Saturday of the First Week of Lent

Readings of the Day

I’m sure we have all heard the expression, “Well, I’m only human” when trying to mitigate our culpability for some undesirable behavior. Imperfect behavior is so commonplace that we mistakenly attribute it to being part of our human nature. “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” But is this the reality of our human nature? Just a few weeks ago we celebrated the great feast of the Incarnation. God comes to us as a human being. So, humanity is the one indisputable trait we share with God, through Jesus. Our undesirable behavior doesn’t come from our humanity, rather, it comes from the rejection of our true human nature.

Our readings today are summed up in our psalm response: “Blessed are they who follow the law of the LORD.” In the reading from Deuteronomy, we hear the great contract that God offers us, which is that if we follow God’s commands, God will “raise us high in praise and renown.” In the gospel we learn what it looks like to follow God’s commands: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” Children are like their parents, and our Father tells us to love each other and refrain from vengefulness. This is our true human nature and how we hold up our part of our contract with God. This is what it means to be fully human.

Lent is about identifying in ourselves those behaviors that arise from and feed our fallen nature. Every time we reject some part of our fallen nature, we are taking steps toward being “raised high in praise and renown” …the kind of praise and renown that comes from those who follow the law of the LORD, which is to love each other. Really, is there a more human choice than to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect?   

Fr. Lawrence Goodwin, CJM, BSW, MAPM, is Parish Advocacy Schools Engagement Coordinator for Catholic Charities of Louisville.

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