Lent is Coming

Lent is Coming

    Lent is just a week away and I can not wait. Lent has always been my favorite time in the Liturgical Year of the Church. Even as a kid I loved Lent. For me it is that time of change and formation for my soul. It is that time that I look down that path and see the light that is guiding me out of darkness into the light of Christ. For me, Lent is that time where I make my greatest self discoveries and take the steps to walk closer with Jesus. 

     I personally have felt that Lent is that time of change and because of that have felt that what we do for Lent should be life changing not just an adjustment for a time period. There should be sacrifices, but also adding things that will create that better you after the 40 days. I have said “Lent is meant to affect more then your waist line”. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is great to give up sweets, caffeine, soda etc... but if the idea is on day 41 to have that bag of chips waiting for you, or that extra large cup of coffee, then what was learned? What that you can deprive yourself because you know soon you will have it again? Is that the point of Lent? Learning to deal because you know it is not forever? Maybe it is just me but I do not remember Jesus saying “ Oh ok,,,, Father I get it, I will just suffer for 40 days then be beat, mocked, spit on, stripped, wear a crown of thorns, carry a Cross, be nailed to the Cross, then be pierced by a sword, then Die.. but then I get my Life before back again... Ok, I can do it.” Wait, I did not miss that because it is not in the bible. Jesus’ life changed. His earthy form was gone and the heavenly life came into full affect. 

     We are to be doing the same for Lent. Our lives should be showing more of that Holy side of life then before. We are to shed old habits and try to take on new habits. This is what we are to do. In the days coming till next week I am going to post some ways we all can change and take some and leave some but do what you feel you need to do. There are so many options that can change our lives and we are blessed to have the chance in our Faith to set aside the time to do it. Not that we do not need to always continue but this is that extra special reminder of what the last days of our Lord, Jesus did and what He did changed all our eternity. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember Lent is a time of change. 

Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 343

Reading 1

JAS 4:13-17

Beloved:

Come now, you who say,

“Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town,

spend a year there doing business, and make a profit”–

you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow.

You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.

Instead you should say,

“If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.”

But now you are boasting in your arrogance.

All such boasting is evil.

So for one who knows the right thing to do

and does not do it, it is a sin.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 49:2-3, 6-7, 8-10, 11

R. (Matthew 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Hear this, all you peoples;

hearken, all who dwell in the world,

Of lowly birth or high degree,

rich and poor alike.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Why should I fear in evil days

when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?

They trust in their wealth;

the abundance of their riches is their boast.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,

or pay his own ransom to God;

Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough

to remain alive always and not see destruction.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

For he can see that wise men die,

and likewise the senseless and the stupid pass away,

leaving to others their wealth.

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Gospel

MK 9:38-40

John said to Jesus,

“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,

and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.

There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name

who can at the same time speak ill of me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.”