Today, in the first reading, we read about two dirty old men who wanted to put Susanna to shame and death because she refused their lustful and evil desires. Don’t we still have such people in our society today?
What did God say to these two dirty old men? Says, “Wickedness has come out of Babylon,” “They have suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments.”
The Gospel story has some similarities with our first reading episode. It’s about dirty old men, the Pharisees, who presented a woman to Jesus who was caught in adultery. As we know from the preceding narratives, this was a trap. Jesus told them: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” None did! The old men shamefully disappeared, one after another.
Jesus then turned his attention to the woman who was now standing alone before Jesus. He asked her, “Has not one condemned you?” None, Sir, she said. Jesus added “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on, do not sin anymore.” Go and sin no more. She got a second chance, an opportunity to turn her life around.
Lent is a holy season of grace. A time to turn things around. The word “Lent” means ‘Springtime.” Springtime is a special time when farmers prepare the ground for planting season. Preparing the ground for planting season and planting the crops or seeds is a meticulous process. The ground must be prepared. Weeds have to be pulled, dirt must be loosened and tilled, and rocks have to be removed. In some cases, a little topsoil or fertilizer needs to be applied. During this time of preparing the ground, the farmer removes and destroys what is not needed but leaves what he needs.
Once the ground has been prepared, the farmer prepares the rows in which the crops will be planted. The good seeds would be sought out for planting. Then, the planting begins. The gardener gets down on his hands and knees with a trowel and carefully puts each seed at an appropriate depth into the ground before covering it over again with dirt.
Planting seeds is a careful and thorough process. And once the seeds are planted, the work continues. The seeds have to be watered. Weeds have to be pulled to keep them from choking out the plants. Animals and bugs have to be warded off. And if all goes well, the gardener will enjoy a bountiful harvest as the season progresses. He reaps the fruits of his labor. As the Scripture says, “Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.” (Psalm 126:5)
So, also, during Lent, Springtime, we prepare ourselves, dig out and uproot what is not needed, what is not necessary, bad habits, uproot and turnover the bad soil, the deadly sins: greed, envy, jealousy, wickedness, pornography, vainglory, pride, covetousness, lust, inordinate or illicit sexual desire, envy, gluttony, wrath or anger, and sloth.
We get rid of these vices in order to plant and replace them with virtues: humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, Joy, Peace, Forgiveness, and diligence.
Like a farmer during the planting season, if we do our preparing during Lent well at Easter You and I would reap the fruits, the grace of God. We would be happy with the new and better version of ourselves, better than we were at the beginning of Lent.
As you and I have come to know, Lent is not a time to diet and exercise to look your best, but it also isn’t a time for “spiritual body-building” either, becoming “the best version of yourself” for our own sake only. It is a time to better fulfill the ultimate two commandments: Love God above all things and your neighbor as yourself. At Easter, when you and I leave the season of Lent, let’s leave as a better Christian and a better person overall. Let’s take advantage of the remaining days in Lent to do something to better ourselves for the long-term. Making a meaningful change that lasts beyond the season of Lent and ultimately helps us become the best version of myself.
