Archive for March, 2014

“There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.

Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.

When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, your asking is a mockery.

Let this be the pattern for all men when they practice mercy: show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you want others to show mercy to you…

Let us offer our souls in sacrifice by means of fasting. There is nothing more pleasing that we can offer to God, as the psalmist said in prophecy: A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God does not despise a bruised and humbled heart…

Fasting bears no fruit unless it is watered by mercy. Fasting dries up when mercy dries up. Mercy is to fasting as rain is to earth. However much you may cultivate your heart, clear the soil of your nature, root out vices, sow virtues, if you do not release the springs of mercy, your fasting will bear no fruit.

When you fast, if your mercy is thin your harvest will be thin; when you fast, what you pour out in mercy overflows into your barn. Therefore, do not lose by saving, but gather in by scattering. Give to the poor, and you give to yourself. You will not be allowed to keep what you have refused to give to others.”

Peter Chrysologus (c. 380-450) Bishop of Ravenna in “Sermon 43” in Patrologia Latina 52.

If you felt like you read an excerpt of a good sermon this morning, it’s because you did! His name literally means: Peter “golden-worded.” He was known for his insightful sermons.

Even as Jesus reminds in Matthew 6 that the Father sees and knows our hearts when we pray, fast and give, Peter Chyrsologus helps us see how the function of such activities transforms us and helps us experience life in the Kingdom as our Lord intended. May this understanding help give meaning to our practice of prayer, fasting, and giving this Lent.

“Prayer, fasting, and sharing must include reflection on the social dimensions of sin in our world where many people do not have an adequate share of the world’s resources. Our commitment to prayer and fasting must include a commitment to issues of justice and equality for all people. It is hypocrisy to pray and fast and then assert that the poor of the world are not our problem…”

Mary Birmingham, Word & Worship Workbook (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1990) 135.

There’s more than enough for everyone in this world but not everyone has enough, so those with more than enough get to share. Our prayer, fasting, and sharing must lead to action. How is God stirring within you?

“The gift of Christ’s body and blood is the gift that keeps on giving: Christians give because of what they have first received. Instructing Corinthian Christians on how to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, the Apostle Paul prefaces his remarks with the paradigm for giving: “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you… (1 Cor 11:23). The implication was clear: Give what you have so abundantly received…Christ’s gift patterns the giving of every gift.”

Martha Stortz in “Finding the Face of Stewardship” in Rethinking Stewardship: Our Culture, Our Theology, Our Practices (St. Paul, MN: Word & World, 2010) 59.

Today’s the first feast day of Lent. Let us feast on Jesus, the gift that keeps on giving. As we do this, may the Holy Spirit guide each of us as to whom we are to give that which we have so abundantly received, so that our generosity follows Christ’s pattern.

“There is nothing we can desire or want that we do not find in God.”

Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) in Letter T360.

Part of the journey of Lent is learning where we find everything we will ever need: God alone. The best way to help others grasp this is to live like we believe it.

“It is also important to remember in times of fasting, such as Lent, that we’re not just “giving something up,” but we’re “giving something over” and the less we take, the more we can give. Christians always saw this as a time for alms-giving, the practice of giving to the poor and needy. So, when we think of Lent, we think of service and pouring out into the streets so that the world can know the riches of the love of God. As we do all these things, the love of God becomes clearer in our hearts.”

Zachary K. Perkins in “What Christians Get Wrong about Lent” article for Relevant Magazine, posted on 5 March 2014.

Why 40 days? This article reminds readers that the 40 days of Lent mirror the timeframe that Moses spent on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13; Matthew 4:1-11). The placement of Lent in the church calendar also serves as a time of community preparation for our celebration of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Personally, I like that it’s 40 days long because that’s about how long it takes for something to go from my head to my heart, and the transformation of my heart is what God desires through my fasting, praying, and generosity to the poor (Matthew 6:1-18). Only through such transformation do I become a reflection and conduit of His love to a lost and needy world.

“The Lord calls us to be freed from whatever possesses us so that the only treasure that matters to us is the Kingdom of God.”

Steven Nyl in Redemptorists of the Denver Province post on 3 March 2014.

We are learning that what we think we own really owns us, because only God owns everything. And we are finding that the call to let go of things is actually invitation to freedom. So as Lent begins we are asking this question: “What things do we need to be freed from?”

“Today is the beginning of the lenten fast…In Ash Wednesday’s gospel, from the sixth chapter of St. Matthew, Jesus offers advice about the discipline. Notice Jesus does not say, “if you fast.” Jesus says, “when you fast.” Many Christians struggle with Jesus’ commandment to pray, fast, and give alms. People want to know how…Lenten fasting usually means eating and drinking less than usual…Lenten fasting also means less entertainment, less music, less nonsense…Ash Wednesday is a kind of slap in the face to bring us to our senses… We try to do things consciously, deliberately…We forget ourselves…In the language of the church, this is called “mortification,” which means, “death to self.” We live for others. Eventually, living simply and justly and kindly becomes our way of life.”

Mary Ellen Hynes, Companion to the Calendar (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1993) 13-14.

Many Christians today don’t observe Lent. It is so sad. Some say that rituals were forced on them in their youth so they want nothing to do with them as an adult. Others recall hypocrites that participated in lenten traditions, and consequently, they want nothing to do with the season. While Lent might be optional, the activities aren’t! Open the word. Read Matthew 6:1-18 for yourself. Jesus is not vague. Giving to the poor, praying and fasting are not optional activities.

Notice the key for Jesus is to have the right heart attitude. Ironic isn’t it that people who do these activities for show not only miss the point before God; they turn others off! So here’s my plea. Don’t participate in Lent unless you are ready for a season of sacrifice, mortification, and transformation. Those who embark on the journey will find that Lent is a gift. We get to dedicate time to growing in three vital aspects of the faith: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Are you in?

“Lenten fasting, almsgiving and support, prayer and bible study–practices such as these unite all men and women. The wealthier taste the hunger of those more poor than themselves, those more poor share their own heroic dependence on God and their neighbor with the wealthier who can otherwise become too independent and self-sufficient. By these alms the proud can offer the destitute an opportunity for self-respect; by their gracious acceptance the poor can teach the proud how to be of humble heart before God and neighbor.”

Caroll Stuhlmueller, Biblical Meditations for Lent (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1978) excerpt from reading for Monday of the first week of Lent.

Why observe Lent? Why dedicate time for prayer? Why identify earthly attachments and fast from them? Why give to a needy neighbor, or graciously receive the support from a generous one? These activities draw us closer to Christ and each other and prepare us to celebrate the resurrection together.

Take time today to pray? Is the glory of the cross of Christ overshadowed by anything in your life?   identify something to fast from? It might be anything from food to Facebook. Follow the Spirit’s leading to reallocate time and money to serving a neighbor in need. In so doing, may God transform us together on the road to Calvary.

“What we do, let us so do it, as not to seek or desire human applause: let the good work be done publicly, but let the intention be secret, that we may, by our good works, excite others to follow our example, and yet, by the purity of our intention, seek only to please God, desiring they should be known to him.”

Gregory the Great (540-604) as recounted in Short Instructions, Or, Meditations on the Gospels for Each Day in Lent by Pacificus Baker (New York: Christian Press, 1904), 28-29.

As we consider making sacrifices in order to serve others this Lent, let us be sure our hearts are in the right place by blessing our neighbors, but we must not do it for applause. As others see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven, may they  be inspired follow our example and, in the words of Gregory, “seek only to please God” along with us.

“Those that give alms only to those they consider worthy, have reason to pray that the Lord in judging them will not follow their example.”

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) as recounted by Charles Jerome Callan in Illustrations for Sermons and Instructions (New York: Joseph Wager, 1916) 309.

Lest we think we are capable of judging who is worthy and unworthy of our aid, Teresa reminds us of the implications of such a judgment. Let us instead err on the side of gracious generosity.