Fasting as God Intends It

And if in the trials of Lent's fasting i doubt who God is, if He truly is Love and grace, compassion realised, friend, Father, the Almighty ... if i doubt what i am to do to come closer to Him, through his prophet Isaiah He spells it out:

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! (Is 58:6-9)

To forget my Self and actively reach out to others, i fast, pray and repent sins done. Fasting in the role of a servant walking the the footsteps of Love, i leave what i know behind. On the dark, unfamiliar path, i am to do what my Self would probably neglect out of discomfort. But this is the point! We have it all wrong. Outward signs inflate the ego and generate jealousy, envy and anger in others. In the stillness and solitude of my own heart i let my grossly inflated ego go on this desert walk, leaving that old familiar me sitting on a rock, complaining, warning, crying and threatening, both fearful and miserable, i can let it go and be a light shining in the wilderness with the Lord at my back. Like the dawn, He says, renewed, freed of my own yokes and oppressions. Free to love and truly be compassionate, like the Father, like the Son, one in the Holy Spirit.

Deo gratias.

Joy in Lent

A sober affair, no flowers, no organ with the mass, purple and cold (did they turn off the heat?), two catechists were blessed with oil, we all received ash-crosses on our forehead and listened to a homily on 'the Happy Sinner'.

Rend your hearts, not your garments (Jl 2:13)

Happy Sinner? I wish i could recall the homily verbatim, but the gist was that sin involves a relationship. A transgression involves more than one: one crosses a line drawn by another. It accrues bad karma. It throws ones conscience out of alignment. The Jews would tear their clothes as an outward sign of sin, but we are asked for inward signs, not public demonstrations to others, but earnestly acknowledge any shortcomings to God through prayer, our hearts.

...when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you (Mt 6:6)

This Ash Wednesday are told that to dwell on ones sins is in many ways self indulgence. Bad me. Poor me. However, think of others who have been affected by my sins and make it right! Lent is about prayer, penitence and fasting: pray to God, admit and undo faults done to others and fast for ones Self. Show fortitude and vigilance. Be forgiving and generous. Accept God's grace joyfully, because He gives it through Love. Though we may sin, being miserable is not God's intent, we are told. We shall be repayed by God fairly and justly for our efforts. As today's psalm says: Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (Ps 51)

And thus, though this is the season we are asked to voluntarily journey into our own desert for fourty days, to there be confronted by the consequences of our own actions, to meditate on the meaning we give to our own lives, we are not alone for God is with us with His mercy and grace. Though i have sinned, or chosen a lesser path, or transgressed, crossed a line i knew was there, may i be aware of this, know that i can do better and be both inspired and sustained by Love's eternal grace to come Home. How can i not be happy?

Deo gratias.

Wisdom

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace. (Jas 3 13:18)

Wisdom. The Buddha said that to fly we have two wing, wisdom and compassion. Both are needed and both compliment each other. Jealousy and Selfishness cannot bring about true wisdom.

So too, the Apostle James alerts us to two forms of wisdom, one inferior and destructive and the other divinely inspired wisdom, wisdom from above. When we are open to it, when we let it flood our hearts and minds, this wisdom can be seen in all in our actions, which are then Self-less, full of compassion and reaping good fruits for all. Pray. Meditate. Know yourself well enough to mindfully notice the rising of anger, jealousy, greed, aversion and all the poisons that fill our conditioned mind. When noticed, we can limit them. We cannot force them out in one day, but through patience and understanding, through the application of wisdom and compassion to our own lives, we can slowly but surely break the patterns and rituals, the habits and comfort zones, that keeps us prisoners to the sham of earthly wisdom, earthly passions and earthly despair.

Let go. Be vigilant. Know that there is divine wisdom ready to buoy us if we but ask. From the Gospel of Mark in today's reading: have faith and pray.

Deo gratias.