Monday of the First Week of Lent
We recently hosted a gathering of friends at our home. In the course of the evening, our conversation turned to religion. One guest shared that the thing that makes our Catholic faith so amazing is the fact that it has a 2000 year old track record upon which we can build our lives. Although I agreed with him, I commented that I believe that my faith (and I think our church) continues to evolve as we become more open and aware of God’s presence and grace in our lives and the world. I think that the readings today help illustrate this concept. The laws are not thrown away, but these precepts evolve into a pathway to direct us to live compassionately and with great love.
The first reading describes the LORD giving Moses rules by which to live. God calls His people to live holy lives by not stealing, by not deceiving others, by being just, and loving others. God gives these commands, and then He reminds Moses and the people that they should follow them because, “I am the LORD.” When reading the list of things to do or not do, the focus seems to be more on the person who is following the laws and less on the people who are being affected by the decisions being made. The laws are to be followed (and they are good laws) but there is a sense of duty and obedience as the basis for the actions.
In the gospel, Jesus describes the last judgment scene where the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep will be “blessed by my Father” and “inherit the kingdom” because they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, welcomed a stranger, clothed the naked, cared for the ill and visited the prisoner. There seems to be a newer code of holiness (being blessed by God) that involves loving and caring for others (and thereby loving God.) It is not that the laws have no meaning or purpose, but they have evolved to go beyond the do’s and do not’s to an other-centered life of mercy and compassion. Jesus even states, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Mt 5:17) Jesus shows us how to live using love as the basis for our lives. The rigorous following of laws is not what brings us to a closer life with God- it is being a disciple of Jesus following His call and responding with a “yes” to what He asks. We become “holy” when we imitate Jesus in His great love and mercy for all people and the created world.
The challenge is how do we put this into practice in our daily lives? We all know that the 10 commandments are an important part of how we are called to live. As Christians, the Sermon on the Mount takes our call beyond a list of rules to living a life as peace makers, being pure in heart, and working towards justice for all people even in the face of persecution.
As I look back over my life, I have seen my faith evolve as my relationship with Christ has deepened. There are things that previously seemed insignificant that now have taken a greater importance in my faith experience. Following Christ begins with my relationship with Him (which I deepen through prayer and sacrament), but it sends me forth to care for creation, to care for the immigrant and the refugee, to strive to provide health care for all those in need, to be mindful of those who do not have food and water and to support all pro-life issues. I am not the same Catholic that I was before, but I am still a Catholic. As I continue on my faith journey, I pray that I will continue to evolve as I become more aware of Christ and His call for me.
Our Church has also evolved in ways over the years. Our truths- all spelled out in the creed we profess every week- still are the basis of our faith. But things that used to be acceptable have been revealed as not acceptable in the kingdom. Issues like slavery, becoming a Christian empire (the Crusades), and racism to name a few are no longer viewed as Christ centered. Through continued prayer and openness our church will hopefully continue to change in ways that help us to grow to be a more perfect “bride” for Christ. To deny the possibility of growth and change eliminates the opportunity to deepen our connection with God and His love. This is one of the aspects of the Catholic Church that brings me hope and joy- although we have 2000 years as our foundation; we are called continuously to further conversion as we grow in our relationship with Christ.
Father, you sent Jesus to show us how we are called to live. Through the grace of Your Spirit allow us to live the truths of our faith remaining open to how you call us to love others and the world around us. May our lives bring forth Your love and mercy for the world as we give you glory and praise. We pray this through Christ, our LORD. Amen.
- Marylynn Herchline