Your Goals for Lent!
Please note! Jesus does not say anything about the State of Grace of your soul in the above quote. In our Gospel today which is the beginning of the sermon on the mount, Jesus is setting standards that go above and beyond the State of Grace of our souls.
One of my close relative who will remain nameless always jokes that she is hoping to live her life so that she just makes it to heaven before they close the doors. She is only joking. Nonetheless, Jesus is not joking.
One of my goals for Lent is to not just do the bare minimum but to surpass the minimum. Still, that isn’t the real reason for the Holy Season of Lent. The purpose is to change my heart. When Jesus spoke of surpassing the Scribes and Pharisees, He was talking of changing our hearts.
Any habit whether it is good or bad habit is based on repetition. So, taking Jesus’ words to heart means that I have to be more like Him. The purpose of ashes is not to compare smears from your neighbor. The purpose of Mass on Sunday is not to dress up and have coffee and donuts after Mass. The purpose of Mass is worship and the Eucharist. The purpose of Reconciliation is to free us of any sin. My mind is aware of this but is my heart willing to surpass the minimum.
Sometimes I am on auto pilot when it comes to my faith. My wife, Anna, says the only time I exceed the speed limit is going to Church. So, to correct my heart, I will have to start earlier and not speed. Tulsa Police will be happy to hear that. Still the sins I love are still desirable to me, but I must change. Ezekiel gives me the answer. When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.
My resolve today is to make sure my heart stays in the right place by using sacramentals and the sacraments as much as possible.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for children everywhere who are suffering. Pray for peace!
