Behold, now is an acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation
2 CORINTHIANS 6:2
The authors of today’s readings wake us from our mid-winter routines, calling us to return to God. Their call has an urgency–we must not delay. It has an assurance–if we return, we will be welcomed. And it has an unmistakable communality.
In the first reading, the prophet Joel begins softly, “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart.” But then the prophet builds on this, making it clear that while we are to respond in our personal capacity, we must also proclaim to others in our community. “Blow the trumpet!” “Proclaim a fast!” “Gather the people!” The passage ends with the Lord taking pity on the people, plural.
The second reading reinforces the communal nature of reconciling with God. Saint Paul tells us that we are ambassadors of Christ, and that God is appealing through us. Further, he explains, Christ’s sacrifice is so that we might become righteous.
As we begin Lent, often by quietly receiving ashes and solitarily praying for conversion, it can be easy to miss the communal aspect of this call. Much of what we do in life, and in prayer, must be done as individuals. When we are presented for baptism, and for last rites, it is our individual bodies that are anointed. When we receive the Eucharist, or go to Reconciliation, we receive the Sacraments personally.
But we can no more live alone in the spiritual world than we can in the physical world. In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis teaches us that “human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor and with the earth itself.” LS, 66.
It’s not possible, then, to turn our hearts to Him, unless we also consider the rest of Creation. God’s goodness isn’t meant to stay wrapped up inside us, just for ourselves. We are to share it with others, to build it into our communities. In this way, we can help bring His justice and His peace to all the land.
In Matthew’s Gospel, then, Jesus helps us to keep our motivations true. He cautions against the temptation to find ourselves at the center of our efforts, rather than God and His will. “Do not perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them” or to “win the praise of others.” While teaching us to be humble, he never forbids the blowing of the trumpet for God or gathering the people to Him. In fact, as we move through Lent, we will find Jesus carefully instructing His apostles on what they are to teach others. In Mark 16:16, we will hear the risen Christ send his disciples into the whole world, telling them to proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
So, as we begin this Lenten season, let us consider ways in which we can share God’s goodness with others and with our world. And let us heed the urgency we hear of today’s readings. As Saint Paul writes, “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” ■ - by Marilyn Kott
Questions for reflection
- What does it mean to be in community with God, our neighbor, and the earth itself?
What does it mean to “proclaim the Gospel to every creature”?
Prayer
We, who gather here today,
give you thanks
for opening our eyes, lives and hearts
to people of lands beyond our horizons.
During our pilgrimages
of encounter with people
in lands no longer so far afield,
some part of us has sprouted
and seeks now to grow in the beauty of the garden of our hearts.
We pray that you teach us
how to care for this seedling of solidarity
of hope
of healing.
We pray for good soil, rain and sunshine
So that our seedling within
may endure the test of time and seasons.
We who gather here today
give you thanks
for worldwide hearts.
- Steve Hicken, Maryknoll Lay Missioner
Fast
Commit to buying local, in-season produce this Lent. Locally produced food grown during natural seasons is fresher and requires less energy to produce and transport.
Action
Air pollution in the U.S. still remains a public health issue. For 50 years, the Clean Air Act has driven dramatic improvements in air quality across the country. The law requires the federal government to place limits on harmful air pollution, including the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Tell the EPA to close all loopholes that let the oil and gas industry get away with violating limits on toxic air pollution.
https://mogc.info/BiologicalDiversity-AirPollution
Quote
Gary Cheeseman is an associate professor at the University of South Dakota and an Indigenous elder. Gary invited [the Maryknoll immersion group] into his teepee and talked about the Lakota origin story. He discussed part of the Lakota creation story of rocks, plants, four-legged animals and two-legged animals and how each needs what came before to survive.
This experience changed how I think about the world in several ways. My understanding of the intimate relation of all creation expanded on the first day when Gary talked about rocks, plants, two-legged creatures and four-legged creatures, and how we all depend on what came before for survival. He called the rocks “our first ancestors.” I now appreciate the natural world as my relations who love me and protect me.
- Mary Ellen Waite
Maryknoll Affiliate
This reflection was published as part of our 2024 Lent Reflection Guide. The guide is also available in Spanish.
Photo of Maryknoll Affiliate Marilyn Kott in Brazil in 2017 courtesy of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners on X (formerly known as Twitter.) Photo of the participants on the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers immersion trip to South Dakota courtesy of the Maryknoll Affiliates from Not So Far Afield, November-December 2023 issue.