I love the way the readings work together so well this Lent. And, I am amazed how quickly this Lent is speeding by. Today's readings are so rich it is truly difficult to pick out several lines or a specific focus, . . . But, I am struck by a single line in the Responsorial Psalm: For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; For me, this line connects with so much in the First Reading as well as the Gospel.
What are the bars of our gates? Well, certainly our Faith, that "the LORD, our God, is so close to us whenever we call upon him." We can with confidence make decisions to live the gospel. When tested we can pray for the strength to see all people as Children of God and treat them with tenderness especially when they are most vulnerable. When we affirm we build the future of our Church and our world, adding more strength to the bars of our gates.
Another obvious bar in our gates is the statues and decrees which have been created anew in the commandments which Jesus spoke of to his disciples in the Gospel. "Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." I would struggle to name all 10 Commandments in order, but I can with certainty remember number one, and if I live the commandment to Love One Another, I have the others all covered. We are all teachers and teach best by example, thus the Lord says in the First Reading, "I am teaching you to observe, that you may live". We must live to love our God and all human kind -- for me, that hits all 10.
A very important, but less obvious bar is "not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live." To not forget is to Re-member, and to take to heart what we have experienced -- the bad and the good. A memory which we are so grateful to have been able to give all of you as children is that of our first back-packing trip -- memories of faith, support trust in a God who loves us, and of doing without, not to mention the sheer beauty in this world which has been entrusted to our care. But we must also not forget our mistakes so as to not make them over and over again. We remember our transgressions, times when we have been hurt, when we have hurt others, when we have been slow to forgive, the pain that we have witnessed in our world as well as the joyful times we have been gifted. We must remember and allow these memories to strengthen the bars in our gates so as to effect our life today.
So, what are the bars of your gates and how can you strengthen during this remaining Lenten season?
Love,
MOM
Mom,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for remaining a faithful post-er throughout this Lenten season. I like the quotes and passages that you pulled from today's readings. I think one of my biggest bars is my inability to say no, which causes an over commitment. I have found myself to be unusually busy this year, especially this semester and I often feel like I have taken off more than I can chew. Instead of focusing my time and talent on a few things I have spread myself into multiple commitments and activities. I know that things ill be better this next year when my masters is completed, but that doesn't give me a pass from living a life of the faithful now. I ca just say well I'll be a better friend, wife, mom, sister, teacher, mentor, coach, person when this is all done, I have to learn to ask for help and I HAVE to stop seeing that as a weakness. I have it stuck in my head that if I didn't get there on my own that I am some how a lesser person, but the truth is we never get anywhere on our own and whether we are offering up our struggles to God or asking help from those contributing to the kingdom, we are not connected to the mission unless we are working together. I need to accept my own limits and ask others for help so I can be open to relationship and building the kingdom!
Thanks for the post! If you do tomorrow I will do Friday-Monday of next week!
Love
Laura