My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Lent is again upon us. We take inspiration from our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and his annual Lenten message, with the theme, “Let us be concerned for one another to stir a response in love and good works.” (Heb 10:24) Concern for one another truly can become a byword for the observance of Lent. It entails taking responsibility for our brothers and sisters, as the Holy Father tells us in his Lenten message. Concern means to scrutinize, to be attentive, to observe carefully and take stock of something. This is the kind of concern that we are called to have for those around us. It is a special Lenten concern because during this time we are asked to undertake works of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. All of these can show concern for others if we understand them properly.
The Holy Father tells us that concern for others, “entails desiring what is good for them from every point of view: physical, moral and spiritual.” To desire to do good for others, in a holistic way, is truly a challenge. Our human nature causes us to be concerned first for ourselves. To break out of our shells and to be concerned for others takes effort and sacrifice. The Holy Father, in quoting the parables of Jesus, reminds us of how Jesus saw concern for others. The first is the Good Samaritan, where the priest and Levite pass the man left by robbers to die. (Lk 10:30-32) And the second is the parable of Dives and Lazarus, in which the rich man is heedless of the poverty of Lazarus who was starving to death at his very door. (Lk 16:19) These parables, the Holy Father tells us, show examples of being the opposite of being concerned, which is forgetting to look upon others with love and compassion.
Lent is a time when we can refocus our attention on our concern for others. There is an interesting note in Pope Benedict XVI’s message which reminds us that being concerned for others entails being also concerned for their spiritual well-being. One thing that is often forgotten is our responsibility for fraternal correction of others for their eternal good and salvation. It is never easy to overcome our pride and reticence in trying to correct others. We tend to let others make their own mistakes, and we are very loath to point out their errors to them, lest they, in turn, point out ours. In the sayings of the Desert Fathers, we find an interesting story of Abba Sisoes, the Theban, who said to his disciples, “Tell me what you see in me and then I will tell you what I see in you.” His disciple said to him, “You are a good man, but a little hard.” The old man said to him, “You are good, too, but you are not tough enough.” Lent, however, may be a time when we can truly help another person by pointing out to them their faults, while at the same time being ready to accept our own faults in humility.
The Holy Father reminds us that being concerned for each other entails the gift of reciprocity. We must be ready to receive as well as to give. Because, as the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi reminds us, “In giving, we receive.” Many times, we receive more than we give, especially when we give with an open heart. A gift to others rebounds to us many times over.
The Lenten theme of Pope Benedict XVI reminds us then “‘To stir a response in love and good works.’ These words from the Letter to the Hebrews (10:24) urges us to reflect on the universal call to holiness, the continuing journey of the spiritual life as we aspire to the greater spiritual gifts and to an ever more sublime and fruitful charity.” (cf. 1Cor 12:31-12:13) These words make us recognize that we cannot just go halfway, but rather that we are called to a total commitment of self in doing good for others.
Our Lenten observance may take many forms. This year, perhaps, we can follow our Holy Father’s advice and be concerned for one another so that it may stir a response in love and good works. Yes, we must also fast and pray because these practices enable us to love all the more.
Each Lent, we put out into the deep recesses of our souls. We try to find ways to make ourselves more attentive to the love of God that is placed in our hearts. Let us pray for each other during Lent, that we will arrive at Easter renewed in faith that is full of many good works.