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Can You Spare Some Change

Coins

This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.


There are two sins that are at particular risk of never finding forgiveness. The first is despair; the second, presumption.

When we despair, we determine for ourselves that we are beyond the reach of Jesus’ salvation. We are in such a bad state, we think, that we cannot be saved. Thus, through a lack of trust in the power of God, we effectively reject our salvation.

When we are presumptuous, we believe that any sins on our part will be forgiven even if we do not repent and convert. God is merciful, we think, so we can remain in our sin without concern.

Despair and presumption display a common characteristic–a very nasty one: Attachment to one’s state of sin. He who despairs and he who is presumptuous both spurn Jesus’ invitation to conversion.

Today’s readings are all about what happens when a sinful soul eschews these two tendencies, and returns full of humility and self-awareness, but also hope and trust, to the Lord.

The souls in today’s readings are ready to change. Hoping for something brand new, they detach themselves from their current state of sinfulness.

Lent is all about this detachment, this conversion. Conversion is not an achievement, but rather a grace, one that we do well to request in prayer immersed in self-awareness and trust in God’s ability to change us.

Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Ask Jesus for the grace of a wholly renewed conversion during this lent. Ask Him to jar you out of your haze of complacency, out of any presumption you may be experiencing, and on to a new level of union with Him.

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Even Now

Sunrise

This is a reflection on the Mass readings of the day.


Lent strikes us as a dreary time, and with good reason. We make sacrifices, spend more time in prayer, and give more alms to the poor–none of this is fun.

So, we would expect today’s readings to tell us essentially to buck up, to brace ourselves, to jump into the cold water of sacrifice and purification.

The first reading, however, which is all about fasting and repenting, is full of joy. It would appear, even, that the weeping mentioned is not driven by sorrow, but rather the people are weeping out of relief and hope.

“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart,” is how the first reading begins. Even now. The people have been procrastinating that return. The context of the reading suggests that they are thinking they may be too late to repent. But the prophet assures them that it is not too late. Even now, if they turn back to Him, God will have mercy on them.

We are weak human beings, full of sinfulness and selfishness. Like Judas, we have sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver–we have chosen sin over Him for some silly, passing satisfaction that makes no sense in the greater scheme of things.

Yet even now, at whatever age we find ourselves, even if our prior attempts at conversion have been half-hearted, even now, He is waiting to forgive us and transform us, if we return to Him with all our heart.

Lent is not a dreary season. It is another chance, even now, to convert our hearts fully to the Lord.

Ideas for conversation with the Lord: Ask Jesus to help you to take advantage of this Lent, every single day of it. Ask Him to show you your sins and give you a repentant heart. Tell Him that you want Him in your life above every single other priority, and that He has carte blanche to manage your life as He sees fit–even if this means that you will go through some suffering for your own good and that of others.

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