By Fr. Glenn Jones:
Well, a happy Valentine’s Day (or week, depending on when you read this) to you all…our annual societal tribute to romance … to affection … to luuuvvvv. For you husbands that forgot, well … I hope the couch is comfy. (“Ouch…move over, dog!”) Even after all these years, I remember still our 1st grade exercise of making Valentines for all our classmates … even the “yucky” girls. Yet, it wasn’t long before those girls weren’t quite so yucky anymore, and then hardly any time when a young lad thinks of little else … the mere presence of his beloved bringing incomparable joy … and her absence makes “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone” stuck in his brain. Ahhh … young love…
…which almost came to an end today for one with a harrowing incident—one likely commonly-witnessed these days (hopefully not experienced) by all drivers. A pickup in front of me began veering off toward the drainage ditch, until the driver took attention and jerked it back onto the roadway. Narrow escape, that one. It brought to mind a similar incident witnessed not long ago along that veritable raceway between Santa Fe and Pojoaque (NM) in which the driver was texting, began to veer and then “tagged” a guardrail—shattered plastic from lights flying everywhere. How that driver kept the car on the road and kept going seemed almost miraculous—but now with full attention on the road, and vise grip on the steering wheel. Sadly, though, as we hear all too often, many are not so lucky.
Yet we tend to be like those drivers in our daily lives with our actions. We want to “drive straight” and stay on the good road … oh, but distractions and temptations are so very numerous and prevalent, and we take our eyes off the wheel for that which seems more immediate … more important … in the moment. We become too comfortable in our routines and presumptions, believing that “this little ol’ thing won’t hurt” or Scarlett O’Hara-ish saying to ourselves “I’ll think about that tomorrow”.
But, as they say, a mountain is made of small stones, and overlooking small faults makes worse faults easier—the “I already did this; this other is not much worse than that” syndrome. One might wonder, for instance, how many broken marriages resulted from an initial “innocent” shoulder rub by friend or co-worker. Likewise, few alcoholics begin with the “hard stuff”, and few addicts begin with hard drugs. We all know that it’s so much easier to quit in the beginning than when one is either accustomed to, or even dependent upon, what is ultimately—and inevitably … self-destructive. And yet … “I’ll change tomorrow”. A wise old spiritual adage is: “Sever the head of the snake when it first appears” … before it bites you with its poison, or wraps its ever-tightening coils.
Now, Ash Wednesday this week ushers in the beginning of this year’s Lenten season within which Christians—anticipating the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection during Holy Week and Easter—take renewed stock of their lives. Ashes are, of course, an ancient symbol of sorrow, humility and repentance—reminding us of repentant Job who, when chastised by God, replies: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? … (Job 40:4) … [I] repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6). The ashes also call to mind our utter dependence upon God for even our very lives: “How can he who is dust and ashes be proud? for even in life his bowels decay…(Sirach 10:9)… all men are dust and ashes.” (Sirach 17:32) And, of course, during the Catholic rite of applying ashes upon the head, one formula that may be used is from Genesis: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:18), recalling God’s rebuke to sinful Adam.
It is in this spirit of humility, repentance and conversion that Christians reorient ourselves—renew ourselves—in Lenten self-examination by seeking to determine where we have strayed from the path of goodness and righteousness … the path of God. After all, Jesus tells His disciples: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23) But if we don’t remember or are distracted from His Word, how can we keep it?
Nobody—certainly not Jesus—said that it is easy. Fidelity often means swimming upstream against the current of culture and the world—a world which often presents us with false signs and promises. But always our true and infallible map is available to us. So, during Lent, we review the Word of God all the more often and attentively, seeking always to discern His will and to follow it ever more closely and ardently … pulling the weeds of neglect from our lives and planting renewed seeds of charity and kindness—of love of God, love of neighbor. Heaven knows that the world in all of its division needs it desperately. Rather than complain to God about the state of the world: “Why don’t you do something about this mess!?!” … hear His reply: “I did. I gave it my Word … and I gave it YOU.”
So let us root out procrastination of spirit … of the deadly sin of sloth, remembering St. Paul: “…we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation.’ Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2) And as Jesus urges: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
A blessed … and productive … Lent to you all.
Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.
