We continue to read from the Letter of James and from the Gospel of St. Mark. However, this isn’t just any Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time; it is also Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, as we enter into another Lenten Season. Accordingly, the words of James come to us with a little more of an edge. “Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?” With these words, James challenges us to explore the patterns of the wars within my daily life. How could I possibly know what can bring me closer to God until I examine the motivation of my “wars.”
James makes a compelling case that our focus cannot be on the secular world and also on God when he tells us whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Of course we need to live in the world, but James asks us to examine where we place our priorities. How do we spend our time, and attention? Are our actions for the greater glory of God or to glorify our own image?
Jesus in today’s gospel states that anyone who wishes to be first shall be the last of all and shall be a servant to all. James gives us instructions on how we can refocus our lives by inviting us to humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. James reminds us that we are not on this journey alone and God invites us to a deeper relationship.
This Lenten season, we are asked to examine our lives to become aware of how our egos get in the way of our relationship with God. We are asked explore times we are seduced by gossip or negative messages and challenge ourselves to resist having our attention pulled in those directions. We will be given opportunities to humbly ask for God’s forgiveness and to celebrate the moments we feel the abiding love of God.
Today’s psalm is a wonderful prayer to take into Lent: Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator