Lent 2015 - Three

The Temptation Is To Abandon the Ship

In the book of Genesis, chapter three, we have the account of Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden. They have lost the right to dwell in God's presence by their own choice. Having listened to the lies of the Deceiver, and believing they can make their own paradise, God sends them off into the world, alone, relying solely on their own resources to make their own paradise.

As they are leaving paradise, God tells them what futility awaits them, what kind of paradise their toiling, hands will make, and what awaits them in the end - ashes. Both they and whatever greatness they may achieve, will in the end, be reduced to ashes. In verse 19, God says: By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Gen 3:19

The essence of the GREAT LIE, which has forever deceived humanity, is this, "you can make it on your own, you do not need God". Today we see the effects of that lie at work in the Church. People are saying that they do not need to be on board within the Church. They believe they are quite sufficient in themselves to live a good life. And so abandoning their nets, those instruments of grace they have been given, they no longer sail with Christ in his ship of salvation, which is the Church.

Ash Wednesday begins again the days of Lent, a time of sober self-examination. It begins with ashes, recalling those words in Genesis, "... for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” We want to recognize and understand to what extent the Great Lie may be influencing our lives. First and foremost we face the question, have I abandon the Church and Christ's presence guiding me, and those nets, the instruments of grace, which are the works of salvation? Vital to that question is my firm attachment to the Eucharist.

Beyond that, we recall the occasion of the disciples failure to net a catch and Jesus instruction;

“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking Lk 5:4

Great spiritual wisdom has been seeded within the Church to teach and guide us in our faith life. But unless we seek out this wisdom for our instruction, our efforts to grow in holiness may well be in vain. And so we ask, "In what ways am I listening to the wealth of instruction found within the Church?"

As Lent begins, lets us welcome Jesus word to us: “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”