Ash Wednesday Feb 25

Today, we begin the holy season of Lent. This reflection will focus on what is really important during to address during Lent – relationships. There are three relationships we are urged to pay attention to: our relationship with God (Mt 6: 1-4), with others (Mt 6: 5-15) and with self (Mt 6: 16-18). At the end of the Lenten season if we can find ourselves in deeper and healthier relationship with God, others, and self, then our Easter joy will indeed be a divine experience. The gospel reading leads us in the direction of relationships. Jesus picks out three areas that his disciples need to focus on: almsgiving (relationship with others), prayer (relationship with God), and fasting (relationship with self).With regard to our relationship with God, Jesus urges us to isolate those things that make for a superficial prayer life. Rather, Jesus instructs his disciples to “pray to your Father in secret” (Mt 6:6). The instruction does not rule out all community prayer. Jesus himself took part in these community celebrations, and moreover, he instructed his disciples to “do this (break bread) in memory of me.” Jesus’ real instruction is to transform our relationship with God into a genuine human longing for God. This requires that we invest time and resources to build a sincere relationship with God. With regard to our relationship with others, Jesus urges his disciples to avoid self-centered relationships. Almsgiving is meant to make us focus our vision on other people’s needs. In other words, if we are in a marriage to get what we can get out of it, if in our friendships our primary concern is our benefit, if in our relationship with the poor, we give charity so that we can feel good rather than fulfill other person’s need, then Jesus is instructing us to transform our way of thinking. In each of our relationships we are encouraged to focus on the other first. With regard to our relationship with self, Jesus urges us to discipline ourselves, so that we can be image of God that we have been created. We must love ourselves enough to make the sacrifices to keep ourselves holy. Fasting is meant to remind us that just as without food we will die, without God we will die eternally. Rather, in spiritual discipline, we must find our true self in God. It is common that we fail in these areas. That is why the church sets this time apart to “Rend our hearts, not our garments, and return to the LORD, our God” (Joel 2:12-13). Also St. Paul in the second reading urges us, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” True reconciliation should lead us to more genuine relationship with God, others and self. Let us pray about these three relationships and this lent work toward transforming our relationships into genuine and sincere relationships.