Personal repentance and recognizing our mortality are the two hallmarks of the Lenten season. As Fr. John Ricardo says, “the whole point of this is that when we come to the end of 40 days, we look a little more like Christ.” We are more free; we are more centered; we are more aware — of ourselves, of others, of our proximity to the divine. I saw a post by my friend Matt. In it, he asked a question and made a statement, so I thought I’d answer with my thoughts.
Matt — During this Lenten season, what can we repent of? What can we let go of that is harmful to ourselves or others. Toxic relationships? Negative self-talk?
Repentance is recognizing a problem, naming it, confessing it, and making a change. To grow as a person, it requires introspection. We need to be able to honestly examine ourselves and identify areas that are causing negativity. I had a talk with my sister, Sara, about how we so often speak negativity over ourselves — even simple statements like “I look like crap today.” I was talking with another friend last night and they were feeling, “I’m such a screwup and tired of failing all the time.” When we say those things about ourselves and to ourselves as we look in the mirror, we embrace those emotions; those thoughts become a piece of us and can even begin to define us. Countering those thoughts with truth about who were are is key. The scriptures say, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous–how well I know it” (Psalm 139:14). Despite our missteps and feelings of failure, worthlessness, we are created unique and beautiful. That’s the truth to hold on to. The Message says it like this: “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” None of us are a mistake. There was great intention from our creator for each of our lives. Even when we fall and fail, we get up and keep going. It’s time to get rid of the toxic stuff in our lives that cause us to wallow in negativity and self doubt. Name it. Confess it. Move on to places of affirmation, hope, positivity. Get your head straight and your heart will follow.
Matt — As we remember that we are, in fact, mortal and we will, in fact, die, it is helpful to remember that life is precious and short. Jesus came to bring us “abundant life,” so let’s live well and abundantly in this short time we have.
We hold to the hope of eternity [the next beyond, as it were] yet we live with passion and wonder while we are here now. Indeed, life is precious, and beautiful, and full of great challenges and trials. Life can beat us down if we let it, or those trials can turn us into amazingly strong, victorious, people with perspective and wisdom. When Christ spoke of abundant life, He meant full, overflow, more than enough. When we have more than enough and we experience the joy of that overflow, it is a natural instinct to give, to serve, to bless. So we become conduits of blessing which brings others joy, which causes us joy for seeing their joy… it’s just an amazing cycle of beauty. Our perspective on mortality can cause us to live in fear — cautious, suspicious, negative. Or, we can embrace the reality that we will indeed die, and each day is a blessing. Each moment of eye-wiping ridiculous laughter, gatherings around the table swapping stories, incredible physical achievements and feats that shake your head in wonder, experiencing the new life and wonder of a child, and how each sunset at the beach is a painting and a beautiful moment of reflection and pause. We have the opportunity to share our faith and the good news of Christ, the giver of hope and salvation, from whom all good gifts originate. This is abundance.
This is the point of Lent. Repent. Change. Experience abundance and give it out while we are here. That’s a pretty big part of the good news… the word we call … gospel.