Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life

February 26, 2007

Monday of the First Week of Lent

By Beth De Cristofaro

The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple (Psalm 19:8)

And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)

PIETY

Jesus, Shepherd, I choose your Spirit and Life. Follow me, Lord into the brambles or pluck me from bog or cliff edge when I stray. May the joys, tragedies, hardships and lessons of life be enriched and made holy by my choice of you. I will look for your Spirit and Life in each moment of my day. May I shine your Spirit and Life to the world as you would do if you still walked this earth.

STUDY

http://www.usccb.org/nab/022607.shtml

God’s interaction with us is not just tenets, lists of do’s and don’ts. In Leviticus, this passage begins with the enjoinder: “Be Holy for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev 19:2) and ends with “You shall love you Neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18). How can holiness and selfless love be accomplished through rules and regulations? The psalmist realized that God is living, upholding and loving us. Your words, Lord are Spirit and Life” (Ps 19). In the revelation of Christ, God is the Word, made flesh in Christ, modeled to us with his very His life and death. God’s promise is revealed in Jesus’ resurrection.

Jesus description of the King’s judgment of the sheep and the goats (Mtt 25:31-46), gives us an opportunity to remember and act from the words of the psalm: Your words, Lord are Spirit and Life. God gives us the way: choose spirit and life. Choose Christ. Choose to be a sheep. God’s gift to us is spirit and life. Accept the gift. Love as I love, Jesus teaches again and again. Treat each of my created humans as if he/she were me. Live my life.

Not an easy task. But God accompanies us. God’s Word of spirit and life in Scripture and Church Tradition teach us. The stirrings in our heart which are grounded in prayer and listening to God will lead us. Cursillo group in which we share our insights and struggles will help us. Time taken for reflection will guide us; (thanks, Fr. Mike Hann for a beautiful, renewing retreat which in part inspired this piece).

ACTION

In what areas of your life are you “goat-ish?” For example, what habits make you hard to live with? Lent is about refocusing our own lives toward God-with-us. By being aware we can curb “goat-ish” behaviors, attitudes, decisions, addictions. We can choose to be sheep. Keep in your heart: “Your words, Lord are Spirit and Life” in order to firm your intention. Choose to be a sheep and choose to see and treat others as Christ’s sheep, too.