Feb
14
Written by:
Fr. Gary Zerr
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Lent Begins
Pastor’s Column
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 14, 2010
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied….
Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry
Luke 6: 21,25
It seems that no sooner have we disposed of the poinsettias, than it is time for Lent to begin again. Lent is not meant to be an inconvenience, but rather an opportunity to grow in the spiritual life for 40 days. Lent is what we make it. If we want a return on our investment this Lent, we have to actually invest something, and one of the key investments that Jesus recommends is fasting.
Many people’s lives are so full that God can’t get in. Jesus fasted for 40 days before he began his ministry. We too are called to fast, to open up space for Jesus to enter into our lives in a fuller way. In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus gives us some paradoxes of our spiritual life: those who are filled now will go hungry, while those who are hungry will be filled. In order to have a fruitful Lent, we must be hungry for God. Do I really want a deeper relationship with Christ? Am I hungry for Christ? Is my life filled with things, but lacking in meaning? Now is the time to go seeking God!
Fasting can take many forms. One good way to fast is by sacrificing some of my time for God. Why not try to go to daily mass more often during Lent? Let the church help you on your spiritual path. If you can’t make it to daily mass, look up the daily readings (they are in the bulletin). Fast by giving the scriptures more time. The mass readings for Lent are a compendium of the spiritual life in 40 days!
Why not do some form of media fast? Is my life out of balance? Spending too much time with the computer or TV? Who or what in my life is being shortchanged by this misuse of my time?
Why not fast from sin? Do I know myself? What are my fundamental weaknesses and strengths? Lent is a time to take aim at an area of my life that is sinful or out of balance. Begin by doing a good and sincere examination of conscience before Ash Wednesday, then decide what area of your life you and the Lord are going to work on together. Perhaps it will be your language, or your patience, or the way you treat others at home or at work. Fasting helps us to do battle with our sins by giving us more fortitude – saying no voluntarily now will help me with my spiritual battles later!
Why not fast from some kind of food? In the early church, Christians normally fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays – two days a week! Nowadays people fast for all sorts of health reasons, and before surgery, and certain medical procedures, all for a body that will grow old and die eventually anyway. How much more ought we to fast for our spiritual life, which will last forever! Am I an unhealthy eater? Now is the time to correct this. Can I give up one meal and donate the money to the poor?
In order to be more filled with Jesus, we must allow him to clear some room in our hearts – and fasting is the key to this! Fasting is one of the key weapons in our spiritual arsenal. Lent is a time for us to renew our hunger for God after an overdose of things that fill us up without satisfying us.
Father Gary