Tuesday of the First Week of Lent – February 23, 2021

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Reflecting on today’s readings I sense a theme of rhythms of comfort. Isaiah tells us that the rain and snow water the earth and make it fertile. The fruitful seed from the sower gives us bread to eat. And the “word that goes forth from my mouth shall not return to me void, but shall do my will,” achieving the end for which it was sent. These are things and events that reveal the rhythms of God’s plans.

The Psalmist exhorts us to “extol the name of Lord, as he delivers us from our fears, look for radiant joy.” The Lord saves us from distress. When the just cry out, the Lord hears them. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. I know that the Lord is omnipresent for us if only we seek him.

In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that our Father knows what we need before we ask. Then he shows us how we are to pray. Christ’s words, that we recite in the Our Father, conclude with a condition for forgiveness of our transgressions. If we do not forgive others, neither will our Father forgive us.
Harboring resentments keeps us trapped in unhealthy emotional chaos.

When it feels like the world is in chaos, the rhythm of nature and the rhythm of Mass provide comfort and security. We find stability as we focus on the predictability in our lives. The cycle of the seasons, the liturgical church year; this is the rhythm of life. Rain and snow moisten the earth and returns to heaven. The cycle of God’s presence to his people, the rhythm of the Lord’s Prayer spoken at Mass, a Protestant funeral service, a support group meetings, the cadence of the Rosary. The emergence of spring after a long winter and the hope of deeper spiritual connections for healing as we move through Lent. These are the things that create calm and order in my life as I pray with today’s readings.

Q: As you experience the days of the Lenten season, what rhythms of life give you comfort?

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