Lenten Contemplations
The path to salvation. Trail Creek Road - Sun Valley, Idaho
Day One - Ash Wednesday
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"
Matthew 6: 25 - The New American Bible
On this day we are humbly reminded that our bodies were made from the dust of the earth and will return to the earth. A day we remember our physical form is temporal and temporary, but our soul and spirit - these are everlasting. And so we begin to contemplate our relationship with the eternal and what it means to us, what is important to us, and why.
In recognizing and respecting the great divine mystery of life and the everlasting, we begin to have an understanding and a comprehension of our relationship with divinity, the earth and our bodies.
Our body is our temple given to us by God. It is a gift from the Lord. When we reflect deeply upon reasons for being here on earth, and having a body, we uncover many ideas in our minds.
Through this reflection we can grow deeper in relationship to the heavenly kingdom and begin to understand that our purpose is His purpose and how when we work together we are unified and in choice for victory.
Pieta - sculpture rendition inside church of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Warsaw, Poland
Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."
Matthew 6:25-34, The New American Bible
If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And If I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing."
1 Corinthians 13:1-3- The New American Bible
Valentine's Day
This year, 2013, the second day of lent falls on Valentine's Day - a holiday celebrated world wide and either brings intimations of love and charity and kindness or stirs up feelings of depression and despair.
Such a seemingly conflicting state for humanity to be in, yet when looked upon with eyes of truth, we realize that it's not unusual to experience great joy in times of stress or great despair in times of peace.
If we look at the path Jesus walked, he too experienced these very same conditions.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek it's own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrong-doing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. If there are prophesies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away."
-1 Corinthians 13:4-10; The New American Bible
While in the neighboring cities of his hometown he was adored and honored and the people were drawn to him desiring every word that left his mouth. Yet in his own hometown he was criticized and chased out and accused of things which were not true.
Jesus too was tested with his ability to love all of creation and be the perfect Love that God is and always will be. He said to us he is the law, God's law fulfilled, and he challenged us to be like him. He forgave man for slaughtering him while hanging and dying on the cross. He asked the Father, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." - Luke 23:34 - The New American Bible
As we walk our path through Lent we are asked to contemplate the road we are walking. In what ways are we changing life on this planet, and is it for the better? Do we turn our eyes away from that which we don't like and allow infringements upon our brothers. Or do we stand bravely and admonish improper behavior and help our brother? We are challenged to bless one another with a prayer of loving Grace to be bestowed upon even our enemies.
When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
Matthew 6:16-18; The New American Bible
Mother of Perpetual Help - Mural, Our Lady of Las Vegas Church
Friday's are days of abstinence in the Catholic Church.
Abstinence - not partaking or indulging in fleshy, bodily or sensual pleasures and controlling ones dietary consumption of meats. One is to deprive oneself of the fleshly desires for the day and to reflect upon how we feel through this abstinence. It teaches us discipline and helps us to overcome temptations.
When Jesus came for man's salvation, he took the form of flesh. In this body of flesh, in order to succeed and fulfill his purpose - our salvation - he had to abstain from the temptations of the flesh.
In this discipline, he was free from the tainting of the soul and he was open to grow fully into his purpose. While in the flesh, his purpose was revealed to him, much like our own walks in life. As we mature into our spiritual selves, who we are and our purpose is revealed to us.
Jesus' Victory on the cross put his foot atop evil, "...the God of Peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet." - Romans 16:20 - The New American Bible.
Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." - Revelations 22:13 -The New American Bible.
He told us the world is passing away. He told us to be in the world, but not of the world. He warned us of many who would come and prophesy in the name of the Lord, but were false prophets merely offering contrived knowledge to deceive and trip man and that we should be wise and pray for discernment of these spirits and so not to be misled.
He told us the world is passing away and that no one but the Father knows when, and like a bride, we should be ready to receive the bridegroom. So while many may tell us of upcoming events to pass and that the end is near, they are but echoing the deceits of non-discerning spirits and inspiring fear instead of the Victory of our Lord and salvation. For contriving spirits have knowledge of things to come, like gossipers, they whisper words into the minds of men to cause him upset and distract him on his path, but that is only knowledge. Deceiving spirits and contriving spirits do not deliver Wisdom. Wisdom comes only from the Holy Spirit, God's beautiful Holy Spirit. And it is through God's grace that we can discern Wisdom and hence know truth - remember, He [the Father] spoke first.
Jesus taught us that the world is passing away and the Heavenly Kingdom is upon us which is why we were instructed to pray like this:
"But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father
knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as is heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and do not subject us to the final test,
but deliver us from the evil one.
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not
forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."
- Matthew 6:6-15 - The New American Bible
It is in this prayer we proclaim, "as above, so below" and so we see the darkness being exposed and truth comes to light and the Lord's kingdom come! The Lord has promised to thwart the ill-intentions of man, and so he has. His justice prevails everywhere.
Jesus said the world is passing away; passing away does not necessarily mean the end, to me, it implies a rebirth. World without end. Amen.
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