Parish of St. Edward the Confessor Daily Lenten/Easter Reflections


lent
February 11, 2008

By

Fran Szpylczyn
lent

Reading 1
Psalm
Gospel

Text of Reflection:  
February 11, 2008

Sometimes a person who is not Catholic or Christian  will ask me with complete sincerity why my Catholic faith is as important to me as it is. There are many answers, but one of the most profound can be discovered here in today’s Gospel from Matthew. 

The real heart and soul of what speaks to me is found specifically in verses 35-40:

‘For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him and say,

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

And the king will say to them in reply,

‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

There is so much summed up in these few short verses.  It blows my mind every time I read them.

It is so simple of course- the command has been given to us in very clear language.  Love the Lord Your God and Love Your Neighbor As Self! 

Very easy to say and extremely hard to do. 

As part of my Lenten practice, I am trying to find those openings in my heart so that I may follow that path. <> 

Very easy to say and extremely hard to do. (it bears repeating!)

There are countless possibilities that are given to us from God, like tiny jewels all day, every day.  These are opportunities and invitations to serve, to give, to love.

And there are countless times that I avoid, ignore or react in distaste or fear to such invitations. 

Thus I take my stony heart, the one that God will replace with a living heart, filled with love. I present the stone to God who transforms it with great love, great tenderness and great patience.

Something he does over and over and over again.

 So when asked why my faith is so important to me and how can I take it seriously, one of the first things I will refer to is today’s Gospel.  I am hoping that one day I can stop talking or writing about it and just quietly do it in peace.
 

Which brings me to a closing note about simplicity and peace. Today is the Feast of St. Bernadette.  Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in a grotto on February 11, 1858. 

Bernadette was a quiet, poor child.  I think it is always interesting to note that God carefully chooses the humble and the simple among us to do His work.