Friday of the First Week of Lent
Recently, I saw a car parked in such a way that it covered one-and-a-quarter spaces. Its passenger-side tires sat several feet to the right of the yellow line. I know you’ve seen this before, too. The parking lot was packed, and the vehicle's irregular position eliminated an extra space.
What an inconvenience (unless you arrive on a motorcycle)!
I wish I had thought nothing of it and continued peacefully with my day.
But, alas, my heart shouted, “Raqa!”
“Fool!”
My interior name-calling did not affect the other driver one bit. It didn’t make my day any better, either.
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to a higher moral standard than that of the Pharisees of his time. “Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom…Carelessly call a brother [or sister] ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court.” (Mt 5:20,22 MSG).
We may want to say, “Master, this is a hard teaching.” But we have God’s help every minute of every day. Being mindful of what we say in judgment toward another (whether silently or spoken) is an essential practice if we want to understand God's reign in heaven, on earth, and within ourselves.
Thankfully, we are just beginning the Lenten season. We have this opportunity to focus on making our hearts right before God and our fellow human beings. We have the gift of prayer, where God meets and helps us. We also have the Sacrament of Reconciliation where we encounter God’s tender mercies.
Let us train our hearts to love our neighbors, no matter how long it takes, no matter how many times we fail. We can learn, and God is always near.
—Rachael Griggs