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Dear Friends in Christ,
These past weeks in the Gospel of Matthew we have heard Jesus's magnificent “Sermon on the Mount”. You may recall it begins with the famous “Beatitudes” which outline Jesus's program for happiness. Oh, how happy you would be he says if you were poor in spirit so that you might focus your life on being merciful and a peacemaker. Lent is the sacred season of the year when Christians are invited to walk three distinct paths to this happiness.
The first path is to live out of your center, which is Christ and not your own ego. That means letting go of self-centered programs for happiness that can’t possibly work, and letting God be all in all in us. Lent invites us to spend more time in prayer, to center our lives on the love of Christ.
The second Lenten path to happiness is to recognize that you are a sinner, an imperfect work in progress who walks in the company of fellow sinners. Something that helps me on this path is the “Jesus Prayer.” It’s simple to remember so that one can repeat it over and over again throughout the day: Lord Jesus, son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner. It’s also a great way to prepare for the sacrament of reconciliation!
The third path to real happiness is to realize that your life…is not about you! It’s about magnifying the Lord as Mary the Mother of God so brilliantly models. The Lenten discipline of almsgiving helps us remember this. Consider using the Rice Bowl Program to guide you on this path. So does the discipline of fasting from certain attitudes and behaviors to prepare to feast on the happiness to be found in the risen Lord. So, this Lent- Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ dwelling in them
- Fast from emphasis on our differences; feast on our oneness
- Fast from the darkness around us; feast on the light of Christ
- Fast on thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God
- Fast on words that pollute; feast on words that purify
- Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude
- Fast from withholding anger; feast on sharing our feelings
- Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism
- Fast from worry; feast on trust
- Fast from guilt; feast on freedom
- Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation
- Fast from stress; feast on self-care
- Fast from hostility; feast on letting go
- Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness
- Fast from selfishness; feast on compassion for others
- Fast from discouragement; feast on seeing the good
- Fast from apathy; feast on enthusiasm
- Fast from suspicion; feast on seeing the good
- Fast from idle gossip; feast on spreading good news
- Fast from being so busy; feast on quiet silence
- Fast from problems that overwhelm us; feast on prayerful trust
- Fast from talking; feast on listening
- Fast from trying to be in control; feast on letting go.
Fr. William Heric, pastor
