February 11, 2008

Lent: A time to love

As we begin Lent, the Lord’s teaching on the greatest commandment resounds in my heart. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mk 12:30) How can God command us to love Him? Isn’t love a choice? Can God really require me to love Him?

The commandments of God are “not burdensome” as Saint Paul reminds us, but are in fact the pathways to life. God, who not only created the heavens and the earth, also fashioned our very beings and knows how you and I are made. He knows our weaknesses, limitations, frailties and shortcomings. He knows the many limits I put on my love for Him and others. God knows how often I choose not to love Him because I am tired or sick or concerned with my “to do” list, my deadlines, my time, my preferences, or my plans. He knows how weak I am, and so the Lord commands me to love Him. With His commandments the Lord provides the grace needed to fulfill them. What does Love ask of us, but to love Him in return – love for Love. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Jesus showed us the way. Jesus held nothing back of Himself for Himself, but poured Himself out for you, for me.

That brings us back to Lent. To what is the Lord inviting us these next forty days? He is asking for more of our heart, soul, mind and strength that one day we may give Him everything. What is that “more” for you? Is it getting up twenty minutes earlier to pray? Or using half of your lunch break to read the Bible? Or not working on Sunday and spending that time with your family? Or giving up watching your favorite TV show to spend quality time with your family, or turning off the radio on the way to work or school and instead praying the rosary? Or giving up eating out and donating the money to a soup kitchen? How is God inviting you to love Him more?

Let us throw ourselves into this Lent to fall deeper in love with God and our neighbor in concrete ways. Then, come Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we will be better prepared to receive Him who loved us even unto death and through death to eternal life!

Sr. Elizabeth Marie Hogan, CFR

Our Lady Queen of Angels Convent
New York, NY

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