Remembering the Whole Point of Lenten Discipline as We Head Into Holy Week
We're in the final stretch of Lent 2015. Holy Week begins next week. Ideally, despite temptations to slack off, you've kept at it and stuck with your Lenten discipline, even in these final days. Here's something to remember now, as we prepare for the holiest week of the year which will begin on Palm Sunday: Christ redeemed us through His passion, death and resurrection.
Okay, so you knew that already. But are you living it? Knowing it and living it are two different things. You're living it when your interior life grows, when your soul revives from the torpor induced by the lasting effects of Original Sin. Yes, baptism cleansed you of Original Sin. But it's effects linger in the form of a tendency to sin. We're subject to concupiscence, those inordinate desires that lead to sin. So our fallen nature needs work. Our Lenten discipline is part of that work, a special and most important part. Our persistence in our discipline will - or should - lead to spiritual transformation. That's the mark of growth in the interior life.
Remember that growth in our interior life leads to our living a new Divine Life, one that makes us more and more like God. Remember that Our Lord said, “Unless you be converted,” that is, changed, “you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
So remembering this, we now know the sense of our struggle during these 40 days. You shouldn't have to ask, "Struggle for what?" You know.
For the remainder of Lent, we take a last dose of encouragement and inspiration from St Paul. We take his encouragement to heart now so that when Lent has ended, we remember to continue our struggle, so that we don't become lax and fall back into our old ways. We're changing for the better and we want that to continue. We want to not only retain the strength gained from our Lenten discipline, but also to continue to increase that strength throughout the year, day after day. For a reminder of exactly how to do that, we listen to what St Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:
Okay, so you knew that already. But are you living it? Knowing it and living it are two different things. You're living it when your interior life grows, when your soul revives from the torpor induced by the lasting effects of Original Sin. Yes, baptism cleansed you of Original Sin. But it's effects linger in the form of a tendency to sin. We're subject to concupiscence, those inordinate desires that lead to sin. So our fallen nature needs work. Our Lenten discipline is part of that work, a special and most important part. Our persistence in our discipline will - or should - lead to spiritual transformation. That's the mark of growth in the interior life.
Remember that growth in our interior life leads to our living a new Divine Life, one that makes us more and more like God. Remember that Our Lord said, “Unless you be converted,” that is, changed, “you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
So remembering this, we now know the sense of our struggle during these 40 days. You shouldn't have to ask, "Struggle for what?" You know.
For the remainder of Lent, we take a last dose of encouragement and inspiration from St Paul. We take his encouragement to heart now so that when Lent has ended, we remember to continue our struggle, so that we don't become lax and fall back into our old ways. We're changing for the better and we want that to continue. We want to not only retain the strength gained from our Lenten discipline, but also to continue to increase that strength throughout the year, day after day. For a reminder of exactly how to do that, we listen to what St Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.Forge ahead gentlemen. Next stop, Holy Week.
We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee,
because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
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