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Tomorrow, we begin the holiest week of the year. But before we begin to focus on Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, we read in Ezekiel and Jeremiah what God will do for us. He will unify us, give us land, deliver us from our sins, make an everlasting covenant of peace with us, dwell among us, and give us one shepherd. 

God’s offer is great, isn’t it? I hope our response is just as all encompassing. God offers all of this to us all; we have only to accept it and live as He asks us to during our time on this earth, living by God’s statutes and carefully observing His decrees. 

In the Gospel we read how those who want Jesus to die plot against him. And indeed, Jesus does die. For all of us. So that we can have what God wants to give us. A life of fullness and peace and joy and abundance. 

Do you want what God offers you? Many of us have spent the past forty days doing our best to root out sin, make sacrifices, and grow closer to God through acts of mortification. But as we enter Holy Week, let us also turn to God and ask Him to lead us to a greater repentance and understanding of what He has for us. 

Spend some time pondering God’s goodness and what you can do to thank and honor Him for all the blessings and gifts He has given you.

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Mañana comenzamos la semana más santa de todo el año. Pero antes de centrarnos en la pasión, muerte y resurrección de Jesús, leemos en Ezequiel y Jeremías lo que Dios hará por nosotros. Nos unificará, nos dará tierra, nos librará de nuestros pecados, hará con nosotros una alianza eterna de paz, habitará entre nosotros y nos dará un solo pastor.

La oferta de Dios es grandiosa, ¿verdad? Espero que nuestra respuesta sea igual de generosa. Dios nos ofrece todo esto; solo tenemos que aceptarlo y vivir como Él nos pide durante nuestra vida en la tierra, viviendo según sus preceptos y observando fielmente sus decretos.

En el Evangelio leemos cómo quienes querían la muerte de Jesús conspiraron contra él. Y, en efecto, Jesús murió. Por todos nosotros. Para que podamos tener lo que Dios quiere darnos: una vida de paz y plenitud, alegría y abundancia.

¿Deseas lo que Dios te ofrece? Muchos hemos dedicado los últimos cuarenta días a esforzarnos por erradicar el pecado, hacer sacrificios y acercarnos a Dios mediante actos de mortificación. Pero al entrar en la Semana Santa, también volvamos a Dios y pidámosle que nos guíe a un mayor arrepentimiento y a una mejor comprensión de lo que tiene preparado para nosotros. 

Dedica tiempo a reflexionar sobre la bondad de Dios y sobre cómo puedes agradecerle y honrarle por todas las bendiciones y dones que te ha concedido.

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Deanna G. Bartalini, M.Ed., M.P.A. is a certified spiritual director, retreat leader, speaker, and writer with decades of experience serving the Church. She is the founder of LiveNotLukewarm.com, works on the retreat team at Our Lady of Florida Passionist Spiritual Center, and is an Unbound prayer minister.  She has served as a religious education director, youth minister, liturgical coordinator, and stewardship director. She writes for SpiritualDirection.comCatholicMom.comnew.diocesan.com/, and Women in the New Evangelization (WINE). Deanna is the author of The Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women, Invite the Holy Spirit into your Life, and has contributed to the Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion, as well as Digital Ministry and Leadership in Today’s Church.

Feature Image Credit: frank mckenna, unsplash.com/photos/five-birds-flying-on-the-sea-OD9EOzfSOh0

The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.

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