Saturday of the Third Week of Lent - March 13, 2021

-

Hosea 6:1-6 Luke 18: 9-14

When I was in my teens and twenties, I actually put little thought into my Lenten sacrifice. It had to be something that I would miss, but something that I could give up without completely changing my lifestyle. Such good old standards of giving up chocolate or sweets was doable, but very much missed. After I started having children, to be honest, I was often too stressed or tired to make an actual Lenten sacrifice or spiritual resolution. I was in survival mode, running on fumes, and figured that was enough of a sacrifice - and at the time, maybe it was. However, I fell into a bad habit that lasted beyond those initial “tunnel vision” years.

What was the importance of making a sacrifice? It seemed like an antiquated idea when Jesus already knew what was going on in my heart. My Lenten journey had gone from the bare minimum to nothing at all. In today’s first reading God says to Hosea “For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hos 6:6) Was I correct in thinking that simply giving up chocolate or sweets is not pleasing to the Lord? Is the love already in my heart enough? Well, both yes and no, I think.

Upon further revelation, this passage suggests that God desires more than mere empty rituals. God desires something intimate, meaningful, and real. He sees the fruit that comes from hearts and minds that are freed from selfishness; that difficult sacrifices can help us open ourselves more fully to God’s love. I now understand that a well-intentioned, and let’s be honest, challenging Lenten sacrifice (like giving up wine or something, yikes!), is a loving tool from God that helps purify us and gives us clarity during Lent. In return, we can better love and serve all those who touch our lives, including our Savior.

My prayer is that during this Lenten season we all have a transformative experience that opens our hearts so big they almost burst with God’s pure love.

Q: What is something in my life that I can sacrifice to help clear my mind so I can serve others more lovingly?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Passion of the Lord (Good Friday) - April 7, 2023

-
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1—19:42  Every morning when I go to Mass and the Priest asks for our intentions for the day, my response is for “wisdom, courage, comfort and trust.” Wisdom to fi gure out the answer, the courage to carry it out, and the comfort that it is the best solution and the trust to know God is guiding us in the best way. When I read the Psalms for today, I was taken back by David’s trust in the Lord to guide him and keep him safe. “In you, Lord, I take refuge”  A good friend coined this prayer when I was helping my parents navigate through my brother’s cancer. He passed away, but I continue to take comfort in those words and try daily to TRUST. Many people have commented on how they appreciate that petition so I continue to pray it.  There are big things and little things that come into our lives that require us to trust as David did. Some things are as small as smiling at the person at the traffic light or as big as standing up for another’s r
Read more

Monday of the First Week of Lent - March 11, 2019

-
Leviticus19:1-2, 11-18  Matthew 25:31-46 As I read my assignment for today, I felt relief. I knew these readings; I could relate to them. I had heard them multiple times and thought that I understood them well. The first reading from Leviticus tells me to love my neighbor as myself and to judge my neighbor justly. I know this! I believe this in my head! I often find it difficult to carry out, but I do believe it. Today’s gospel, Matthew 25, many of us know well through readings, songs, and social concerns committees, "Whatever you do for one of the least of …mine, you do to me." Feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; comfort the sick; visit the prisoner. We try to do these things in our life. I decided to read our parish book, Stranger God by Richard Beck, to see how it could expand my understanding of Matthew 25 – and expand it did! After I read the book, I realized that I had been reading Matthew 25 literally.
Read more

Monday of Holy Week - April 3, 2023

-
Isaiah 42:1-7 John 12:1-11  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be more mindful about how I spend my time. When we started having kids, everyone was always telling us, “enjoy it while it lasts because they grow up so fast!” I’d look at my tiny baby and think, yeah okay, we’ve got a long way to go. Fast forward 6 years, we have a kindergartener, and I am constantly asking myself, “where did the time go!?!?”  This Gospel is a reminder to me that I need to take advantage of every moment just as Mary decided to take advantage of that special moment with Jesus when she anointed his feet. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and fi nd ourselves just going through the motions without putting much thought into the importance of our actions. When I am at church, am I really present? I often fi nd that my focus is on how my children are behaving and if they are disturbing the people around us. When I am at home, am I making the most of my time with my family? Sadly,
Read more