6th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Tuesday - Pre-Lenten Preparations

 What perfect readings for this final day of Ordinary Time prior to the penitential season of Lent—the season of purification and enlightenment.

First, Noah’s preparation for the forty day flood.  At a point in history where humanity had turned away from God, had become so mired in sin, “the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth…that his heart was grieved.”

Today we, like Noah, are called to make preparation for the forty days of Lent. We are to examine the sin in our lives and resolve to repent, and to consider how we will be showing our repentance through acts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. For throughout Lent, we must make reparation for our own sins, but also the sins of the world, the wicked of the world, to show our love and concern for the souls even of those who reject God and the call to conversion. We do penance for those unwilling to do so for themselves. Who will you pray for, who will you fast for, who will you engage in sacrificial almsgiving for. Fix them in your mind, hold them aloft to God over the next 40 days. Do penance for them, those outside of the ark of the Church—either because of ignorance or willfulness—for their purification, that they, one day, may accept the invitation to come aboard the ark of the Church—to sail to the promised land.

The Gospel, too, is a wonderful pre-Lenten reading, for the Lord sits in a boat, like the ark of noah, with disciples who do not quite understand everything that’s been happening, everything that he’s been doing and teaching. They have eyes and not see, ears and have not heard.

The season of Lent is also for those who are already in the boat of the Church, to come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of everything the Lord has done for us and continues to do for us. Lent is the season of purification, but also enlightenment. As we contemplate all the Lord suffered, his time in the desert, his march to Jerusalem, his ensuing passion and death, we are enlightened with a deeper understanding of the depths of his love for us and what it means to be his disciples, his apostles sent out into the world. 

May we prepare well for the 40 day flood which brings purification and enlightenment as we engage in the Lenten works and contemplate the depths of the Lord’s love and the call to ever more faithful discipleship, 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 and enlightenment in the ways of God.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that the season of Lent will bring them great conversion to way of Christ. 

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.

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.

13th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Stormy Weather

Billy Holiday sang, “Life is bare/Gloom and misery everywhere/ Stormy weather, stormy weather/And I just can't get my poor self together/Oh I'm weary all of the time/The time, so weary all of the time.”

Earthly life is certainly not without stormy weather. For Billy Holiday, it was the break-up with her man. Stormy weather. Dissatisfaction with work, or loss of a job and one’s economic stability. Personal illness. Sickness of a child or a parent or a spouse. A marriage or a friendship or a close relationship can end through death or through an argument.  The obligations of life can overwhelm us. We can be the victim of an act of violence or a betrayal or terrible luck.

The storms of life can become so violent that we feel like we are in a boat being tossed about on the seas like the Apostles in the Gospels today. And today’s Gospel immediately follows yesterday’s account of Jesus’ invitation to “follow him” and become his disciples. It is St. Matthew’s way of emphasizing that following Jesus won’t guarantee that our life will be free from stormy weather. But it will guarantee a relationship with the Lord who has all power to calm those storms, to grant peace, and courage amidst the storms.

Our Christian faith enables us to experience peace and courage in the face of life’s storms because the Lord is with us always.

Now sometimes we might wonder if the Lord is asleep in the boat, as our stormy weather ceases to dissipate according to our plans. And in those cases, I believe the Lord is inviting us to trust him, to allow him to calm our inner storms before he calms our outer storms. Where we are still experiencing inner storms: anger, impatience, lust, bitterness, confusion, anxiety, and hurt, we do well to open ourselves to the calming presence of Christ.

Having our inner storms calmed by the Christ, the Christian, then is to be a calm, steady presence in the world—to be a lighthouse amidst the storms, shining with the light of Christ, pointing to Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For abundant blessings for the whole Christian people.
For those who lack faith.
For those who hold public office.
For favorable weather and abundant fruits from the earth.
For the sick and the suffering.
For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church; grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith, we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.