Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent. Ashes were distributed today during our liturgies. Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice, a spirit that allows us to enter the Lenten season with an appropriate state of mind and state of heart. Often we talk about giving something up for Lent – but this can be quite a superficial thing to do, as it often does not accompany a change in our behaviour and thinking. Many of us use Lent as a kick-starter for a diet or new exercise regimen – almost like a new year’s resolution. Lent is much more than this. Lent is a preparation for Easter and leads to the Passion of Christ, so a simple focus on giving up coffee or chocolate or whatever it may be does not prepare us appropriately for this. This kind of sacrifice is misguided. The following is adapted from a beautiful Lenten commentary by the writer Alex Basile.
Lent should be about living the Gospel every day. The Gospels are defined as the life, teachings, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. To get to the heart of its message, we must examine how Jesus lived. We may be surprised that the actions of Jesus were consistently simple. He spent every moment pulling the lost and forgotten back into the fold. In other words, Lent should initiate our awareness of those who need the most attention. There are many people who live in our shadow that require our immediate care. The lonely need to hear the voice of compassion. The sick demand our companionship. The alienated call out for friendship. Our broken relationships need the assistance that only the love of Christ can repair. We need to sacrifice our pride and our time to live this out.
Lent requires a redefinition of the word “sacrifice.” We assume that the word “sacrifice” means giving something away or denying ourselves of something. Lent should raise our awareness of the things we take for granted. Our Lenten sacrifice highlights our free will. Since creation, God has left us to our own devices to choose our own path. During this season, we must reflect on what we have and what we need to change. We hear of how Christians are persecuted in other countries for their faith. In a country where we say and do as we please, are we giving Jesus and those around us all that we truly can?
Lent is time for spiritual “spring cleaning.” What are the unwanted habits that you want to eliminate from your life? What are the certain behavioural patterns that make you less than the perfect Christian does? The way to answer these questions is through reflection and prayer. Older Catholics speak of a type of Lent where music and television were put on hold for the season. Although this practice has faded, we must discover our own peace and quiet during Lent. The only way to reveal the interior life is through silence. Separate from the chaos and surrender to prayer. Put yourself in the presence of God and just talk to Him.
Conversion requires a complete turn in a different direction. Leave the old you behind. We need to make Lent our new beginning. Follow the advice from Saint Teresa of Calcutta:
“As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus’ thirst… ‘Repent and believe’ Jesus tells us. What are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor – He knows your weakness. He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you.”
Last weekend the College was given the very sad news that Trystein Carceres (class of 2017) died under tragic circumstances. Trystein had been living in Sydney. This understandably is a very difficult time for Trystein’s close family, friends and teachers and of course our thoughts are with them.
Eternal rest grant unto Trystein, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
I would like to share with you a reflection of the events of the last week involving the Catholic Church in Australia. This reflection has been written by Father Kevin Bates sm, a Marist priest based in Sydney. Some of you may know Fr Kevin from the hymns he has written over the past few years.
When Our Family Hurts
“The events of this week have brought the human frailty of our Church into sharp relief. Following the news of Cardinal Pell’s conviction, the response in the media, among politicians and among parishioners has been understandably diverse.
Right through our community there is deep pain and disillusion. This may lead people to walk away from the Church altogether, feeling betrayed by an institution in which they had placed such trust. Others will be questioning whether justice has in fact been done and will be waiting for the outcome of the appeal which may be months away.
Whatever our feelings and in whichever direction our anger, shame and judgements are directed, we as a Church are hurting. In a state of confusion, anger and pain, we may not be in the best position to reflect on what has been happening and to shape a future direction for ourselves.
Perhaps when the time is right, we can take a second look, unravel the various elements of the events of these days and then come to a response that offers hope and healing.
We may realise anew that the Church at every level, is made up of people who are both holy and frail. We may understand that the Church’s politics have sometimes been as self-serving as those of any other political entity. We may remember that scandal and sin have coexisted with holiness and grace all through the Church’s history.
We may also realise again that the Church is not an end in itself but is a vehicle for the coming of God’s Kingdom among us. This thought may help us re-align where we place our ultimate trust. In other words, is my trust ultimately in the institution of the Church or rather in the Gospel and in my relationship with Jesus? Perhaps any trust I now place in the institution of the Church will be tempered by a certain realism.
For many of us, our experience of Church centres on our local parish or other community. Here we are among people of faith, people we love and respect, people with whom we can have a good argument, people with whom we pray.
It’s here at this level that we can, each of us, play our part in the healing of our family of faith. It’s here we can support and challenge each other. It’s here we can reflect on the events of the day and form a response together that will enable us to move on.
It’s here that our understanding of ourselves as Church, as this community of faith may be able to ripen. Once we are clear in our understanding of ourselves and our mission as a community, then we stand ready to gain the insights and nourishment from the Gospel that in the end will be our true anchorage.
As we seek a way forward together, we pray for all the wisdom, understanding and patience that we will need. Let’s offer one another some attentive listening so that people can express openly what is in their hearts and seek some clarity from there.
When a living relationship with Jesus becomes our common starting point, we have a place from which we can re-build the trust that has been so badly shaken, clear the vision that has been distracted or distorted and heal the pain that has so weighed on us.
May God’s compassion and justice guide our next steps.”
(Father Kevin Bates sm)
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever
Christus Lux Mea
Joe Zavone (College Principal)