If that’s all we’re doing, we are doing ourselves a great disservice. All the physical aspects of sacrifice, such as fasting, abstaining from meat, or giving up some food that we especially like are all good things, as far as they go. They help to remind us that we need to distance ourselves from the things of earth, and gird our loins, as it were, to face the wickedness and snares of the devil. We offer our sacrifices to God, and that’s a good thing too. What he wants most from us is our love, but what does it mean specifically?
Seeking His will, doing His will, our obedience, our dying to the world and living in Him, loving our neighbor – these are all manifestations of love. It’s not enough to say you’ve given your life to Christ; there are a lot of pitfalls along the way and you could fall off the path (the parable of sower and the seeds). So what can we do this Lent to deepen our relationship with our Lord? Besides more prayer, try each day to calm your mind, to curb your tongue, and be more forgiving. Be self-aware to the point of catching yourself before you think a nasty thought or utter a harsh word. Say a short prayer instead. Spend more time reading Scripture. Make just a little more effort each day to imitate Jesus. Start the morning with a prayer to bless the whole day: “Thank you Lord for this day. Help me make of it what you will that I might offer it to you as a pleasing sacrifice.”
This isn’t easy, but it’s like any effort to form a good habit. Practice, practice, practice. Pray, pray, pray. And Lord, that I may take my own advice.
To bolster us, here is the Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday, Matthew 6: 16-21.
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, When you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face: That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret. And thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust and moth consume and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.
Have a blessed and fulfilling Lent.
No comments:
Post a Comment