The passage for today from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians contains the heart of the readings and good motivation for us as we begin the season of Lent. Saint Paul is uncompromising that, through God's plan, Jesus Christ has taken on death and beaten it. But Christ’s work is not the end of the plan. Paul instructs that we are continuously to take part in the relationship with God, “always fully devoted to the work of the Lord" (1 Cor 15:58).
If we are to continue the work of the Lord, which is to save people from their sins, should we not strive to free ourselves of our own? This is what the Gospel refers to today when Jesus poses the question: “…can the blind lead the blind?”
As we begin the penitential season of Lent this Wednesday we enter into this season as a sort of retreat for all of God's faithful to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and its meaning in our lives. It is a journey that focuses on both a personal and a communal prayer life that leads us to holiness. We are invited to be with our adults who are discerning becoming Catholic as we pray for change and insight from the Holy Spirit on how we can best bring others to Christ. Lent is a time of repentance and forgiveness which should help us to face our own crosses and bring us closer to Jesus. As Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew, “…come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”
If you come to receive ashes on Wednesday, you do so to receive an outward sign of your own sinfulness and your willingness to repent. Lent is a time for us to reflect deeply on how we treat others. It is a time to ask the Lord to soften our hearts and to be open to the needs and cares of others. This journey of faith includes having to endure uncomfortable issues and situations, to make sacrifices and to give up behaviors that will be hard for us, to show conversion of heart, to live a life that is more selfless rather than selfish.
Please be attentive to the many opportunities for fasting, prayer and giving of alms. Do you know what those mean?
- FASTING is a practice of self-discipline that's meant to help us move away from selfishness and draw closer to Christ. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
The norms of fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding from age 14 onwards.
- PRAYER is essential for a relationship with God. If you have not been incorporating prayer into your daily life, this is the time to begin. It begins with Reconciliation with God, and thus Lent is a perfect time to go to confession. Reading scripture daily or time in thought around a daily meditation. Five minutes a day is a great beginning. If you already pray daily, try something new or join in our communal prayer opportunities.
- ALMSGIVING is one way to share God's gifts—not only through the distribution of money, but through the sharing of our time and talents. As St. John Chrysostom reminds us: "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs."
The traditional “giving up” of something for Lent, can and should incorporate all three of these disciplines. If you give up soda or coffee for Lent and only drink water, pray for many in our world who don’t have clean water to drink and give the money you might save on those drinks to our poor box, or a person in need on one of our corners here in Lawrence, and link the difficulty of the ‘fast’ of that sacrifice is strengthened in you as it can unite you to the suffering of Christ.
You will be assisted in your turning inward during Lent by our celebration of the Mass in every Catholic Church. We simplify the environment in our churches as well as our music to focus more on our need to repent. As Shaun Whisler writes about in more detail in this bulletin, we again will join the universal Church in singing with our common language of Latin, as this adds mystery and solemnity to our communal prayer. The Latin tones are not overtly emotional and seem almost mournful. Like so many of the devotions we practice during Lent, like those listed above, along with the Stations of the Cross, we are reminded of the importance of traditions that we should never lose. They help give Catholics our identity.
Let us pray for one another during this season of Lent. Let us turn to the Lord and humbly worship Him by deepening our prayer and uniting ourselves to His sacrifice through our fasting and almsgiving.
God Bless,
