A Special Lenten Message
Here we are, beginning Lent once again. Not so long ago, in Lent, we "did penance," prodded on by rules and regulations imposed by Mother Church. As time went on the rules and regulations were diluted more and more until they became like calico tea.
We used to fast thus and so, under orders — do's and don’ts — and, as the ashes splotched our foreheads, our enthusiasm was very high and we not only followed the rules and regulations (at least our intentions were strong at the beginning of Lent) but, we added our own sackcloth by resolving to give up this or that; to refrain from certain recreational activities, to say extra prayers, and to go to Mass daily, etc. etc.
Then, suddenly, Mother Church dropped the do's and don'ts and said, "You're big boys and girls now. It's time to cut away the apron strings. It's time you each do your own thinking about what it means to ‘do penance.’” This is the do-it-yourself era. So, what did we do?
Blank. A big blank; at least for a very great number of people, who promptly forgot all about penance.
But, after a certain amount of bewilderment, some people did begin to think about it, and with the thinking, there came a beginning of understanding of what Mother Church was trying to bring about. She was trying to take us out of our adolescent spirituality and to encourage us to strike out into full Christian maturity; which included a voluntary and intelligent striving to follow Christ's Way, His truth, and His life.
At this point, a little voice whispered in our ear, and began to prod us inside. "You cannot follow His way, His truth and His life, without doing penance" "Why penance?" we asked. Because, it answered, “…nothing unclean [defiled] will enter it [heaven].”[1] But, who is defiled, we want to know — "All sinners are defiled," comes the answer.
“Me a Sinner?” You bet — You and Me. Listen to what Jesus said, “If we say, ‘We have fellowship with him,’ while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.”[2]
Jesus didn't beat about the bush, did He? "Liar!" is exactly what He
said. He wasn't slow to call a spade a spade.
"Hypocrites," He came loose with that, more than once.
"Whitewashed wall!" was a favorite of His. Can you imagine the dirt that is hidden under some whitewashed walls?
"Vipers, stiff-necked people, how long do I have to put up with you?" But let's get back to the question, "Why penance!"
Let us picture Jesus coming upon two fishermen, James and John. Jesus says, "Follow me." They lay down their nets and follow Him.
Now picture Him again coming upon another group of people and saying, "Follow me." But these people are different. Those two weren't dressed like these. Those fishermen were first century people. These last ones are late twentieth century. They look familiar. They look like — why, they are you and me! “Follow me”: Jesus says.
Look at Him standing there straight and tall, His hand held out to us, His voice inviting. “Come to me. Come walk beside me.” A rueful smile crosses His lips, "I wish I could say my way is easy." He sighs. "It isn't; but, it is the true and only way. My way is the way of the penitent." His voice becomes deep and urgent "Repent," He admonishes us. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."[3] Suddenly He looks ten feet tall. He stands there very still, like a statue — yet, not like a statue, he is too alive for that. His eyes are not looking at us at all; He seems to have forgotten we are here. He is gazing far, far away.
Suddenly His body tenses, His lips draw tight, as though He is in pain, and all at once in our own mind's eye we sense what he is seeing — Jerusalem — a hill — Calvary — a Man, this same Man suspended high on a cross, blood dripping to the ground.
We hear a moan from a woman who is huddled at His feet; her eyes are looking up at Him in disbelief. "How can this be happening?" they ask. "How can this torn and tortured man see? His hair is matted with blood from the crown of thorns on His head and she says, "How can this be my son! What have they done to you?"
He looks down at her, His own eyes full of pain from the awful hurt that is in His body and in His heart. Their eyes meet and a deep empathizing passes between them. His lips part and He raises His eyes to heaven. "Father, forgive them", He begs. Then He looks back down at her, “forgive them, they know not what they do.”[4]
We come back to the present. We are sitting right here with His words ringing in our ears. “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”[5] At hand! It is here! Now! It is in each one of our hearts.
We asked a while ago, “Why penance?” This is why — because He succumbed to that terrible, torturous, undignified, stretching of His human body on a cross for us; that day so long ago, that is why!
It is because of the powerful love He showed on our behalf — that’s why! We feel a rushing up of our own love to Him, so strong it all but physically lifts our arms up to Him. We thank Him and adore Him and are so sorry. That is why!
Let Lent come. We welcome it. Let us put ashes on our foreheads and deny ourselves.
See how patiently He stands before Pilate. Let us be patient too. Someone spits in His face. See how humbly He stands there uttering no word of reproach. Let us be humble too.
Let us be penitent. Let us repent, knowing that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
So, now we know "Why Penance," But do we know what penance is!
To start off; let us say it is self-denial, and self-discipline, and self-control, and above all selflessness.
Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”[6]
Self-denial; self-discipline; self-control; and selflessness are somehow, obnoxious, aren’t they; deflating and not easy to live with. In fact, the only way they can be mastered is by a hatefully arduous, day-in-and-day-out forcing of ourselves to practice them.
Self-denial — what is it? It is fasting, yes. It is abstinence — but not just from things to eat or to drink or things we want to do or things we want to buy and all things like that. But, it is fasting from such things as wanting our own way all the time; from putting someone down; from showing off what we know, or what we have, or what we can do; from getting even; from talking about someone; from intolerance of the faults of others while excusing or overlooking our own faults; and a thousand other things that we find so very enjoyable.
Self-discipline, what is it? It is making ourselves do something we ought to do, but don't want to do.
“Why should I go to visit that old lady down at the end of the block? I don't even like her. I know she is lonely; but Jesus, why are you looking at me with that hurt look in your eyes. Oh, you want me to go. All right, I’ll go for you. Ah! Now Jesus, your eyes don’t look hurt any more. Instead they’re smiling, but you’ve got to go with me, Jesus. You’ve got to tell me the right things to say, she isn’t easy to talk to you know. You’ve got to put words in my mouth.”
Later — “Well, Jesus, here we are back. You know something Jesus, I’m glad I went! She was so glad to see me. I think I made her feel better. Come to think of it I feel better myself. Did you ever get this feeling Jesus, when you helped somebody, this sort of giddy, happy bubbling-over feeling inside you?”
So, “What is Penance?” It is doing the unpleasant little things we have to do so often in this vale of tears; for Him in union with His sufferings, His tiredness, His frustrations, and His grief. It is sacrificing to help others, as He sacrificed Himself for all of us. It is giving — lots of giving — alms; self; a smile; a word of encouragement; a word of praise for someone’s hateful task well done. It is giving compassion, companionship, understanding, and consolation. It is saying, "Lord, help me to console rather than be consoled; to understand rather than be understood.” But, not only that, not just poll-parroting words but also doing them, putting them into action and remembering that giving is sometimes simply to forgive.
“Repent!” You said, and John the Baptist said it, too. We hear you Jesus. Help us to repent. Help us to know your Kingdom is here, right now, in the heart of each of us who is a penitent who wants to do your will. It is in each one of us who reaches out our hand to you and then walks happily along beside you — loving you, dear Christ our Savior!
Lord Jesus, we bow our heads in humble reverence to adore your divine majesty, and step forward to shake hands with your humanity. Because you stooped to share our humanity, we are able to raise a tip-toe to share in your divinity.
Dear Lord God what more can anyone hope for, or say. Except to add the very fitting phrase, “We thank you!”