By Melanie Rigney
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| By Oxh973 (Own work by Jennifer Balaska) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
(Solomon
said:) “Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israel which
they offer in this place. Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.”
(1 Kings 8:30)
How
lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God! (Psalm 84:2)
“You nullify the word
of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such
things.” (Mark 7:13)
Piety
Here I am, Lord, far from ready for the rigors of Lent,
just as I seldom perceive I am ready for the service You desire. I offer what I
am, imperfect as can be, and trust You will find a way to make use of me.
Study
The last day
of ordinary time for weeks and weeks and weeks. Are you ready?
I’m not.
Lent is
sneaking up on me this year, as it may be for you. It’s early this year, but
even when it’s late, there never seems to be enough time to prepare one’s soul
for a season of self-examination, fasting, and penance. After all, there’s real
life to deal with between the end of the Christmas season and Ash Wednesday:
budgets to balance, families to get back on track, resolutions to attempt to
fulfill. And let’s not even get into how Snowzilla wreaked havoc on our plans.
Pope Francis
wants us to live Lent in this the Jubilee Year of Mercy “more intensely as a
privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy.” He even tells us
what that’s supposed to look like “prayerful listening to God’s word,
especially his prophetic word,” including “a generous, faithful and
compassionate goodness shown within marriage and family relationships.”
No small
order.
And so today,
while I scramble to figure out ways I can get away from the office long enough
to get ashed with some coworkers tomorrow at lunchtime, and tonight, when I
make sure the beautiful Lenten resources a dear friend gave me is by the side
of my bed for the morning, I will pray what I often pray: “I’m not ready, God.
Forgive me. Do what You can with what I have to offer. I have faith you’ll
surprise me. Amen.”
Action
Write
down five words that describe your faith life today. Stick them in your planner
to review on May 16—the next day in ordinary time.
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