Friday, February 28, 2020

Friday after Ash Wednesday

(Isaiah 58:1-9a; Matthew 9:14-15)

When we were children, my sister, brother, and I would ask our mother what she wanted for her birthday or Christmas.  She invariably answered, “Good kids.”  Her response is not much different from God’s in today’s first reading.

The Jews want to court God’s favor.  They think that by prayer and fasting he might be won over to their side.  They see God as a politician sees a rich person whose money she needs.   They do not understand that God is more like a Father who wants his children to love one another.  He announces what he expects of them -- mercy and justice.  God is especially concerned that the needs of the weakest among them be looked after.

We should consider Lent a time of inventory and reconciliation.  We want to ask ourselves how have we treated others and make amends where we are lacking.  By “others” we should not think only of those whose paths we cross daily.  The indeterminate category should include people of other nations.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Luke 9:22-25

In a “Faustian bargain” one sells his or her eternal soul to the devil in exchange for temporal goods.  The term originates from a legendary man who bargained with the devil for unlimited knowledge and possessions.  Unfortunately, many people forfeit their souls at a much lesser price.  The readings today exhort us to avoid all such arrangements.

Moses is speaking to the people just before they enter the Promised Land.  He says that God will give them “life,” i.e., prosperity for them and their descendants.  They only have to keep to His ways.  In the gospel Jesus offers an even greater life.  His followers can secure an eternal reward by focusing on him rather than their own needs.  They are to live without complaints doing only good for others. 

The whole purpose of Lent is to reinforce the habits of self-denying love in order to have fullness of life.  Like any exercise worth our while, it takes effort.  But we share the experience with one another in the Church and also with Christ.  The burden becomes, paradoxically, a joy in such good company.

Wednesday, Februrary 26, 2020

Ash Wednesday

(Joel 2:12-18; II Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18)

Is it not ironic that we put ashes on our foreheads today when the gospel tells us to wash our face?  But ashes are just a way for us to encourage one another to start the Lenten journey.  It would be deceitful if we only practiced Lenten penitence for one day.  It would be wrong as well to broadcast our self-imposed deprivations every day of Lent. 

Ashes are not to be worn proudly but with humility.  They remind us and tell others that we have sinned.  That is, they indicate that we have followed our own will rather than obey God’s.  The fact that they are spread in the shape of a cross is also significant.  We will hear in Lenten gospels Jesus telling his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him.  He means that we are to stop fleeing our responsibilities and complaining about them.  Rather, we are to shoulder them dutifully as Jesus shouldered his.  Wearing the cross of ashes indicates our intention to do so.

Forty days may seem like a long time to fast regularly, pray assiduously, and serve others significantly.  However, the time seems to accelerate as days grow longer for us living in the Northern Hemisphere.  Even more helpful, these burdens become light because we share them with Jesus, the Lord.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(James 4:1-10; Mark 9:30-37)

The inelegant name “Fat Tuesday” (Mardi Gras) is derived from the ancient custom of households consuming all remaining fatty foods before Lent begins. During the Middle Ages Lent was a time of penance and discipline when Christians did not eat meat or desserts made with animal fat.  Over the ages Mardi Gras has undergone corruption. Today it often has the spirit of orgy rather than of dutiful, albeit cheery, preparation for a devout fast.

The gospel today indicates a similar distortion of values. Jesus has confided in his disciples that the Son of Man will suffer horribly before he experiences glory. They, however, refuse to probe what this might mean.  Rather they prefer to dwell on fatuous concerns of the self. James and John beg the seats of honor in the kingdom.  Their obtuseness would be as comical as a Three Stooges routine were Jesus not speaking of himself as the one to undergo the ordeal.

If we wish, we might eat a second sausage or drink a glass of wine today. But let us do so with an eye on tomorrow. During Lent we want to take stock of our sins and check our sinful actions. We should strive to understand the cost of our continual concern with self.  It has impeded both our appreciation for and our cooperation in Jesus’ work of redemption.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(James 3:13-18; Mark 9:14-29)

In one of his books Biblical scholar Fr. Raymond Brown expressed exasperation with some of his counterparts. He said that where a particular passage was difficult to interpret, these commentators often became strident about their positions.  Fr. Brown had a finger on an example of the point James makes in today’s first reading.

James emphasizes how humility is part of the search for understanding.  A wise person does not pretend to know her subject with precision, but studies it prodigiously.  In coming to understand, she does not jealously guard her progress or seek to exploit it for ungainly profit.  In contrast, James says, a foolish person is driven by the need for gratification.  He is likely to may make dubitable claims in order to attract attention if not dollars.  In the end the wise person promotes a culture of integrity while the fool creates an atmosphere of suspicion.

Humility becomes any person.  We are probably not as good, intelligent or wise as we think.  We should recognize how others possess qualities or information that we lack.  This humble stance will move us to learn from and cooperate with them.  Hopefully in the end, we will find ourselves growing in appreciation of others and in peace with ourselves.