Make for yourselves

Greetings on this the Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Readings: Is 1:10, 16-20; Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23; Mt 23:1-12

Notes

What are we making? In our readings today, the Lord compares what we are making to what we are capable of making.

The Psalmist Condemns

“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, Though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?”

The Lord Replies

Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. And again, Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Summary

The old truism has a place here: TANSTAAFL.”There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”.

We live in the world we make for ourselves.

Reflection

One of the greatest false protections is a wall. Or in Florida we call it a Gated Community. They work, of course. At low levels of social disruption and general relative peace they work fine. As soon as things get moderately difficult they become something else. A prison. And, then, when things get bad, they become useless before the power of desperation and revenge.

Personal Reflection

There are plenty of people who can recite the Ten Commandments. Far fewer try to follow them. Even fewer cherish them. What kind of world are we making? I am sympathetic to the Governor of Texas faced with such difficult mass migrations. It is wrong not to come to his aid and the aid of Texas. But the world we build is what will matter most. Walls cannot be high enough nor wide enough or dangerous enough to equal the power of desperation.

This is the world we are making.

But I see hope in the sacred Scripture. The call to be right with one another and the Lord is an invitation to accept help and courage to follow through.

Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

First Reading

Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

Responsorial

To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Gospel Acclamation

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Gospel

For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry