2nd Week of Lent 2018 - Friday - Wimpy Lenten Penances

I heard a bishop say that at this point in this season of Lent, the season of fasting and self-sacrifice, that our fasting and self-sacrifice should begin to hurt. If it’s not beginning to hurt, then you’ve embraced too wimpy of a fast, like someone who adopts an exercise program which consists of walking up the stairs to go to bed...wow, big sacrifice there.

Seeking to be faithful to our Lenten observances is important. Though they are not meant to become a source of sinful pride… “look what I can do all by myself”. Rather, our Lenten penances are meant to create in us a humble spirit, in which we recognize our dependence upon God. Perhaps, we’ve failed to keep our Lenten commitments because we have tried to do it on our own.

The spiritual exercises, the Lenten observances, help us to grow from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity. The pain and suffering in our life, whether involuntary or voluntary, like in the case of the Lenten Penance, can both be understood as gifts from God, opportunities to trust in God, to grow in dependency upon His grace, to grow in humble obedience to the Divine Will.

In a sense, the Pharisees are condemned because of their unwillingness to suffer: their fasts were done for show, their prayer was done to garner attention, their almsgiving was done without self-sacrifice or warmth. They were unwilling to undergo the discomfort of conversion, the pain of metanoia. They demanded faith on their terms, they wanted God to fit into their mold, and therefore, were not only unable to identify God-in-the-flesh when he appeared preaching the Gospel, but they violently rejected Him, like the wicked tenants in the parable.

Joseph’s brothers too, were unwilling to be challenged by the fact that Joseph had a very special vocation, and so they violently reject him, selling him into slavery, because he made them uncomfortable.

Our Lenten fasting, our prayerful meditation on the Word of God, the passion of Christ, our encounters with the needy throughout Lent, should make us uncomfortable; they should disrupt our complacency and our sense of self-sufficiency.

And when we encounter that moment of hunger, that insight into my personal sinfulness, we should not turn away from it,  running back into our creature comforts and worldly distractions. Rather we should enter into the suffering with Jesus as our guide, praying “Jesus, I Trust in You.” When we allow Christ to lead us through suffering, to spiritual maturity, we will become, as he says in the Gospel today, people who bear fruit for the kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - - - - - -

For the whole Christian people, that in this sacred Lenten season, they may be more abundantly nourished by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

For the whole world, that in lasting tranquility and peace our days may truly become the acceptable time of grace and salvation.

For sinners and those who neglect right religion, that in this time of reconciliation they may return wholeheartedly to Christ.

For ourselves, that God may at last stir up in our hearts aversion for our sins and conviction for the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.