Keeping The First Sunday of Lent Holy

For this first Sunday of Lent, we continue our recent theme of keeping Sunday holy. As before, we offer some solid spiritual reading from a good traditional source to serve as a possible focus for some Sunday meditation. Let's consider taking some time not only to read this but also to allow Father's thoughts to penetrate deep into our souls as we begin our 40 days of Lent.

The selection here isn't specific to Lent. In fact, it's theme is the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, after Our Lord's birth. Simeon has held the Baby in his arms, thanking God for having permitted him to see the Messiah. He then turns to Mary with what may have sounded like disturbing words at the time. Our writer uses Simeon's words to help us better understand pain and it's place in our spiritual lives.

Pain, so central and, for many of us, so prevalent in our lives, connects well with Lent. If we take seriously our pursuit of penitential practices, we inevitably will find pain waiting right around the corner. If we stick with our Lenten discipline, the pain of penances persistently pursued will simply take it's assigned place in our daily routine. 

But there's another sort of pain that comes at us from time to time that may not so easily accepted. These are the sorts of pains that Father Francis P. LeBuffe writes about. Understanding and appreciating the pain our Blessed Mother would face in her life will help each of us face and better understand whatever pain we do now or will face in our lives. Our key to understanding and enduring will be Father's description of the "Sacrament of Pain."

“Mary stood within the Temple precincts and, as she received her Baby Jesus back into her arms, she heard the future’s hidden story told her dimly by holy Simeon: ‘And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.’ Strange words for the Mother of God! Yes, strange in a way, but Mother Mary had long since known that pain of mind and heart is the price of being near to God. Gabriel’s Incarnation message had filled her soul with prudent questionings; Joseph’s manifest worry made her run to God for help; Caesar’s edict had meant mile upon mile of weary traveling, and Herod’s cruelty had made her hold her Infant God protectingly in her arms. Pain had been her share since she became God’s Mother, and now God’s prophet drew aside a bit the veil that hides the future – and pain, more pain is there. Thus it was with her whom Christ loved as only the Man-God could love His Mother. He had it in His Heart to want to give her what was best and He had it in His power to give it. And what did He give? The sacrament of pain.

“What a mystery is pain! To find a young life thrown bruised and bleeding on the highway of the world or lying whitened and palsied on its weary bed while companions awaken echoes with their merry laughter; to see the tear-dimmed eye of the mother fearful for her wayward child; to mark the careworn brow of the father to whom men deny the pittance that would keep gaunt hunger from his little ones; to watch the faded dreams of the young and the cheated hopes of the old – what can it all mean? Where can the answer to this ancient riddle be? We know the answer and it was God Himself who taught us. Hard it is, so very hard, to bear with pain, and Christ our Lord knew this. He knew man’s fallen nature and He knew its need of pain, but He knew, too, of its constant rebellion against all that smarts and chafes, and so He sanctified pain in its every form and made it what it is – a sacrament, a giver of grace, if we but receive it aright.” 

- Fr. Francis P. LeBuffe, S.J.

Bearing with such pain can be a mighty penance. With Lent now upon us, we might consider this as part of our ongoing penitential discipline. Giving things up is OK. But bearing our pain patiently and quietly may better bring us close to Our Lord and Our Mother Mary during this Holy Season.

We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee,

Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.