Facing a new week
Sunday should be a day of rest. But it's a tough time for a lot of people. As Sunday wears on, they're thinking of work - and feeling anxious. Maybe they don't like their jobs, or having to face an unpleasant boss or working environment; maybe they're thinking of all they've got to do and feel overwhelmed. Why can't we be one of those few fortunate souls who love what they do? Why can't we be financially secure so that our job isn't such a dominant factor in our lives?
How can Lent help us here? Let's start with the basics we talked about earlier. Lent is where we lay the axe to the root of anything that keeps us from having a close and loving relationship to God. And, interestingly, both anxiety and security can keep us from God. We turn to the words of St Leo the Great in his Sermon 49:
"There is a snare in security, a snare in fear; and it matters not whether the mind which is given over to earthly thoughts is taken up with pleasures or with cares; for it is equally unhealthy to languish under empty delights, or to labor under racking anxiety."
St Leo understood that whether we're rich or poor, whether we're satisfied in our situation or unhappy and anxious, temptation and distraction abounds to keep us from Christ. And that's what really matters - our relationship to Christ.
Think of Lent as a time to sharpen our focus, to concentrate better on what really matters. The anxiety of a Sunday evening, the satisfaction of our worldly accomplishments can all keep our attention on ourselves, instead of on Christ.
How can Lent help us here? Let's start with the basics we talked about earlier. Lent is where we lay the axe to the root of anything that keeps us from having a close and loving relationship to God. And, interestingly, both anxiety and security can keep us from God. We turn to the words of St Leo the Great in his Sermon 49:
"There is a snare in security, a snare in fear; and it matters not whether the mind which is given over to earthly thoughts is taken up with pleasures or with cares; for it is equally unhealthy to languish under empty delights, or to labor under racking anxiety."
St Leo understood that whether we're rich or poor, whether we're satisfied in our situation or unhappy and anxious, temptation and distraction abounds to keep us from Christ. And that's what really matters - our relationship to Christ.
Think of Lent as a time to sharpen our focus, to concentrate better on what really matters. The anxiety of a Sunday evening, the satisfaction of our worldly accomplishments can all keep our attention on ourselves, instead of on Christ.
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