GOSPEL MT 6:1-6, 16-18
Story:
A businessman needing to attend a conference in a faraway city decided to travel on country roads rather than the freeways so he could enjoy a relaxing journey. After some hours of traveling he realized he was hopelessly lost. Seeing a farmer tending his field on the side of the road, he stopped to ask for directions. “Can you tell me how far it is to Chicago?” he asked the farmer. “Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer replied.
Well, can you tell me how far I am from Fond du Lac, WI?” the businessman questioned again.
“Well, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again replied. “Can you at least tell me the quickest way to the main road?” The exasperated businessman asked.
“Nope, I don’t rightly know,” the farmer again answered.
“You really don’t know very much at all, do you?” blurted the impatient businessman.
“Nope, not much, but I ain’t lost,” the farmer calmly answered.
Lent is a season of spiritual growth – and possibly we will need to take leave of the “business as usual” main roads in our lives and risk taking some back roads that may lead us into spaces within ourselves that we have hesitated visiting. We may find ourselves having to be more aware or watchful of signs and symbols that gently direct us to the next turn on our journey. We may even find ourselves a little lost and having to stop to ask for directions or just sit listening for the soft and intimate voice of the Divine whispering encouragement to our fearful and anxious hearts.
It is said that Lent is not an event – It is not something that happens to us. It is at most a microcosm of what turns out to be a lifelong journey to the center of the Self. The purpose of Lent is to confront us with ourselves in a way that’s conscious and purposeful, that enables us to deal with the rest of life well.
In our gospel today, Jesus addressees the three pillars of religion in ancient Judaism – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – the voice of Jesus down the ages warns us about being seduced into believing that any of the practices, by virtue of their own worthiness, is really religious.
About those who got their satisfaction out of standing up in the synagogues or praying on the streets, he warned his disciples “When you pray, go into your room alone and pray in secret.”
To those who gave great alms and in return got great publicity for it, he said, “When you give alms do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”
In regard to those whose fasting was done with public fanfare and insincere distress, he said to his own followers, “When you fast, dress up, look your best.” In other words, lighten up and smile!
So what is the Good News for us today?
The story goes that the Holy Man, Nasrudin was now an old man looking back on his life. He sat with his friends in the tea shop telling his story.
“When I was young I was fiery – I wanted to awaken everyone. I prayed to God to give me the strength to change the world.”
“In mid-life I awoke one day and realized my life was half over and I had changed no one. So I prayed to God to give me the strength to change those close around me who so much needed it.”
“Alas, now I am old and my prayer is simpler, ‘God,’ I ask, ‘please give me the strength to as least change myself.’”
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