by Sister Elise Cholewinski
The season of Lent has begun. On this first Sunday of Lent
we hear about Jesus being led into the desert for forty days.
Did Jesus spend time there doing penance in order to develop
greater self-disciplilne, or did He stay there for another
reason? His time in the desert preceded His entry into public
ministry so we might assume that this was rather a time of
preparation for what He would experience in the future.
As we begin this holy season, we might ask ourselves why we do the
special things we do during Lent. Are we simply trying to
develop self-discipline, or are we refining the choices we make on
a daily basis in order to more appropriately proclaim the
Kingdom of God? Perhaps we could take a little inventory
of those choices:
Why do we do what we do during Lent? In the end, isn't it always, first and foremost, about preparing for the proclamation of the Kingdom of God? Isn't it always about developing authenticity?
I apprediate your challenging reflection - why do I do what I do? Making sure that my every effort is directed toward proclaiming God's reign - in my heart as well as in the world - that is our Community's mission!
I enjoy the weekly reflections sent to me by the Sisters of St Francis. Thank you Sister Elise for your thought-provoking reflection this week.
Thanks, Elise. These are really good questions as we begin Lent.
Thanks, Elise, for your reflection. It's always about refining the motives for what we do, isn't it? It's so easy to do the right thing for the wrong reason. Your inventory questions were very appropriate.
Thank you Sister Elise. I need and appreciate these soul searching questions as Lent begins. They can be a great challenge.