March 15, 1998Third Sunday of Lent |
THEME: MERCY: Christians are a people who survive on mercy, not merit. Thus, mercy must be our motto. Mercy must be the hallmark of all who follow in the footsteps of Christ. For Christians, mercy must become a permanent way of viewing the world around us. This does not mean looking at the world and simply feeling sorry for it. Rather, being merciful means looking at the world, loving it, and living in it with its struggles and sufferings, and showing mercy to all who share the world with us.
The reconciliation we long for is achieved when, first of all, we prune back the diseased and dead branches of our life.
This is accomplished when we, like Moses in the first reading, become increasing aware of the burning presence of the Holy in our life through worship, reverence of the sacredness in every person through respect and acceptance, and submit to that presence by conformity of will and transforming behavior.
In other words, we make a conscious, pro-active effort to search out the presence of God, and we open ourselves to that presence by removing in a steady and conscientious manner whatever it is (like a lack of liturgical participation, a prejudice against color or culture, and a know-it-all or do-it-all approach to life) that keeps us distant from God.
Unless this pruning process is nourished, the living organism will die. So, a system of support and accountability is an essential component of reform and reconciliation. How do we carry out this responsibility of maintaining and sustaining our conversion process in the Lord?
Primarily by making present today in our lives the life of Christ and by keeping in mind those tendencies and temptations which thwart our change of heart and our acceptance of the Lord Jesus(see the second reading).
In other words, we make definite choices in practicing religion to promote a God-awareness (like celebrating Mass and receiving Communion regularly, using the Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently, reading Scripture habitually, praying daily, engaging in continuing education, and performing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy) and to stay away from a God-aversion (like bad habits, reoccurring vices, places or activities or companions that are an occasion of sin).
In this way reconciliation will be a real
experience and not just a dream or a hope.
--Father Benet OFM
Most of us have experienced times when we were "smiling on the outside and crying on the inside." Jesus made it clear to the Pharisees and Saducees that they could be like sepulchers--shining white on the outside and filled with rotting bones on the inside! Every effective examination of conscience must include reflection on whether or not we have been guilty of hypocrisy.
In this holy season of Lent, the Lord calls us to go inside of ourselves, inside our minds and hearts. He challenges us to dig deeply, not only to "root out the hidden corruption of evil" but also to rediscover the treasure that lies deep within. The grace of these days can help you and me to deepen our compassion, expand our generosity, and strengthen our holiness, just as much as it can assist us in eliminating our pettiness, subduing our impatience, and overcoming our selfishness.
May the external symbols and actions of Lent--ashes on the forehead, works of charity and penance, additional time praying and reading the Scriptures--evidence that metanoia (change of heart and conversion) which mark all true disciples of the Lord Jesus!
Good news for a change. A recent survey of adult American Catholics under forty years of age shows solid basic Catholic values. These "young" Catholics (anyone under forty is young from our perspective) were asked to identify the five most important things about the Catholic faith in their lives. The most commonly cited were:
The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Devotion to Mary, the Mother of Christ.
The celebration of the Sacraments of the Church.
Social justice and care of the poor.
The example of the Saints.
Professional theologians may quibble with this list of priorities, but all in all, on a practical level, it is a good grasp of the fundamentals of living the Catholic faith. It is very encouraging that "young" Catholics have such a grasp of the fundamental priorities of their faith. Perhaps they, like too many of us, do not live up properly to the standards of our faith, but at least they have a solid grasp of what our faith means and what it can and should do for them. Without such a fundamentally correct grasp, their is no clear goal and one can only flounder in the most important matters of life, matters of faith.
Lent is a time for all of us to re-examine our faith. It can be a fruitful exercise to answer that same question for yourself. "What are the five most important things about the Catholic faith in my life?"
Frs. Earl & Gilmary
March 17 is the memorial of Saint Patrick, bishop and missionary. When Patrick was 16, his father’s farm in Britain was invaded. The raiders carried Patrick off with his father’s servants to be slaves in Ireland.
Patrick spent the next 6 years tending sheep. As a slave, he suffered greatly from loneliness. But in his isolation, he found a deep sense of God’s love for him. He began to pray.
Finally, Patrick was able to escape. He made his way home to Britain. He became a monk and studied so that he could return to Ireland as a missionary. By the year 433, he had also become a bishop. Patrick, went back to Ireland and traveled throughout the country. He preached to the Irish in their own language, which he had learned during his years of slavery. By the time Patrick died 25 years later, most of the Irish people were baptized.
Monasteries in Ireland became centers of learning. Missionaries sent from Ireland later played a large part in bringing Christianity back to Europe after its cities were destroyed by invading tribes. St. Patrick’s Day always comes during Lent, when the church is preparing catechumens for baptism at Easter. Patrick used the 3-leafed shamrock to try to explain to catechumens the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
Our Lenten journey is a truly special one because it leads to the Resurrected Christ. He even accompanies us on the way so we are never alone. Allow the Lord to take your hand and guide you on His journey.
God be with you.
2. What is Metanoia?
2. (From the Greek metanoein: to change one's mind, repent, be converted) New Testament term referring to conversion, entailing repentance of sin and a subsequent turning toward the Lord. Metanoia is essential to the Christian life and is necessary for spiritual growth.
References: The Bible, Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Dictionary.
Nuestra temporada de cuaresma es verdaderamente la más especial porque esta presedida por la Resurrección de Cristo. El siempre nos acompaña en nuestro caminar, nosotros nunca estamos solos. Permitele al Señor que te tome de la mano y que te guíe por sus caminos.
Dios este con ustedes.
Paul warns the Corinthians of the new covenant against complacency. Being part of the Exodus did not automatically insure God's approval. Nor will baptism in Jesus' name be enough without constant vigilance and fidelity. We today can benefit from Paul's admonition.
Luke reminds us of the retribution theology, that the good are rewarded and the evil punished. How we wish this were true! As Luke, points out, people who suffer are neither better nor worse than the rest of us. Luke does insist that failure to repent will result in suffering.
Remember, O most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my sweet protectoe, St. Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to thy protection, or implored thy aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in thy goodness, I come before you, and humbly supplicate you. O despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.
