Modern and now Post-modern men do not understand sacrifice. The strict view of reason is that to deny oneself serves no outcome, no purpose, no measurable gain. The Post-modern mind focuses primarily on feelings. What good feeling can be obtained through sacrifice, the postmodernist asks. They both miss the point of Lent. Lent is a time where the grace filled person directs the will to overcome the intellect and the emotions. If we are to know, love, and serve God in this world, we will be called upon to do, or not do, what the world finds impossible. For example, tell a fellow Catholic that "we can be saints if we chose to be" will result in a plea to the "merely human." Benedict XVI thinks we are capable of more than mediocrity. The Holy Father, it is reported, calls Christians to an observance of Lent that is characterized by "more intense prayer, by an austere and penitential style of life." Is this madness? No, it is not. Benedict XVI is only saying what Jesus Christ said – about a cross.
First Reading
The Book of Deuteronomy (Deut 30:15-20) records the two options Moses offers Israel: chose life or choose death. Life results from obeying the commandments, loving God, and living an ethical life. An ethical life is one based on the Biblical view where one "walks in His ways." If Israel will chose life, the result is long life, prosperity in terms of family and blessing "in the land."
On the other hand, if Israel, or anyone for that matter, chooses death, we have chosen false gods. The result of this choice is to perish and to lose the Promised Land. Of course, the Promise Land for us is Heaven. What did we learn is the critical aspect of Heaven? Heaven is a place of complete happiness and contentment where we share in the divine life of the Holy Trinity. Is this hard to understand? Yes, just as Canaan was hard to envision while Israel wandered in the Sinai.
What is life? Moses says: "Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him." I would go so far to as to say we must "cling" to God and to the life He offers. As a husband and wife cling to one another, so must we cling to Our Lord and the holy faith that He teaches us through His Catholic Church. The promise given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is for Israel and also for the Church.
Gospel
Jesus raises the standard of life (Luke 9:22-25). Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer and be crucified. What's more, Christ said that anyone who wishes to follow Him must "deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." What does Jesus offer? Does he offer prosperity, children, riches or worldly esteem? No, Jesus offers martyrdom. Jesus said: "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." After this Jesus offers the choice of life and death as did Moses. If we wish to gain the world we will lose our inheritance of eternal life. If we wish to have life, we must give up the world including this temporary life.
Is Jesus asking each of us to die the red death of a martyr? No, I do not think so. Each one of us is called to a type of cross carrying death. It seems that Benedict XVI has shown us that each of us must die to ourselves; we must die to our egoism, selfishness, and self-centeredness. We are being shown that we must pick up our cross and live the life of intense prayer. We must have an austerity by detachment from worldly belongings. We must be willing to give up our own way and give ourselves to Jesus. We must want what He wants.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us! St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
VVV
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