It's been a while since I looked at the Daily Mass readings, but happened to do so today. Very thought-provoking indeed, and all about the Lenten season.
From the first reading, Jeremiah 17:5-10:
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
Well, that's Lent, right there. Lent is all about the changing seasons. When we voluntarily pray and voluntarily fast, we prepare ourselves for the times when fasting is forced upon us.
The life of a Christian is not about avoiding difficulties and sufferings at all costs, but rather continuing to be a good person and positively impact the lives of others even when we are in pain. The easiest thing in the world is to excuse my lack of charity towards others, even the people I love most, simply because I have a headache.
By staying close to God, like that tree stretching its roots out to the stream, we are able to remain constant despite our constantly changing circumstances. We continue to bear the fruit of charity to our friends, acquaintances, and enemies alike.
In fact, by staying close to God we learn to actually enjoy those changes of season. The unpredictability of life is made more interesting, not less, when we keep God's company as we travel through it.
We tend to prefer constancy of circumstances because it is comfortable, even if it is miserable.
We may prefer 365 days of summer because we don't like the cold. That is, we may want to avoid suffering forever and at all costs.
Or we may prefer 365 days of winter because we don't want to experience the joy of spring and then be forced to remember it longingly when the cold returns. That is, we may desire never to have good times because then experiencing bad times again would hurt that much more.
God offers us freedom from slavery to the "weather." Rather than allowing us to be dependent on constancy of exterior circumstances, He gives us constancy in our own hearts -- an interior completeness and fulfillment that gives us joy even in pain and difficulty.
But we have to stretch out our roots to Him. We have to invite Him into the most fundamental parts of who we are. We must trust Him.
God promises not that all times will be good when we trust Him, but that in our hearts we will constantly know His peace and joy regardless.
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