On the Fourth Sunday of Lent the Church encourages us to rejoice.  The joy proper to Lent is the joy of repentance and of receiving God&apos;s mercy.  The prodigal son experienced this joy when he returned contritely to his father.  King David experienced it when he repented of his grave sins against Uriah.  Only by admitting our deep sinfulness will we experience the &quot;joy of salvation&quot; expressed in the psalms.  The recognition of our status as sinners takes nothing away from the awareness of our dignity and a proper self-regard.  God loves as and forgives us precisely as sinners. <a href='https://comeawaybyyourselves.com'>https://comeawaybyyourselves.com</a>

Lent - Day 23

"Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while."  These words of Jesus Christ are an invitation to personal and intimate prayer.  The meditations offered in this podcast are intended to help the listener enter into his own prayerful relationship with God.  By reflecting on scenes from the Gospel, on other passages from Scripture, and on the insights of saints and spiritual writers, we can strengthen our faith in Jesus and our love for God.  In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, "I have called you my friends."  By regular meditation and dialogue with Our Lord in prayer, our life can be transformed into an ever deepening and loving friendship with God.