1st Sunday of Lent : The Path of Life is the Path of Christ
Following the Path of Christ brings life!
This means that we work for and with God, so that this entire world reflects this outward focus of God: a world of life, compassion, mercy, love.
There is a podcast in which these two women live to the letter a self help book for two weeks, and then they evaluate it. It can be quite funny and quite serious at the same time. They evaluate it to see if the process did help them in some way become a better person; if it helps them improve in some aspect of their individual lives.
Now there is nothing particularly wrong with Self Help books and techniques. I think a lot of people can get some insight into their lives and find some ways to grow as a person; maybe even find techniques to make life a bit better.
Now there is nothing particularly wrong with Self Help books and techniques. I think a lot of people can get some insight into their lives and find some ways to grow as a person; maybe even find techniques to make life a bit better.
There is a danger though of becoming too focussed on the “me”.
Our western society/philosophy is very “I” or “Me” centered. It is our philosophy that individual rights are more important than anything else. This defines our politics, it defines our economics, it defines many of our life styles.
Our western society/philosophy is very “I” or “Me” centered. It is our philosophy that individual rights are more important than anything else. This defines our politics, it defines our economics, it defines many of our life styles.
“My right to….” complete the sentence. This is behind abortion, euthanasia, gun rights, consumerism, pornography...etc.
Most of the suffering in our world, I believe, can be traced back to our preoccupation on me, myself and I.
Most of the suffering in our world, I believe, can be traced back to our preoccupation on me, myself and I.
Buddhists will say we suffer because we desire. Christians believe we suffer because we desire the wrong things.
We desire only for “me”, and when “I” don’t get what I want...so “I” get angry, sad, scared, and “I” take action against those who prevent “me” from doing and getting what “I” want.
We are created in God’s own image.
We are created “WE” centered.
We are created for others because God is Trinitarian and God is always outwardly focused.
We desire only for “me”, and when “I” don’t get what I want...so “I” get angry, sad, scared, and “I” take action against those who prevent “me” from doing and getting what “I” want.
We are created in God’s own image.
We are created “WE” centered.
We are created for others because God is Trinitarian and God is always outwardly focused.
This means that we work for and with God, so that this entire world reflects this outward focus of God: a world of life, compassion, mercy, love.
Genesis reflects on this, and how the “me” centeredness created chaos and death.
The Father, because the Father loves us, never gave up on us.
Sending the Son to us, The Father calls us home, calls us back to our true selves as persons.
In Christ, we are shown the way, the path to walk and be truly humans.
We are shown a path in which we are empowered to overcome suffering.
This powerful Gospel scene follows right after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, in which the Father spoke and declared Jesus as the beloved Son.
Jesus full of the love of the Holy Spirit that had descended upon him, goes on this journey, a hero’s journey.
He confronts the “me” centeredness; of power, of material possession, of the ego. He confronts the “original sin”.
He remains firm in his identity as the beloved Child of God; in his purpose in life to save humanity from walking down the wrong path and to return them to the right path. In his purpose to create the Father’s kingdom here on earth.
This identity is ours too. An Identity that will bring us to true life.
Lent was created long ago as a time for those who were becoming Catholic at Easter to meditate on their lives in a concentrated way.
Catechumens were to meditate upon the paths they had walked, reflect on where those paths had truly taken them; and to reflect on where they wanted to go, who they wanted to be. They were to see the new direction in life through the way of Christ.
This evening-our Catechumens, those who will be Baptized at Easter, and our Candidates, those already baptized as Christians and will join our Catholic Faith, are here with us.
They are being recognized by this parish for their journey thus far, and we send them to the Bishop who will bless them for the journey ahead.
Catechumens, Candidates….what is your path?
These next six weeks, you are called to reflect on the journeys you have already walked. And to reflect on the new journey in Christ.
A journey that will be marked by acts of compassion, generosity, mercy; a journey in which all life is valued, in which working for each other is valued, in which “my” rights cannot and must not harm those of others.
You will be tempted.
You will fail at times.
Remember this...Jesus, the Son of God, this great hero, was killed because humanity failed in a spectacular fashion!
So enamored were we of our power, our status, our egos,
So that we would get up and start again, and walk in the correct direction.
The Father, because the Father loves us, never gave up on us.
Sending the Son to us, The Father calls us home, calls us back to our true selves as persons.
In Christ, we are shown the way, the path to walk and be truly humans.
We are shown a path in which we are empowered to overcome suffering.
This powerful Gospel scene follows right after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, in which the Father spoke and declared Jesus as the beloved Son.
Jesus full of the love of the Holy Spirit that had descended upon him, goes on this journey, a hero’s journey.
He confronts the “me” centeredness; of power, of material possession, of the ego. He confronts the “original sin”.
He remains firm in his identity as the beloved Child of God; in his purpose in life to save humanity from walking down the wrong path and to return them to the right path. In his purpose to create the Father’s kingdom here on earth.
This identity is ours too. An Identity that will bring us to true life.
Lent was created long ago as a time for those who were becoming Catholic at Easter to meditate on their lives in a concentrated way.
Catechumens were to meditate upon the paths they had walked, reflect on where those paths had truly taken them; and to reflect on where they wanted to go, who they wanted to be. They were to see the new direction in life through the way of Christ.
This evening-our Catechumens, those who will be Baptized at Easter, and our Candidates, those already baptized as Christians and will join our Catholic Faith, are here with us.
They are being recognized by this parish for their journey thus far, and we send them to the Bishop who will bless them for the journey ahead.
Catechumens, Candidates….what is your path?
These next six weeks, you are called to reflect on the journeys you have already walked. And to reflect on the new journey in Christ.
A journey that will be marked by acts of compassion, generosity, mercy; a journey in which all life is valued, in which working for each other is valued, in which “my” rights cannot and must not harm those of others.
You will be tempted.
You will fail at times.
Remember this...Jesus, the Son of God, this great hero, was killed because humanity failed in a spectacular fashion!
So enamored were we of our power, our status, our egos,
The Father’s response?
The resurrection. There was no vengeance, no punishment.
There was compassion, mercy and love. There was life!
The resurrection. There was no vengeance, no punishment.
There was compassion, mercy and love. There was life!
So that we would get up and start again, and walk in the correct direction.
Catechumens, you will be baptized in about six weeks, just as Jesus was baptized. You are God’s beloved Children. Your pasts, washed away; you begin anew.
Candidates, already Baptized, You are God’s beloved Children. Your paths will change too. Your pasts, they are forgiven by God. You will walk anew.
We Catholics, we too are God’s beloved Children. We do not walk alone, but we walk for and with others. We walk for life, for compassion, for generosity, for equality; we walk for love. We walk with and and for all of humankind.
We all will work to make this world a better place, through those actions.
We all will teach our children by those actions.
We all will make present in our homes, schools, work places, all those virtues of God.
We too will fail, and sometimes we will fail spectacularly.
Yet, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that great “WE” are always there to lift us back up, and get us back on the correct way.
We are God’s Children.
Candidates, already Baptized, You are God’s beloved Children. Your paths will change too. Your pasts, they are forgiven by God. You will walk anew.
We Catholics, we too are God’s beloved Children. We do not walk alone, but we walk for and with others. We walk for life, for compassion, for generosity, for equality; we walk for love. We walk with and and for all of humankind.
We all will work to make this world a better place, through those actions.
We all will teach our children by those actions.
We all will make present in our homes, schools, work places, all those virtues of God.
We too will fail, and sometimes we will fail spectacularly.
Yet, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that great “WE” are always there to lift us back up, and get us back on the correct way.
We are God’s Children.
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