Isaiah 58:1-12
Psalm 103:8-14
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Lent is a time of penitence, that is, sorrow for our sins. It is a time for honest self-examination, a time to ask our Lord’s help in allowing him to transform us into the persons he calls us to be. The Greek word for this is metanoia. We have seen him transfigured on the holy mountain, and we are deeply committed to growing into his likeness. The ashes that will soon form the sign of the cross on our foreheads have been made from the palms that we waved on Palm Sunday to welcome our King. We will go with him to the cross and we will move with him into newness of life.
In our first reading, Isaiah reminds us that if we truly love God, we will love our neighbor. We will be a people of justice; we will free our brothers and sisters from oppression. We will feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide shelter for the homeless.
In our epistle, Paul tells us that this is the time to be reconciled to God, that is to grow as close to God as we possibly can.
In our gospel, our Lord calls us not to make an outward show of our spiritual practice, but to do an honest evaluation of our spiritual state and to follow spiritual practices that will build up treasures in heaven, that is, practices that will bring us closer to God. Our Lord also reminds us that deep and true spirituality is the source of great joy.
How do we do an honest assessment of or spiritual condition? One way is the summary of the law, “Love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and love our neighbor as ourself.” Our reading from Isaiah also speaks to this.
Another guideline would be the Ten Commandments. We will be reading these each Sunday during Lent.
Another set of guidelines for self-examination and transformation are the Seven Root Sins, also called the Seven Deadly Sins, counter- balanced by the Cardinal Virtues and the Theological Virtues. These insights have come from many sources, but I especially thank David Brown, beloved mentor and former rector at Christ Church, Montpelier, now retired in Connecticut, for his wisdom and guidance.
So here we go with the Seven Root Sins, or as David used to say, “Sins I have known and loved,” and don’t we all!
First comes pride, doing it our way instead of God’s way.
Wrath, (Ira), not normal healthy anger, but holding onto a grudge, nursing it until it becomes a voracious cancer that infects everything we think and say and do.
Envy—the inability to rejoice in the blessings bestowed on others.
Greed—wanting more than we have.
Gluttony—taking more than we need.
Lust—Using other people, exploiting others for our own needs.
Sloth (acedie)—Giving in to that “I don’t care” attitude. Despair. Giving up hope.
On the positive side, we have the Cardinal Virtues.
Prudence—Kenneth Kirk defines prudence as, “The habit of referring all questions to God.” Constant communication with God. Lord, what is your will in this situation? What would you call me to do or not do?
Justice—treating everyone equally. “Respecting the dignity of every human being.”
Temperance—Balance. Like steel that has been tempered in fire and ice. Flexibility. Again, a sense of humor.
Fortitude. The grace and ability to hang in there with faith and patience on the side of God’s shalom.
And the Theological Virtues—
Faith—Total trust in God.
Hope—The ability to look at a situation in all if its brokenness and see the potential and the path for growth and healing.
Love—Accepting God’s unconditional love for everyone, including ourselves, and extending that love to others.
Always remember that Lent comes from the root word meaning “spring,” a time of growth and renewal.
In addition to all of these resources, many of us are using “Living Life Marked as Christ’s Own.”
May this Lent be full of joy and growth and healing for all of us.
Special prayers for jan’s surgery tomorrow.
Amen.
Filed under: Reverend Janet Brown, Sermons | Tagged: 2 corinthians 5, Cardinal Virtues, Isaiah 58, Kenneth Kirk, Lent, Matthew 6, metanoia, Psalm 103, Reverend David Brown, Seven Deadly Sins, Theological Virtues | Leave a comment »
Grace Episcopal Church (Sheldon, VT) 