February 11, 2018

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time B Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10: 31 - 11: 1; Mark 1: 40-45 Lent begins in three days. How am I preparing to celebrate Lent this year? The leper in today’s Gospel was in need of healing. Do I feel that I am in need of healing? Do I feel good the way that I am? How am I doing with the close relationships in my life? How am I doing with my relationship with God? The leper was humble because he acknowledged his own need. He also realized that he had a deep need to share his contact with God. He did so in such a way that Mark tells us, “The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places’ and people kept coming to Him from everywhere.” Do I share my faith story? Do I feel it is important to share how God has loved me and touched me? Or do I feel that giving up something for Lent is sufficient for my spiritual development? The healing of the leper, Lent and God constantly in my life caring for me are all related. For some, Lent is a matter of giving things up. ‘I’m going to give up ice cream…and chocolates…and sweets, including desserts. I’m going to give up beer. I going to give up TV. I’m going to give up computer games. For others Lent is a time where people concentrate on doing things. I’m going to go to as many weekday masses during Lent that I can. I going to skip lunch one day and send that money to the poor. I’m going to make sure I pray the Rosary every day. I’m going to concentrate on the Divine Mercy devotion. These are all good practices. But I have to remember that whether I am giving something up or doing something extra, one point is important. The point is: why am I doing what I am doing? One of the great spiritual masters was St. Benedict who lived in the sixth century. His “Rule” is followed by most of the monks and religious communities for both men and women. Many see that some sort of adherence to his advice help them to follow Christ more closely. I specifically like St. Benedict’s quote: “Nothing is to be preferred to the love of Christ.” Do I live my life accordingly? I try but I slip often. Lent is a time I try to get back in focus. St. Benedict adds these words in his chapter On the Observance of Lent, about adding specific practices. “We will add to the usual measure of our service something by way of praise prayer and abstinence from food or drink, so that each of us will have something above the assigned measure to offer God of his or her own will.” He adds these important words, “…with joy of the Holy Spirit.” We are not meant to be sad people. One holy person from way back said that, ‘a sad saint is a sorry saint.’ Each of us is meant to be the best person we can be. How can I love without a smile on my face? How important this is…I repeat again, How can I love without a smile on my face? And I am called to love always. Lent is not a time for sadness but a time to look forward in anticipation of the glories of Easter. This joy is deep within each person. It is the joy of knowing that I am loved by God always. What I do or what I give up is not the important part of Lent. I can’t really make too much of them. The importance of these practices is that I am being more aware that I am loved every moment and at all times by God who is, as I say, ‘crazy in love wth me just the way that I am now.’ True joy comes from believing deep down that ‘Christ has died and Christ has risen’ and that each person will rise with Him and in Him but only if we enter into His passion and death. This is what Lent is about. As one young child said, ‘Christ suffered and died and that made us sad, so He rose on Easter to make us happy and to live that way.’ I certainly can’t improve on these words. Easter IS the ULTIMATE meaning of our lives. Mark shares these words of Jesus on the conditions of being His disciple, Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for My sake and that of the gospel will save it. What profit is there for one to gain he whole world and forfeit their live? What could one give in exchange for their life? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38) Easter is so important that the early Christian community set aside forty days to prepare for its celebration. This is what Lent is all about. It is me getting in touch with myself to see where true happiness and fulfillment lies with God who is ‘crazy in love with me right now just the way that I am.’ So these daily little practices are to be reminders of God. Each day and every day we face distractions to God’s love: wars, violence, evils, lust, careless hurting and disregard for God, His people and His creation. The world is distracting us from God’s values and life’s meaning. So these practices in themselves are not really important but they challenge us to get out of the mad rush and listen to our hearts and the constant call of God and His love in us. Fr. Basil Pennington in Seeking His Mind, 40 meetings with Christ says, “Ultimately we all want life—unending life, and happiness—complete happiness, in that life. We will find this only in and through the paschal mystery, through our entering into the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. We all know this in faith. But all too often our faith is like the good seed that fell among the thorns. It gets choked up by the cares and concerns of our journey through this world. Lent is a time to cut back those thorns a bit, to let some things go, to introduce something that will help us grow, be it manure or the divine light that comes from prayer, Scripture and meditation.” So I reflect on: • Can I add some time each day in quiet? In Scripture reading? Can I spend time just looking at the crucifix and being with the Lord and listening sandwiched between my thankfulness? • Can I do all this in preparation to eagerly celebrating the mystery of Christ’s love this Easter? • The leper experienced Jesus’ compassion, when have I experienced this in my life? • Where can I bring my healing touch…my healing eyes…my healing ears…my healing words this Lenten season? • God has raised up countless saints who have imitated the selfless love of Christ in working with the sick, the diseased and the poor, chief among them the recently canonized saints, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and St. Damien, the leper Priest. Their charity was not for their own benefit, but that others may be saved. Am I using my time, talent, and treasure where it can do the greatest good? Do I use all God has given me to lift up the last, the lowest and the least around me? Sacred Space 2018 states: “The leper wonders if he is worthy of Jesus’ help. He knows Jesus has the power to do anything—but will that power be directed to an outcast leper? We know God loves and heals. But do I expect that, today, God’s love and healing are meant for me? Finally, the leper is so thankful that he can’t stop telling people. How do I express my gratitude? Do I freely talk about the ways in which God touches my life?”