Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Why is Lent forty days? Why do we celebrate Lent every year? Because it takes a lifetime to be conformed to Christ. Perseverance and constancy are hard. Those who become martyrs were frequently not last-minute zealous disciples. Rather, their choice each day to place the Father’s will first allowed them to make the ultimate witness.
We look for gifts in prayer and the honor that a virtuous life can bring us. We’re not robots and these things feel good. However, motivations always need to be purified. It is bad enough that the disciples James and John would put their mom up to getting cushy seats next to Jesus in His Kingdom, but that they would ask directly after the Lord said mission involved the Cross before the glory is galling!
Sometimes we discount Jesus’ own battle with temptations to pleasure, power, and prestige. Yet Christ was tempted constantly. He was always tempted to half fulfill his mission. How many times did poor and ailing people beg Him to stay in their towns forever? Stay forever, they’d say, to provide them bread always, to heal them physically when needed. “Don’t go to the Cross! We need you!” It must have been hard to leave behind those who could not get healed or hear Good News.
“Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” I hope so but I am fearful. Thankfully, the Church has given me this season with the healing sacraments Christ instituted for my sanctification. It is hard, but each day I drink from the chalice to hopefully prepare to witness to the Lord. May our experience this Lent strengthen and ally us closer to God’s will.
Reflection by Fr. Pachomius Meade, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources