A few years ago, I visited Badrinad Temple, one of the three pilgrim centers of Hinduism in India. The High Priest in this center has the status of a Demigod. Imagine the process to get an audience with such a high profiled personality. However, I was lucky enough to get an appointment with him. During our meeting I asked him: Where are you from? He did not respond to me right away. He looked at me as if I had asked him a stupid question. After a long pause, he broke the silence and said, “Father if we knew from where we are coming and to where we are going how nice it would be”. I never forget that meeting. His remark still echo in my heart.
Life is not a destination in itself. It is a journey. It is a journey towards God, the Alpha and Omega of our existence. We need to ask this question constantly: Where are we today on our journey of life, especially in our relationship with God and with one another. In fact these were the two questions God asked the first human family. God asked Adam, “Adam where are you?” God asked Cain, “Cain where is your brother Abel?” (Gen 3: 9, 4:9)
The best time to examine the route of our journey is the time of Lent. It is a time to reclaim and restore our focus. Jesus went through a discernment process at the crucial juncture of his life, just before inaugurating his mission. He went to the desert (Mt 4:1-11). In the silence of the desert, he discovered the two conflicting voices: the voice of his self and the voice of God. Why do you remain hungry? You have the power even to change stone into bread! Why don’t you use it for your own advantage?’ He recognized this as a temptation to satisfy the hunger of his bodily desires using inappropriate method and things. He also found his human desire for popularity and worldly riches. He discovered the voice of his self for possession, position and passion. He became aware of the distractions on the way and renewed his commitment to the will of God. He listened to the voice of God.
Temptation is real. Temptation, unlike opportunities, will always give us a second chance (O.B.Battista). Devil is smart. They won’t tempt us any more with bad stuff. They tempt us with things which have glittering appearances. For instance, one may say what is wrong in living together before getting married; after all they give us a chance to test our compatibility…What is wrong with premarital sex as long as there is genuine feeling towards each other. They sound attractive and logical! Devil never let us thinks about the consequences of our actions. Devil shuts our intellect and encourages us to think with our emotions and feelings. They blind our sense by offering instant gratification for our needs. They don’t demand anything from our part. In the long run they are deceptions. They offer empty victories.
Jesus understood the trick of Satan because He scrutinized his feelings, thinking and imagination in the light of the Word of God. The Word of God became his frame of reference.
Lent is a time to get into the desert of our life. It is a time to meet with our own self. It is a time to see our real picture. In the silence of our hearts we will hear the whispering of our ego. They tell us who we are. William James once remarked: “The time one spends in self reflection and self evaluation is the magic that saves one’s life.” When did you meet with your self last time?
Lent is also a time to see our self as God sees it. In his light we see our true image. Recollect the story of Zacchaeus (Lk 19:8). The moment he came in the presence of Jesus, he discovered his self. When did you stand before the Lord last time?
Lent also challenges us to see how we stand before others, especially in terms of our roles and obligations. As we read in the Gospel of Mathew, on the Day of Judgment Jesus evaluates us in terms of what we were to others (Mt 25: 31-46).
Our life is like traveling on a freeway. On the way we see a number of ‘Exits’. A person who takes all the exits will not reach the destination. Our life is made by the choices we make. We are free to make choices. Lent is a time to discover the ‘Exits’ on our way and decide which one is helpful and which are destructive. It is the time to learn which bridge to cross and which one to burn.
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Hi Father, boy that's a lot to take in. I agree that Lent is a time for self-reflection. I try to do this at mass at the general absolution, but am much more thorough before going to confession/reconciliation.
ReplyDeleteI also like your reminder that Satan isn't obvious with his techniques. He doesn't appear like the devil looks in the movies, with horns and a pitchfork; this would scare people. Instead he comes in the form of things we want: We make the DECISION to go to him or not, every time. Scary stuff.
Have you ever read C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" ? I am reading it now and learning about this very thing. Lewis was an amazing writer.