Tonight we discussed Lent, the Saints, the Lectionary, the Divine Office, and the Christian idea of history with our RCIA class. As usual, we had far too little time to really get in to the "meat" of the subject, but the amount covered tonight was pretty satisfactory!
I was able to sum up the discussion for the night, after the main instructor had finished, and it was key, I though, to emphasize to the class how our idea of history itself is radically difference from the mainstream idea. The instructor tonight mentioned that our picture of history is "linear," it is a line going from one place to another, with purpose. For Catholics, since we believe in God and have an understanding of Divine Providence, that idea makes perfect sense. However, the world in general has a very different idea--the idea that a Supreme Being is out there, ordering all of creation, is foreign to them. Instead, they believe that they are in charge, or that everything is random, or that forces like economics or gender or passions control history.
For those of us that read the Baltimore Catechism, the comfort of knowing why we are here and who is "running the show" is very simple.
Q. Who made the world?
A. God made the world.
Q. Who is God?
A. God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things.
Q. What is man?
A. Man is a creature composed of body and soul, and made to the image and likeness of God.
Q. Why did God make you?
A. God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.
God made us to be happy with him in heaven, all of us, and he built all of history so that that goal might be accomplished. Every person is given the chance, somehow, to experience God's Grace and the chance for eternal life because of God's perfect, omnipotent design for history. It is like a rich, beautiful tapestry, and we are each a thread which contributes to the overall pattern, perfectly planned and beautifully made.
As we begin Lent, we enter one of those pieces of the pattern which is familiar, which we see every year. Growing in our journey of Faith, each new Lent should be a deeper and richer experience of Christ and his love, especially the love that led Him to death on a cross. How will you spend this Lent?
We should consider that the purpose of Lenten sacrifice is to turn our eyes to God and the reason for our existence. He died for us because He loves us. Christ is the Love that bonds our hearts to God. Lent is a time when we can take part in that Love and give the small portion we can back to Christ.
ReplyDeleteAny sacrifice which strengthens our character is efficacious to our spiritual growth. We should think about the lasting results of our Lenten sacrifice. What can we do this Lent that will stamp a lasting mark upon our soul?