting life of theirs or should I keep up with my quest for holiness and remain lonely, missing out on all the fun? Tade wondered.

Many young people are familiar with Tade’s experience It is not unusual to find ourselves been lured by peers into immoral relationships, partying, drugs, exam malpractice etc. Those who engage in it are happy; why should I deny myself all the fun, we ask ourselves. Dear friend, true happiness is only found in living the life God our creator has called us to. The excitement sin offers is the devil’s way of luring us into sin; yet, the happiness sin offers is shallow, temporal and filled with regrets.

Do you desire pure and lasting happiness? Do you desire to live with peace of mind, devoid of regrets? God calls you today to a life of blessedness. “They are happy whose life is blameless, who follow God’s law! They are happy who do his will, seeking Him with all their hearts” (Ps 119: 1-2). Set your mind on pleasing God and ask for the grace to overcome the temptation around you. Have you already succumbed to the lure of Sin? Dear friend, it is not too late; repent, approach God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and begin again. His grace is sufficient for you. Only in following God’s law would you find true happiness.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, please help me to seek true and lasting happiness in you. May I obey you in all I do and seek to please you always. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 407 – Why is the Church against premarital sexual relations?

Because she would like to protect love. A person can give someone else no greater gift than himself. “I love you” means for both: “I want only you, I want all that you are, and I want to give myself to you forever!” Because that is so, we cannot, even with our bodies, really say “I love you” temporarily or on a trial basis.

HIDE A TREASURE: “Blessed are they who treasure His word and seek Him with all their heart.” Psalm 119: 2 CCB

Today’s Readings: Deuteronomy 26: 16-19; Psalm 119: 1-8; Matthew 5: 43-48