Gospel Commentary: The Holy Season of Lent

By Fr. Jack Peterson
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 2/10/05)

Lent is a wonderful opportunity to break from the routine of life and look more honestly at our love for Christ and our commitment to the way of the Gospel. It is a time to go on a 40-day retreat without leaving the neighborhood, to be purified in the solitude and heat of the desert, to find nourishment at the feet of Christ, and to be renewed for the arduous task of walking humbly with our God.

There are times in life when we miss our obvious mistakes and faults. I remember a time at Mass when the altar boys approached me with the bowl and towel so I could wash my hands during the preparation of the gifts. They looked very anxious and yet ready to burst into laughter at the same time. The older one informed me that I had a laundry softener sheet hanging out my pant leg. It had been there all through the Mass. I was unaware of my new liturgical garment, which evidently had caught most congregants’ attention.

In a similar fashion, there are times in our lives when we fail to see the moral faults that have crept into our lives, often without our full awareness. They affect us in a variety of detrimental ways and may be obvious to others. Yet we do not see them, perhaps because we are distracted by life’s many obligations or oblivious to moral norms, or because of old-fashioned denial and selfishness. It is easy to be deceived about God’s plan for us — that which brings true happiness. Adam and Eve gave in to the deception of the devil and approached the tree in the middle of the garden that God had told them to avoid. They chose to disobey God and the consequences of their action cannot be calculated except by the cross of Christ.

The holy season of Lent is an opportunity to go out into the desert in imitation of Jesus in order to pray more intimately to the Father and ask for the grace to see ourselves more honestly — as Christ sees us. It is an invitation from Christ and His Church to be honest, humble and repentant. It is a time for spring cleaning. After all, "lent" comes from a Germanic word for spring.

The reason we have the courage to go out the desert is Christ. We are encouraged first by the fact that Christ himself took on our human flesh and knew what it is to be tempted, though he never gave in and sinned. We are also encouraged by the fact that He crafted a solution to sin — that same cross — and offers us His gentle forgiveness and a warm embrace when we do finally come to Him aware of our sinfulness and our need for His mercy and compassion. There is no better place on earth than in the gentle, forgiving, healing embrace of Christ, who did not come for the self-righteous but for sinners.

Lord, grant each of us the grace to embrace this holy season as a gift from you. May your Holy Spirit come to dwell ever more fully in our hearts so we may see our sins in the light of your truth; grow in our desire to root them out of our lives; find great comfort in your tender mercy; and be fully committed to building the culture of life in our homes, schools and places of work.

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