Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
If I had to break down today’s readings into three important quotes, this is what I would choose: “Listen to my voice,” “Harden not your hearts”, and “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
What is the first rule you can remember bring taught? For many of us, it was a parent telling us that we had to eat our vegetables. Another rule I recall from my childhood was to be sure to look both ways before crossing the road. Consider the reasons your parents taught you rules. Was it your parent’s intention to torture you or to make your life difficult? No. In fact, they gave us such rules since they loved us and wanted the best for us. Thus, our families tried their best to raise us within the rules of the faith.
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
At this point in the year, partly because my work is on the academic calendar and it is the middle of the semester, I usually find myself becoming very busy. It’s easy for me at this time to become stressed and to feel as though I’m not going to get everything done. It makes sense to compare these times of stress to a fire that burns—or maybe smolders—in my life. Lent, too, can feel like a burning fire. It’s not always pleasant to be fasting—in fact it can be painful. But the fire of Lent can also be seen as a fire of purification that is supposed to burn away what is excessive or unwholesome and to prepare us for the feast of Easter.
Monday of the Third Week of Lent
Nearly any time that we meet someone new, we are generally asked three questions. First, “What’s your name?” Second, “What do you do?” And third, “Where are you from?” These questions seem to be how many people define us. And often, these questions are sometimes the standards by which we define ourselves. Considering the great depth and purpose for which God has created us, it’s amazing how we are so quick to limit our identity to just three short answers. (1) Ryan James Mahle; (2) Civil Engineer; and (3) Dayton, Ohio. Is this me? Is this my entire identity? Although very important and appropriate facts about our lives, we’re obviously much more than our name, what we do, or where we’re from. For instance, if I was no longer lived in the state of Ohio, would I still be Ryan Mahle? Of course! God has created us for more than these “three questions.”
Third Sunday of Lent
I have only one niece. And she loves being my only niece. Recently she graduated from medical school and I was telling her how proud I was of her. When she about three years old I would often ask her how much she loved me. When she was mad with me she would hold her two little fingers just a little apart and show me that’s how little she loved me. But this time, she had her arms open wide as she said, “This much.” And I asked her, “Only that much?” She stretched a little more and said, “This much.” This went on for about four or five times until she could not stretch more without hurting. That last time as she said, “This much,” there were tears in her eyes. Of course, I just picked her up and covered her with as much love as possible. That is one time in my life when love – pure, simple, and innocent yet overpowering, overwhelming and indescribable totally overcame me.
Saturday of the Second Week of Lent
Today’s gospel might initially wash over us as the story we’ve heard many, many times of the “Prodigal Son” who lavishly spends his inheritance on pleasures and is left tending the swine and desiring their food. He then returns to his father to beg for mercy.
Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Today's gospel passage (Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46) is one of the most mysterious of Jesus' parables, and also one that has been used, down through the centuries, to justify some of the most awful actions against Jews and others who are not Christian. It's a weird parable simply in terms of action: why is it that the vineyard owner keeps sending out slaves to be harmed? Why does he never call the police, raise up an army, or otherwise seek to punish the tenants? The tenants, too, act in very odd ways. Why are they bothering to beat up the slaves? They knew what the price was for renting the vineyard; their actions are more than a little inexplicable.
Thursday of the Second Week in Lent
Today we have the familiar and challenging gospel passage (Luke 16: 19-31) of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. I find that it’s easy to judge the rich man in the story and dismiss any personal association with him. After all, I’m not a rich man in purple robes dining on sumptuous feasts. But taking some time to reflect, I have to ask myself: Do I live selfishly, ignoring the needs of the poor? In my own pursuit of comfort, clothes to look good in, the pleasure of good food and a nice home, am I blind to those in need? Yes, we have some awareness of the homeless and those living in poverty, but what about the poor people in China and developing countries that are working for very little pay, often in unsafe or unhealthy working conditions to make the clothes we wear and the trinkets we buy? “More for less” the stores convince us, but at what cost? What injustices am I benefitting from?
Wednesday of the Second Week in Lent
When life gets tough, really tough, what do we do? What do you do when the very people who are supposed to be on our side, stand against us? The answers are as personal and varied as there are people. That said we might put the answers into two categories, complaining or proactively dealing with the sources of frustration. In reality, our actions are often a combination of the two approaches, and sometimes the suffering is beyond our immediate comprehension.
Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent
I have been thinking lately about what it means for me as a Christian to go through the season of Lent and about the possibility for spiritual renewal that Lent provides. It seems to me that Lent gives us Christians the possibility of a new starting point in our journey towards God. At times I’ve felt closer to God and at other times I’ve felt farther away. Yet it is often at those times when I feel the farthest from God that I realize that God is there with me and present in the situation. It seems to me that God uses these tough times to show me that he is there with me, and that he will never desert me.
Monday in the Second Week in Lent
Have you ever noticed how virtues and vices tend to travel in pairs or small groups? This sounds a little funny, but it’s true. For instance, when you see a person engaging in an act of kindness you almost always see generosity and patience and some other virtues operating as well. Likewise, when you hear someone make a remark that is judgmental there is nearly always condemnation and a lack of mercy involved. Unforgiveness has a tendency to associate with that group as well. The point is that vices and virtues do not normally operate individually or exclusive of one another, but rather present themselves together--in the form of a “movement” or an overall disposition of heart.
Second Sunday of Lent
I have some serious questions for us to think about this week. The first question is, “How deep do you think your relationship with God is?” Let me put this question in other words: “Could God take you for granted?” Now I want you to think about the most precious thing in your life – your marriage, your children, your job, your health, your entire life’s savings. And now think if God said to you what God said to Abraham – “Sacrifice what is most precious to you for my sake” – what would you do? Once God put claim on what is most precious to you, will that change how you feel about God?
I am wondering if we now have a better insight into Abraham’s dilemma.
Saturday of the First Week in Lent
In today’s first reading we have the narrative of the establishment of the covenant between God and the Hebrews through the prophet Moses. This ends the section of Deuteronomy (or “Second Law”) which expounds on the law. Both parties of the covenant – God and the Hebrews – are to keep up their ends of the agreement. The Hebrews “are to walk in [God’s] ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees” (Dt 26:17) and God will make them His chosen people.
Friday of the First Week in Lent
Today's gospel reading (Matthew 5:20-26) is one of those readings that makes people scratch their heads and murmur that Jesus's teachings are great, and all, but they're also just too idealistic. What can Jesus mean by comparing the traditional prohibition against murder with being angry? Who doesn't get angry? Isn't there even "righteous anger", times when we should get angry about evil in the world? And yet, Jesus is clear here: whoever gets angry gets the same kind of judgement - perhaps even worse judgement! - than a person who murders.
Thursday in the First Week of Lent
The psalmist in today’s psalm (138) declares, “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.” I suspect all of us can recall a time or times that God has answered our call for help. Certainly Queen Esther can. In today’s first reading (Esther C: 12, 14-16, 23-25), which is the prayer of Esther, she cries to God for help for her and the Jewish people who were uprooted from their homeland and had reason to be concerned for their safety. Not a well-known book of the bible, the book of Esther is basically the story of a genocidal plot against a Jewish people and how Mordecai and his cousin Esther - a courageous woman, prevented it.
Wednesday of the First Week in Lent
Recently, a Catholic politician called a speech given by John F. Kennedy “radical,” so much so, that it made this presidential candidate sick. Politics aside the speech was radical, in that, Kennedy made clear that his faith did not take priority over the office of the President. Many people in his day feared that a Catholic President would take their orders from Rome. Kennedy wisely reminded the public that he believed in the principle of the separation of Church and State. The historical context and the public’s mistrust of the Church of Rome give us perspective as to the purpose of the speech.
Tuesday of the First Week of Lent
As Christians we are called to renew our efforts at living the Christian life during the season of Lent. I find myself at this time of year thinking more about how to pray. The scripture readings for today help us to reflect on this question. In the first reading, Isaiah speaks of God’s promise that his word will not return to him void. It must have an effect, since God is powerful and does not do things for no reason, without accomplishing or doing anything. To show this, Isaiah uses a powerful image, comparing the words of God to rain that pours forth from the sky to water the earth. This water then nurtures plants and crops, which allows people to make bread. This image becomes more striking when a connection is made between God’s word, as Isaiah describes it, and Jesus. Jesus himself is the Word who is sent out into the world to do God’s will.
First Sunday of Lent
A sign on Interstate 75 caught people’s attention this Ash Wednesday: “Drive Through Ashes.” On Ash Wednesday the Mt. Healthy United Methodist Church I Cincinnati offered drive through ashes to somehow accommodate ashes into people’s busy lives. On the one hand this is very creative. On the other hand, Ash Wednesday is really not about the ashes, is it? Ash Wednesday and Lent are really not about finding a way to accommodate God into our busy lives. It is exactly the opposite. It is about bringing God to the center and finding a way to accommodate our lives around God! Christianity is not a drive-through spirituality. It is about pausing, about slowing down, about setting aside time for something very sacred and holy.
Saturday after Ash Wednesday
As we close these opening days of Lent and enter into the first full week of this penitential season we reflect in a particular way on our sinfulness and on penance as reparation for it.
Lent is a season of increased fasting, almsgiving, and prayer—all practices of penance, that is expressions of our sorrow for sin and our commitment to lead a better life. Good practices of penance cause us to reflect more deeply on our own sinfulness and draw us into solidarity with others throughout the world, especially the poor.