Thinking Like Jesus In This 2nd Day of Working During Lent

Now that Lent has begun, we attend to the duties of our state of life within the folds of our special Lenten discipline. Our tasks are attended to with at least a touch more diligence. We make every effort to be charitable towards all with whom we come into contact on the job. We offe all difficulties, temptations and suffering to Our Lord (as always) but perhaps we think of Him Crucified for us, as we work our way towards Good Friday.

Of course, we cannot think that we've flipped a switch and will instantly transform into saints overnight. And if we find, as these days of Lent move along, that we struggle to stick to our discipline, that perhaps we fall short of the perfection in its execution, well, Our Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He will know which of our failings in simply due to our fallen human nature, and the weakness built in to us because of it.

Here is another little piece by Archbishop Goodier that can encourages us to meditate on the mind of Jesus. Perhaps it will help us to get outside of ourselves, if only for a few moments and seek to know and imitate Our Lord in this special way even as we attend to our daily work:

 The Mind of Jesus

‘Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.’
Grant, Jesus Christ,
That I may know Your mind
That I may think with Your mind
That I may see things as You see them
The end You would attain
The means by which You would attain it
That I may feel about things
As You feel about them
That I may use them as You would have me use them
That I may be what You want me to be
That I may do what You want me to do
That I may endure what You want me to endure
Because You want it
Because I want what You want
In the way You want it, which may not be mine
As You Yourself would do and endure
Were You in my place
That You may have the fruit of it
Though nothing come to me
Because it is Your right. Because I wish to give it
Who have nothing else to give
To prove that I love
To prove at least that I wish to love
That Your joy may be in me
That my joy may be in You.
Of myself I can do nothing
In You I can do all things
Have a care of me. Or I shall offend You
Have a care of me. And I shall be able to give
Have a care of me. And my heart will never fear.

(Archbishop Alban Goodier, S.J.)

We conclude our thoughts on this 2nd day of Lent with our traditional conclusion during this Holy Season:

We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee,

Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.