Lent 4
Lent 4
by Lanie LeBlanc OP

By this time in Lent, most Christians have at least begun to take a look at their spiritual lives in some way and have acknowledged a personal need for repentence. Our readings this week help us to focus on the "immeasurable riches of His grace" that the reading from Ephesians reminds us about as we do this annual soul searching.

The first reading from 2 Chronicles tells us that "early and often" the Lord sent messengers to His people to warn them about their evil ways. As part of my soul searching, my thoughts went back to one or two times years ago, something I don't usually do. I thought about those "why did I ever do that" sins, you know, the really stupid kind you REALLY hope the Lord forgets now that He has long forgiven them. I thought, too, about those "messengers", those people that were pointing out the way I should have been going ! Truly, in his "kindness", some of the "what could have happened" consequences never happened. Ephesians tells us about this grace and that "it is a gift from God", not anything we have earned or anything that could be attributed to our works. Certainly, I did nothing to redeem myself at those times.

Yet, we, like those carried off as captives to Babylon or those who prefer darkness to light, and more specifically I, continue to sin. No, not the kinds of crazy things that could have turned my life upside-down along with others', but sins that still matter. All sins are sins that say I prefer darkness to light. Wow, I never thought of sin that way, now that I am an adult who does reflect on my actions and their consequences. Darkness to me signifies stumbling around, not having a direction, and grasping at whatever seems to be there, yet not really knowing what is or is not. That picture sometimes characterized the me of the past as probably it does for many people in the early steps of their spiritual lives. But now, I know that I want to be in the light. How can I stay there?

For me, the answer is all wrapped up in God's mercy and love and in those graces that He gives me, constantly, with or without my ability to recognize them. I have to remember that I am His "handiwork, created in Christ Jesus". I have to act as if I believe that, purposefully, not mindlessly, doing what I believe I should be doing. When I stumble, I need to acknowledge my guilt and return to the light of His graces through reconciliation/confession.

The light of His grace helps me see my own flaws . The light of His graces helps me realize that I have already been raised up in Jesus and that He has saved me... I do not have to save myself again. (Perhaps any saving that needs to be done is saving myself from trying to save myself but, that, too, is the work of God within me, not mine to do. ) Even with the abominations and darkness of the sins that speckle our lives, our God continues, over and over, to give us those graces and opportunities to return to Him and to stay in His wonderful light. On this Laetare Sunday, let us be reminded of this wonderful reason to "Rejoice !"

(Comments to Lanie at lanieleblanc@mindspring.com.)