Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
we are shamefaced even to this day...
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
Faith, hope, and love teach us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith. As we follow him throughout his life from Bethlehem and Jerusalem to heavenly glory we delight in knowing him as Savior and Lord.
The season of penance must remind us of our sins. We are shamefaced even to this day, like our kings, princes, and fathers. But we're also consoled by our study of Jesus.
The temptation of Lent, which is often driven by poor teachers of religion, is to dwell upon our guilt, shame, and remorse. They urge us to wallow in the muck of our unworthiness. We should grovel before God's presence as we might before a torturer who takes pleasure in anothers' pain. We should plead for pity and, if we expect anything, hope for relief from our immediate humiliation. But, even as we promise on a stack of bibles! never to sin again, we expect to return to the same old same old, for we can imagine no other way of life.
Lent teaches another way. We should consider God's goodness. In fact, that is the beginning of our new life, and should be the beginning of each new day. Lent insists that my life is not about me; and my story is a gospel about the infinite kindness and love of God.
I need not grovel in God's presence for that might draw too much attention to myself. My response to remorse and shame is gratitude in knowing there is goodness and benevolence at the heart of the universe. And then I am delighted to discover no one is looking at me. Everyone is wonder-struck by the majesty and mercy; why would they bother to look at me?
As we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus we see those around us in his light. We understand the Mercy we have seen is gazing upon them as well. Rather than comparing ourselves to others and finding measurable differences between us, we set aside the judgments and admire what God is doing in them and through them. We forget they might be judging us as we realize they have far more important concerns, and then we approach them without fear.
There is much freedom in that, and courage to address the real problems that appear in life. These might be our own bad attitudes and habits, which fall like the walls of Jericho before the trumpets of grace. But there are also issues within the family, community, and society which must be addressed without threat, judgment, or violence. We no more expect to conquer evil than Jesus expected the Sanhedrin to embrace him or Pilate to vindicate him, but we discover we can do something.
We can take up our crosses and follow him. And when we need reassurance, as we often do, we hear again the Lord's words,
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.