First Friday of Lent
“Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?” (Ezekiel 18:23a) Although the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel tells us this was God’s rhetorical-like question, I found myself asking myself that question as I read today’s first reading. If I’m completely honest, I have (like most people, I suspect), enjoyed an occasional Good vs Evil movie or novel in which the wicked character dies, especially if their death involves what we perceive to be much deserved suffering. And I’m sure I have been tempted to rejoice at the actual death of a seemingly evil or wicked person. Whether or not we derive any pleasure from the death of a wicked person, thankfully our God does not.
The passage from Ezekiel continues with the Lord God saying, “Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live?” (18:23b) God does not hold grudges, people do. I will say that, perhaps with age, I have more-so come to appreciate a good redemption story in which the seemingly “bad” character does change his/her ways. Maybe it has something to do with a growing awareness that we are all in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. That even the so-called “righteous” ones are not immune to sin and falling away from God. In fact, isn’t it true that sometimes (or perhaps often) in our own self-righteousness we are even more susceptible to the sinfulness we have come to believe we are immune from?
Today’s responsorial psalm also reminds me/us that we are all in need of God’s grace and mercy, “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?” (Psalm 130:3) But with God is forgiveness (vs 4), mercy and “plenteous redemption” (vs 7). And forgiveness is what we are called to in today’s gospel reading from Matthew (5:20-26). To go first and be reconciled with our sister or brother, for only then are we free to offer our gift at the altar.
Lent provides us with the ideal opportunity to reflect, repent, forgive and seek forgiveness. We are not God or Jesus, but as disciples we are called to strive toward greater holiness. Let us pray along with the psalmist, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,” trusting that God will hear our cries not only for God’s mercy, which is freely given, but for our mercy on others.
~Eileen Miller