March 10, 2011 Thursday: Thursday of Lent
Click to hear audio homily
"I have set before you life and death, the blessing and curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him." (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
Yesterday about 40 or so of our pre-Kindergarten children received their ashes on their foreheads. How would you explain to 3-year olds the black "stuff" they are receiving on their foreheads? Would it be as easy to explain to adults what Jesus said in the Gospel today? "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." (Luke 9:22-25) It's not easy, is it? Why should I come after Jesus if doing so only led to suffering? Why would giving up something that I enjoy, give me joy? What good will it do?
In some way, Lent is about seeing what we cannot see. Jesus tells the disciples today something that seems impractical and pointless. He says, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” What is Jesus trying to help us see? He's waiting for us to see and understand why he was willing to go through suffering, rejection, and death. The same is being asked of us. Denial of self during Lent is not so much what we are giving up, as it is why we are giving up. Mother Teresa often said, "It's not how much we give, but how much love put in giving." Jesus put His love for us in action by going through suffering, rejection, and death. With our little acts of self-denial during this Lent, we are putting into action our love for Jesus.
"I have set before you life and death, the blessing and curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him." (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
In some way, Lent is about seeing what we cannot see. Jesus tells the disciples today something that seems impractical and pointless. He says, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” What is Jesus trying to help us see? He's waiting for us to see and understand why he was willing to go through suffering, rejection, and death. The same is being asked of us. Denial of self during Lent is not so much what we are giving up, as it is why we are giving up. Mother Teresa often said, "It's not how much we give, but how much love put in giving." Jesus put His love for us in action by going through suffering, rejection, and death. With our little acts of self-denial during this Lent, we are putting into action our love for Jesus.
