It is cold this time of year where I live. My bed is warm. In the night last night I woke up just a little, enough to appreciate the warmth of the covers as I turned over. It was 2 am. Into my cozy drift back to dreams came a thought: “Have you followed through yet on what you promised to do?”
Quickly I answered, “No, I’ll think about that tomorrow, when I’m awake. I’m sleeping now. No thoughts while I sleep.”
The thought countered, “You didn’t think about it yesterday. Or the day before. Think about it now.”
“No. I’m sleeping. Go away. Later. No thoughts now.”
Have you ever had a similar conversation in the middle of the night or while you did some mindless activity? You remember something you need to do to “set things right.” Your conscience puts before you something you know is the right thing to do, but which you have not yet done. Or perhaps you need to make amends to someone you have hurt. Or take the time to visit a neighbor or play with your children.
It is common to have such a mental conversation during the second week of Lent. This week Mother Church calls us to look beyond external Lenten practices to dig deeper in our souls. She helps us with today’s Scriptures.
Today’s first reading comes from Isaiah. Isaiah the prophet is urging the Jewish people in exile to “cease doing evil; learn to do good.” He is asking them to repent. This repentance was called Teshuvah in Hebrew. Teshuvah meant to turn away from evil and do good instead. It included “setting things right” by engaging in actions that showed sincerity of repentance and accomplished justice for past wrong done. In today’s reading Isaiah gives his listeners some examples of what they might do. “Make justice your aim, redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” He also gives some comforting words from God, “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.” He tells us what to do: “if you are willing and obey.”
We all have crimson stains on our souls. Often we discover one through taking on a penance for Lent. The scarlet stain we now discover may be directly related to the issue we intended to work on—or it may be about something we were ignoring. It comes to our attention now. Maybe God shows it to us in our thoughts. Or God points it out as our Lenten efforts aren’t quite working. He may confront us with a daily life problem.
If this is happening to you, good! God is accepting your efforts and blessing them. He may be disturbing the comfortable or comforting the disturbed in you. Either way, be willing and obey. God is working for your good!
In today’s Gospel Jesus builds on the concept of Teshuvah. He names what so often keeps us from letting God use our good Lenten intentions to move us to deep soul change. We settle for pretending to change. We settle for doing some exterior act of penance but leave our hearts out of it. We are proud of how hard we are working. We are critical of others or make life hard for them. Jesus points out in the Gospel that this is not what pleases God. “They preach but they do not practice.” “All their works are performed to be seen.” Those who do this are robbed of Teshuvah by pride.
I do not want to be a Pharasee. But the readings today help me realize I can be one. I can tell myself I’m doing enough of one thing that I justify ignoring thoughts in the middle of the night. I can be proud. I can resist, when I have trouble, letting God take over. I can try to do it all myself. Seeing that pride in me calls me to Teshuvah.
Deepening Your Reflection
Today is a good day to see what God is saying in your heart. Read the readings for today slowly. Find a phrase that speaks to you. Let it speak.
For me today it is “Come now, let us set things right.” Each word has meaning:
Come—God invites me to Teshuvah. I don’t have to do it. I am free. God respects my freedom. He also loves me. My experience is that whatever he invites me to do turns out to be good.
Let us—God comes with me to repentance and reparation. He is going to help me. We can do this together. Jesus paid the great price. God already did the hard part.
Set—If I set up chairs for a program or set the table for dinner, I am getting ready. I am putting things in place. Teshuvah means I need to get ready for action. I need a plan—or at least a clear idea of the first good thing to do. I also need to be prepared for change.
Things—Things here must mean whatever it is that is the event, relationship, or action that needs to change. Things are tangible, real. They can be felt and seen. Teshuvah means real action in real time. It starts in my heart, mind, and will, but it does not end there.
Right—What God asks of me is good. It is morally right. It is just, compassionate, truthful, and faithful. It is humble. It is loving.
From this meditation I just put 3 small steps on my To Do list for the week that will help me follow through on that matter of justice that came to mind in the night. I am moving toward setting things right. I am closer to Teshuvah.
What words in today’s reading speak to you? How can they lead you to Teshuvah?
Prayer of Petition:
“Lord, help me to be willing and obey what Scripture tells me today. Show me “the saving power of God.” Be my teacher. Be my master. Be my Lord.”
