2nd Week of Lent 2020 - Tuesday - Learn to do the good

At the beginning of the liturgical year, we read extensively from the prophet Isaiah, to prepare for our celebration of the coming of Christ during the season of Advent. Well now, during the season of Lent, it should be no surprise to hear from the great Advent prophet as well, as we prepare for the paschal festivities of Easter during this season of penance and prayer.

We heard from the beginning of the first chapter of Isaiah today, who gives a series of instruction: “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds…cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” During Lent, we do well to take these instructions to heart.

Yet, Why does Isaiah instruct us that we must “learn to do good?” St. Basil comments: Since moral understanding is neither self-evident nor clear to all, we must learn to do good deeds through our study of sound doctrine.” Doing good is not always self-evident, it’s not always easy to discern, and it’s not always easy to put into practice. Generosity, forgiveness, self-control, it’s not always clear how to put these into practice, and certainly in the face of temptation we aren’t always even thinking about the need to put them into practice.

But in order to lead the sort of lives that God wants, we need to learn, we need to be properly schooled, we need to take the position of a student, of a disciple.

In the Gospel, the Lord condemns the Pharisees for setting themselves above the rest. They liked to be called father, teacher, master all the while forgetting the need to learn what is truly good in the eyes of God, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Lent, when we our honest, should humble us and teach us how much we need to learn. Lent does humbly sets us on the path of learning right at its beginning, on Ash Wednesday we recall we are NOT master, we are NOT teacher, “we our dust”. And by our Lenten observances of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we put our lessons into practice.

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that must not be true for us. To be a disciple of Jesus is to be a life-long learner. Learning justice, repentance, courage, balance of priorities, calmness, and generosity. May the Lord find us at his feet, as his humble students today and all days for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - - -
 
That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

For the Holy Spirit to guide the appointment of our next Bishop—that he may be a man of true faith and courage.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. And for all victims of the coronavirus and their families. And for the Church in China and all places where the Gospel is silenced.

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. Through Christ our Lord.