Gearing up for Lent

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbours, and also to love our enemies: probably because they are the same people.” GK Chesterton

How many enemies did Christ and His apostles have? Maybe too many to count. So many people resented Jesus and His apostles. There are incidents in scripture often. Recently, I have been thinking about this as I gear up for Lent. I googled a list of things to give up for Lent and some of them were interesting, but most were lame. Giving up sweets is fine but for me it is not enough. I try not to eat meat on most Fridays during the entire year except on feast days and in the Christmas and Easter seasons. The Carmelites I visit do not eat meat anyway so they might need to find another sacrifice. But I would think trying to love our enemies might be a more daunting task. The readings for Tuesday February the 21st. struck me. From the Book of Sirach, we are reminded to be ready for trials if we follow Christ. Our enemies see ready to devour us. Maybe prayer could lead us in battle. 

“We must show love for those who do evil to us and pray for them. Nothing is dearer or more pleasing to God than this.” St. Bridget of Sweden

I can list many people who have done me wrong. Likely, I am on their lists too. However, I do not want to brood and stew about such matters. I have worked in some toxic environments. It felt like a snake pit. Our Lord knows what we need before we ask Him, and I have found some solace in new work. This is grace. Family squabbles, bitterness, evil to another are all things that are not of God. Our Lord is one of peace. Peace begins and ends with Christ. It must be or otherwise Catholicism as I have learned it might not be so clear. Even in the early Church, the Apostles had their differences, yet they still stayed faithful to our Lord.

“Love of one’s enemies constitutes the nucleus of the ‘Christian revolution’ – Here is the newness of the Gospel which silently changes the world!” Pope Benedict the XVI

From Aleteia, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati lived a full life helping others. He worried about his parents who had a difficult marriage. When Pier Giorgio died, they were moved so deeply that they found a way to overcome their difficulties. God can heal many sorrows because He has the last word on everything. I also read about Blessed Richard Henkes. He worked with the resistance during the Second World War. He was arrested and martyred, and he could have easily succumbed to anger, but he did not. He ministered to prisoners. Some great examples and there are many saints who could teach us many things. Lent is a long journey. I really would like to make Lent fruitful, but I do not think that Lent should simply be a time of extra prayers and then be forgotten about for the rest of the year. I think I can begin by loving and praying for my enemies and hopefully they will see something different.

“I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him.” St. Frances Xavier Cabrini