Ashen Joy
Lent is upon us, let us rejoice!
Does that not sound oxymoronic?
If you have internalized the world of the beatitudes, where that extreme-joy we call 'blessedness' is to be found in poverty, hunger and mourning, Lent is a season ripe with chance for extreme joy.
In fact, repentance opens the doors to joy as it unties the tangled web of sin; harmonizes distorted thinking; opens a self-absorbed life to self-giving life by the path of self-denial.
Pray, Fast, Give Alms
Lent is a call to plunge deeper into the Baptismal Grave that is, in Christ, at once a Tomb for the dead and a Womb for the risen. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the three modes by which we die to self and live for Christ the God-neighbor.
In other words, we cultivate the theological virtue of charity.
In prayer, we open to love for God by cultivating intimacy with Him.
In fasting, we love ourselves rightly by cultivating self-mastery.
In almsgiving, we love neighbor by cultivating the good of the neighbor in need.
Do Penance
In addition to intensifying Prayer-Fasting-Almsgiving, Catholics often also choose a select penance to carry out with special intensity. Giving up something, or doing something.
I recommend the extraordinary insight offered last week on the Bishop's radio show by Deacon James Keating: during Ash Wednesday's Mass, ask Christ what He wishes your special Lenten penance to be. During the Liturgy, be attentive especially to the readings and homily, and listen to your heart to see if the Lord raises in your mind's eye some particular area of your life where you have an obstacle to growing in Christian virtue: a particular bad habit that needs special attention, a broken relationship that needs healing, an addiction, unhealthy attachments; or maybe you need to cultivate some new habits of prayer, self-discipline, holy reading, more silence, time management more in keeping with your life's primary commitments, etc.
Listen, and see what Jesus has to say.
Blog Deprivation
I will be away from my Blog until March 22, so you will be spared my tirades and rants for a time.
Benedict XVI
To conclude, I leave you with B16's Lenten Message. As ever, it rocks. Appropriate for Cephas, I guess.
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Ashen Joy – the experience is as joyful as it is painful. Oxymoronic? Perhaps. Representative of the Trinitarian God who created us and draws us in? Absolutely!
ReplyDeleteChoosing a Penance is certainly a norm of the Catholic experience during Lent. Sometimes bitterly and other times joyfully, but a “giving up” none the less. Whatever your reason, allow it to open the physical and spiritual soul if ever so slightly. Even the smallest crack in our persona, is enough room for Our Lord to express his desire for your heart. Jesus wishes for us to create the opening for he is polite and will not force himself upon us. Even though Lent started “officially” last Wednesday, but distractions have kept the penitential process take root – it is never to late. We can change, reform at any time – the Father is waiting – the date on the calendar is not important; it is our desire for change. No appointment necessary.
Looking at Benedict XVI’s message the point is made that traveling toward Easter comes though the Word of God. The excitement of the Gospel [the Good News] texts jumps out from beginning to end. Christ’s light is shinning brightly overcoming darkness – the darkness of the tomb, the darkness in blindness – physical and spiritual, the darkness in the well of our souls and the darkness of the Evil One himself.
The Light of Christ can fine the darkness inside of me. I find comfort that the rescue from the darkness is possible by the Light of the World. I realize all to often, that not only must I give up something which blocks the light, but also the darkness the damage left behind when the darkness is removed. In giving up this damage – It may required me to give up resentment, anger, frustration, and painful memories – it may even realign friendship and family relationships. Fortunately, the Sacrament of Reconciliation can provide healing in the removal process.
As we complete our fasting, almsgiving and prayer specified in the Lenten Season letting go– our hands are opened – opened for Christ to fill with the light of redemption gift. This gift – primarily a new way of thinking – a new way of relating to our God – a healthier relationship with others – will sustain us far beyond any darkness which we sacrificed. As we lift up our new treasure we “will draw all people to the source of the Light, Jesus Christ. (Jn 12:32)
We miss you – our blog master – return to us refreshed and renewed in the Holy Spirit.