Our Mourning Will Turn Into Joy"

Today's Mass Readings

Today is the last day of Ordinary Time before the season of Lent begins. It is Mardis Gras, or Fat Tuesday. Today is intended to be a joyful day of celebration before the Lenten season. We are joyful, not because it is the last day to be joyful before Easter, but rather because we are excited for the journey we are about to undergo. The season of Lent is a 40 day spiritual pilgrimage where we hope to be transformed. We hope to come out of Lent a changed people. It is appropriate that today is also the memorial of St. Agatha, whose name in Greek means "Good." St. Agatha was indeed good, and she was killed by the ancient Romans because she was a Christian. Lent is time of martyrdom, of daily dying to self so that we may rise with Christ at Easter. Today's readings reflect this whole process of joy, mourning, and the final transformation of mourning back into joy.

In today's first reading from 2 Samuel, King David wins a victory. It is a joyful occassion, but one which quickly turns to mourning. David's son Absalom is dead. Anyone who is familiar with Absalom's life as depicted in 2 Samuel, will realize that he became one of David's worst enemies. Absalom attempted to overthrow his father and take the throne away from him, as we saw in yesterday's first reading. Many of the people of Israel followed Absalom, and not his father David. And yet, David is stricken with sorrow on hearing about his son's death. "If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!" (19:1). The life of Israel takes a tragic turn. Sons rebel against their fathers, and war tears apart families.

Today's reading from the Old Testament, however, is not the end of the story. We have the Gospel reading for today from Mark's Gospel. A synagogue official's daughter has died, but Jesus raises her from the dead. The family's mourning is turned into joy. Jesus has the power over life and death. By His own death and resurrection, Christ conquers death, and will raise all of us up to new life with Him.

Ordinary time is a joyful season between the seasons. It is a way of counting time, not by secular standards, but by living Jesus' life and the life of the Church liturgically, in God's time. We are about to enter the solemn season of Lent.

Let us truly prepare ourselves for this exciting spiritual journey. Let us long for the resurrection joy Easter brings. But for today, let us really celebrate with joy the end of the first part of this year's Ordinary time. Joyful celebration of Christ's saving work is a great way to prepare ourselves for the journey ahead. Let our joy be a prelude to the difficult, but wonderful spiritual journey that we will begin tomorrow on Ash Wednesday.

Jeff Morrow