Wednesday of the Fouth Week of Lent

How many campaigns have been created around this idea?
It sounds easy. Or at least, it seems it should be easy…
But, why is it so difficult?

I am currently reading Richard Rohr’s Naked Now and have been inspired to share what I have experienced while reading his beautiful book.

He speaks of the importance of “yes!” and how to develop this response as a habit. In my own life, I found it difficult to make the switch, as I believe all Westerners do. We are very conditioned to be skeptical, to be suspicious, to ask questions, and to look for proof or reason.

To say “yes!” without knowing what we are saying “yes!” to is uncomfortable because we are so conditioned to “no!” Rohr explains:

             “For some unfortunate reason, complaining, rejection, or fearing something strengthens your sense of ego and makes you feel like you are important. You contract back into your small and false self, and from there, unfortunately, it becomes harder and harder to reemerge.“ (52)

Our ego is built by “no!” As a woman I have said “no!” to my body, I have declared my personality as a “no!” and my ability to be someone of worth was a “no!” Now that I have come to understand “yes!” I have not experienced new life, but new love. The love I have for myself; the love that Christ has for me.

This Lent I challenge you too to find this “yes!” God is always saying it to us, we simply choose to hear it as a soft whisper or a strong, ____.

Ash Wednesday 2013

ASH WEDNESDAY: Feb 13 2013.  In his Introduction to Christianity, Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) writes, “one could very well describe Christianity as a philosophy of freedom” and “The Christian message is basically nothing else than the transmission of the testimony that love has managed to break through death here and thus has transformed fundamentally the situation of us all” (1968, p. 158; p. 307).  

As we begin Lent, once again let's claim our freedom (cf. Gal 5:1) as sons and daughters of a loving God who gently and gradually transforms us into persons who can live in love forever. Lent is a time to prepare ourselves and participate more fully in the great transformation worked in us by Baptism and our participation in the sacramental life of the church.  We need to know and live our faith.  Why?

Without faith, all falls apart. All burns down.  There's an old story about the clown who ran into town from the fields outside where they were setting up the Big Top.  He yelled the Circus was on fire.  Everyone thought he was drumming up business for the show and laughed while ignoring his cries for help.  He continued to yell, "NO, the Tent really is on fire.  Come and help me put it out."  No one believed him.  They thought it was just part of the show.  Soon, the fire spread to the outskirts of town and quickly erupted, burning everything to the ground.  No one had paid any real attention to the cries of the clown.

Let's proclaim Christ these days.  Let's show by the ashes on our foreheads that we want to live in true freedom, knowing that love has broken through death and destruction.  Our situation is fundamentally transformed.  Deo Gratias.