Be Holy

February 11, 2008

Our Lady of Lourdes

By Beth DeCristofaro

Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you (Psalm 19:15)

Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40)

Piety

Lord, may these Lenten offerings of our love be acceptable to you. Let them transform our lives and bring us your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

(Adapted from the Prayer over the Gifts, Mass for the Day)

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/021108.shtml

As we end the first week of our Lenten stopover in the desert, what watering holes have we encountered? Focusing on fasting can put us in touch with the gifts God has given us for the journey. I have decided to give up wine, chocolate, and my favorite TV show. Perhaps I have decided to swallow that quick retort so easily spoken when my spouse pushes my button or to put an extra $5 into the cup of a homeless person each time I notice that my “oh here is one of those people again” attitude rises to my consciousness. So many things have blessed me that I have much to strip away. Stripping away – with love for the Christ-made being that is me – allows more room for Christ and more unity with “those people”. It is only God who determines if I am a sheep or a goat. Likewise it is only God who determines if “those people” are sheep or goats.

Jesus wants us to be a sheep not a goat. According to then N.A.B. introductory notes to the Book of Leviticus, the Israelites had numerous laws which “serve(d) to teach the Israelites that they should always keep themselves in a state of legal purity, or external sanctity, as a sign of their intimate union with the Lord.” How confusing it truly must have been to keep all of the laws straight, and yet how important it is for one of the Chosen People to be in intimate union with God.

Jesus doesn’t give us legalities but possibilities and opportunities. It can still be confusing to know just who my neighbor is and just when am I must serve the least one among us. Perhaps the desert can also give us a clue. What does one need in the desert? Water, shade and food. Jesus is the living water. Shade is the loving embrace of our God. Eucharist is the eternal food which nourishes and opens our soul. This is what we need. From this scarcity we can offer love to one of these least brothers of mine. In the desert I can enlarge my love for myself whom Jesus loves so much as well as learn to better love “the other” whom Jesus loves so much. Lent is an opportunity to fill our selves with God so that God overflows our hearts and reaches others.

Action

As we fast, keep in mind those who have nothing with which to fast: no food, no water, no shade, no free process of elections, no homes, no safety. Did you know that the killing in Sudan has not stopped? Write to your representative in congress today; act on behalf of those lives are forfeited because of who they are: http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/lettertochina God’s grace is in each small loving act performed by each small sheep.