Monday of the First Week of Lent

Lectionary: 224

The LORD said to Moses,

“Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: 

Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.

Our reading from the Book of Leviticus restates many of the familiar commandments of the Decalogue. 

You shall not steal.

You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.

You shall not swear falsely by my name....

These "ten words," or "Ten Commandment" are first stated in Exodus 20, although their precise number, ten, is not mentioned until Exodus 34. 

(As often happens in our teaching of religion, catechesis is simplified; the original texts are more complex. Children cannot handle the complexities that suggest mysteries. But many adult Catholics and Christians never pursue mystagogy,​ and retain only a sophomoric understanding of our religion.) 

The commandments, in Exodus and Leviticus are given to us because:

1. Exodus: you will be my treasured possession among all peoples, though all the earth is mine. You will be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. 
2. Leviticus: Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.

The Season of Lent has come to us again; it prepares us to see and be amazed by the mystery of the Lord's passion, death, and resurrection. Lent will make us holy. First we will be worthy to receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Secondly we will appear as a holy people to those who are blessed by the Holy Spirit and can see what the unblest cannot see. 

We cannot know who they are or how they perceive us. But the Spirit of God is not confined to the Church, and it often gathers people to the Church by a revelation of God's Holy People. They might be impressed by our liturgies and churches, by our charitable practices, or by our unpretentious way of life which is guided by wisdom and common sense. Very often the standards which guide us -- trust as opposed to suspicion, courage as opposed to cowardice, sharing as opposed to greed -- astound those whom the Lord chooses. To others, unfortunately, our ways are just stupid. 

No one can know who those fortunate people are. They will be sorted out as a shepherds separates the sheep from the goats. They will look in amazement at the Judge of judges and say, 

...when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did

for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

and the Judge will say to them, 

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.