We tend to think of Lent as a time for stepping up acts of personal devotion and piety without giving much thought to its real purpose, which is an invitation to repent, be converted and returned to the Lord our God. Like the Jews in the gospel, who thought they were sinless and in good standing with God because they had been spared death in a local massacre, we can fool ourselves into feeling that all is well. We also can imagine that we are in good spiritual shape and have no need for repentance precisely because no calamity has come our way. The absence of misfortune does not mean the presence of virtue. One point that comes across clearly in the message of Jesus is that we are expected to be fruitful and perform good works, which are pleasing in God’s sight.
Often it is not what we do wrong but the thin that we leave undone, which prevent us from growing in the love of Christ. The real heartache is that we are guilty of sins of omission and neglect of which we are hardly even conscious. Our lack of concern for others reveals too clearly this form of personal selfishness and highlights our failure to live the Christian life to the full. Without exception each one of us needs to make at caring, sharing, loving and being available to our neighbor. It is not possible to do this unless we undergo a rigorous discipline of denying ourselves the comforts and luxuries we crave.
The Lenten invitation to repentance is not merely a call to turn away from evil but a plea to produce the fruits of good living. The biting question is whether our love of God is evident in our treatment of others. We can begin under our own roof at home and make a start at being more aware of our partner and more sensitive to our children and the other members of our family. It is easy to take our family for granted and to forget that they are individuals in their own right, who deserve respect. Outside of the family circle there are so many ways of showing love in the community. We can meet God by caring for the poor, the sick, the old and the lonely. All of us have received a tremendous amount from others. How concerned are we about giving something in exchange? Are we takers and not givers? Reaching out to others need demands getting out of ourselves and putting aside our selfish ways. The warning about the unfruitful tree is not given to frighten us but to remind us that the time for doing good is limited and is fast running out. We cannot keep putting off good works indefinitely, otherwise there will come a time when there is no tomorrow and we will be found wanting.
Lent is an opportunity for taking a hard look at our live and asking how do we stand before God right now. If we find that we are so caught up with material concerns that we have given a back seat to spiritual things, then we have forgotten the real purpose of why God gave us life. The challenge confronting us is to hoe the ground around our hearts in the expectation that it will produce good fruits.
In this celebration
of praise and thanksgiving for the Lord's ever present goodness we pray to
the Father for a clearer understanding of his nearness and for a readiness to
accept him in our lives.
1. Holy Father, our bishops and priests, that in their ministry they may be strengthened by the power of God working in our lives. Lord, hear us.
2. For peace in the world, in our country, in our homes, in our hearts – peace, which springs from acceptance of and respect for others, especially those who are different from us in any way. Lord, hear us.
3. For all Who suffer, for those whose lives have been blighted by misfortune or calamity, that in their darkness of spirit they may have strength to reach out to the Lord who is always near at hand. Lord, hear us.
4. For all here present celebrating this Eucharist, that we may bring the presence of Jesus home with us to sanctify our week. Lord, hear us.
5. For all humankind, living and dead, that we may see the face of Jesus and remain in his presence forever. Lord, hear us.
God our Father, accept these prayers, which we offer in faith. Let us know the love and peace of Jesus your Son and our mediator with you. We ask this and all our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.