Jl. 2: 12-18; Ps. 51: 3-6ab, 14, 17; 2 Cor. 5:20-6:2; Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18
“In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” This is the acceptable time for a soul to face the sin of their life. If we deny our sin we reject God’s mercy. If we say we have no sin what need is there for mercy from the cross. Jesus died for sinners. Denying sin is another fall from grace into the trap of the evil one.
The evil one wants us to believe in the relative truth of each person. The lie of the evil one is what is “right and just” is self-defined. If each person identifies their truth then there is no sin, no need for forgiveness and no redemption from God. We must recall sin is the disobedience of God’s law and this includes the commandments and natural law of his creation. We recognize a supreme authority as creator and our dependence as creation to follow for the greater good in the law of God’s love.
Sin comes from our separation from God seeking our self-centric desires. It is based on our awareness of wrong-doing, our consent and disregard of God’s law. This is the age of mercy and the day of salvation. What action can we take as a sign of our return to Him? Often Lent represents a denial of self, in other words “what are you giving up this Lent?” Consider what is the “act” that fosters sin in our life? Often it is the act of indulgence from a lack of moderation of the human passion and desires. Other times the act itself is sinful by denying God, committing murder, adultery, stealing or other acts against humanity.
The first step to reconciliation is to target the “act” that separates us from the love of God. This “act” is a step in purging ourselves that leads to purification of spirit and soul. It is a first step in awakening us to our mortality, dying to self. Fasting is limiting our self in our intake while abstinence is the spirit of “giving up something”. We are asked to abstain from meat (and meat products) on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent including Good Friday. This is our “penitential” sacrifice. In this act we acknowledge our weakness and need for God who is the bread of life.
There is a second step and it is what fosters God’s grace. The Gospel reminds us to give alms, meaning serve the poor in their needs with acts of charity. It calls us to a deeper prayer life spending time with God alone. These two are acts fulfill the commandments of love of God and neighbor. In this we serve the call to build God’s kingdom.
By our baptism we are children of the law and receive our calling. It can be neglected without the discipline to integrate our daily routine as a gift to God for his greater glory. All that we are and all that we have is a blessing from God. Let us offer it up this Lent to God with simple acts of awareness in our day and witness the miracle of multiplication of graces that come by it. Feast on God, “He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst” (Jn. 6:35)
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