Lenten message of Pope Francis based on Fratelli Tutti no. 

During the Third Week of Lent, let us thank God for women and reflect on gender equality.


How can I make gender 

equality a reality in my life, 

starting with my own home?


8th March

International Women’s Day

Theme: "CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE"

Societies worldwide are still far from reflecting clearly that women possess the same dignity and identical rights as men (FT #23)


TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

2 Kings: 5:3 "She said to her mistress, “If only my lord (Naaman) were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”


TODAY'S REFLECTION

In both the readings of today, there is the common expression of anger, and it was an explosive anger.

The army commander, Naaman was enraged when he was told to go and bathe seven times in the river Jordan.

But his servants approached him and reasoned out with him that it was a rather simple thing that the prophet Elisha told him to do. Naaman eventually did what he was told.

There is quite a lot of anger in today’s readings. 

They wanted to throw Jesus to his death, but Jesus somehow managed to slip away. 

We can be angry for various reasons, but it isn’t always right to act out our anger. 

We are blessed if we have people around us who help us to see that our anger is propelling us in a direction that won’t serve us well.

Jesus’ way of revealing God often made people angry. He proclaimed a God who welcomes all sorts, sinners and tax collectors, people from outside Israel, even from Israel’s traditional enemies, such as the Syrians. 

In the parable of the prodigal son, the older son was angry that his father was throwing a feast for his younger, rebellious, son. 

The older son was being asked to journey into the father’s unconditional love. 

It is a journey we are all asked to make. 


RESOLUTION

Let's resolve to accept a God who passionately loves those we find very difficult to love, and then to reveal something of that indiscriminate love of God in our lives.


Happy women's Day.

Let's pray for all women that they may not be used, abused and discarded. 

May your life during the week days that are ahead  may be showered with God's amazing blessings.

God bless you all.