Have you ever had one of those days when you wanted to shout, “You can’t make this stuff up!”? When that happens to me, I just have to laugh and know that God appreciates a sense of humor. I read the Scriptures for this coming weekend and, you know what, some of the same challenges are still around. Jesus had to deal with them too! We live in a world that is filled with wonderful people but sometimes our values and ideals may clash.
If we look to scripture, we can find some guidelines. In this weekend’s readings, we hear, “Choose life, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). Then, there is 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 which advises that, “We speak a wisdom to those who are mature, not a wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away. Rather we speak of God’s wisdom…” Some very sound instructions and yet I wonder: Do I listen and whose wisdom do I follow? Do I choose life? There is a clear message here that Jesus is teaching. If we listen to the message and do our best it leads to living righteously and in right relationships.
Sometimes we can see laws only as guiding and effecting external acts, but lived in the correct spirit, our interior life can be changed. This is some serious stuff. But I have to wonder -- the world is changing, and the wisdom of the world may not be leading us to make interior changes. The more I interact with people I have come to realize that we may have become self-centered and entitled. We forget to look at the guidebook – our Scriptures -- for interior growth.
How do we stay on track? First and foremost, we need to read and reflect on our Scriptures and find their relevance for us today. Next, we need to surround ourselves with people whose values are similar. We need support to continue to put God first in our lives. We need to remind ourselves and others that all we have in our lives is because of the goodness of God and that God has gifted us with life and the opportunity to do good with it.
As Lent approaches, it is a good time for us to take the time to review our life, the values we hold dear, and the choices we make. Do we choose the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom? We live in a fast paced world with instant gratification. Lent can give us the opportunity to slow down and take a good look at where we are going and what we value. Use the time to make good choices and be filled with life and wisdom, all of which comes from our God. May this week be one in which you continue to “Choose Life.”
Till next week,
Sister Theresita Donach
