Jesus, addressing an ever increasing crowd, calls the generation of His time an evil generation (Lk 11:29-32).  Both the queen of the south who came to listen to Solomon and the Ninevites who were converted through Jonah will arise to condemn the current generation in which Jesus lives, despite He being greater than both Solomon and Jonah.  Jesus evokes Solomon at the height of the latter’s power and glory, when he was visited by the Queen of Sheba (read 1 Kgs 10:1-13).  The queen, hearing of the king’s renown for his wisdom, comes to test him.  His explanations, along with everything having to do with his reign, “took her breath away ” (v. 5).  She goes on to say that his “wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard” (v. 7).  In the end, “King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she desired and asked for, besides what King Solomon gave her from Solomon’s royal bounty” (v. 13).   What a beautiful prefigurement of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ!  We hear of a pagan ruler’s exaltation of one of Jesus’ forefathers in the line of David.  How much greater is the great wisdom of the Word and the immense prosperity He wishes to share with us!  Wisdom in Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium that safeguards it.  Prosperity in the gift of divine grace that God so wishes to pour into us if only we accept Him and are open to it.  We can rightly be impressed by beauty and grandeur in this world.  It is when we realize that it is but a dim foretaste of heavenly bliss that we are encouraged to do whatever is necessary to seek the Lord’s wisdom diligently, listen to it attentively, and follow it unwaveringly.

Dropping into the middle of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 6:7-15), we find Jesus teaching His disciples about prayer.  They are not to pray as pagans with babbling or a multiplicity of words.  Rather, they are to approach God as Father — who knows what they need before they ask — through what we call the Our Father or Lord’s Prayer.  The line in that prayer that is found above is then expounded upon after the prayer.  This radical forgiveness that Christ demands that we show to others is arguably the most difficult teaching He gives to the world.  How difficult it is to forgive and forget even the smallest slight (real or perceived), much less a terrible injustice perpetrated on us.   Yet Jesus, far more innocent (perfectly so) than all of us, took on all sins of all time to give us the possibility of salvation (cf. 2 Cor 5:21).  He did not become man to seek revenge, but to forgive (cf. Rom 5:8).  Even during His Passion leading to His death, when Jesus heard far more jeers and insults than consoling words, and endured all sorts of indignities and injuries, He looked on His persecutors with love and forgiveness (Lk 23:34).  It is because of the Lord’s steadfastness in following the Father’s will, even unto death, that we have the opportunity to enter heaven.  How can we not imitate Jesus in the ocean of mercy He has, by giving comparative drops of mercy to those who do evil to us?  This doesn’t make it easy, especially for the most egregious crimes against us.  Nevertheless, it is a requirement — even if our feelings have not yet met up with this conviction.  Let us pray that we become rock solid in this conviction, and that our disposition develops to be perfectly aligned with it.  Let us meditate often on the Passion and death of our Lord, especially during this holy season of Lent.

The lengthy gospel reading from Matthew (25:31-46) has Jesus telling His disciples of the end times.  He begins with the words above.  He then tells of how all present will be separated, as sheep and goats are segregated by a shepherd.  Those on the right (the “sheep”) are told they will inherit the kingdom due to the corporal works of mercy they did for others, which Jesus says they did to Him as well.  Those on the left (the “goats”) are told they are condemned to hell because they refused those same works of mercy to others, thus neglecting Christ in turn.  The opening sentence presents a scene well worth contemplating.  Imagine the day (and we are assured here that it is coming) when Christ manifests Himself in all His glory.  What a joyous and awesome moment it will be for those who have remained faithful to Him in the midst of such a faithless generation.  All the more reason to “want to be in that number” when the Lord calls home those who have remained in His word by adhering to the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (Mt 7:12).  No cheap salvation here.  No “once saved, always saved” as some Christians would prefer it.  No, we must remain steadfast, seeing Christ in every person and treating these accordingly.  And, all the while, we are likely bringing potential goats into the sheepfold by our care and by our expression of what it truly means to be a Christian.  In the midst of a broken world we should pray to hasten the coming of the Lord (“your kingdom come” — Mt 6:10) and excitedly repeat the second last verse of the Bible: “‘Yes, I am coming soon.’  Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20).

Today’s reading (Lk 4:1-13) comes just after Jesus enters the public scene, being baptized by John.  Jesus, now filled with the Holy Spirit, is driven by that same Spirit into the desert.  Forty days of severe fasting are capped by temptations from Satan himself.  The devil tempts Jesus to use His power to make food from stone, to have dominion over all earthly kingdoms (the price: to worship Satan), and to throw Himself of the temple parapet to be caught by angels.  Jesus refuses Him each time, having recourse to Scripture in all instances to make His point.  Finally the devil leaves (for now — see above).  Jesus was tempted in a real way — He appreciates our struggles with this.  He defied the devil at every turn, being steadfast even in His weakened state in which the prince of this world (Jn 12:30, 14:31, 16;11) saw a real opportunity to sway Him.  Isn’t this true for us as well?  It is most often when our defenses are down that the Evil One is most active in attempting to lure us into sin.  Depressed, bored, angry, hurt — these are some of the things he looks for when going after us.  How did Jesus combat this?  Fasting, staying close to the Spirit, having recourse to Scripture.   A good plan for us as well.  Moderation in eating and in all things helps to keep us on an even keel.  Frequent and regular prayer (the Liturgy of the Hours is a great discipline) makes God a regular part of our day.  Daily reading of Scripture and/or attending Mass will help us to appreciate the word and keep us close to the Word.  Nevertheless, more, and more challenging, temptations are sure to follow.  In this passage, we are told the devil left “for a time.”  He would be back for Jesus at other vulnerable moments.  So will he do to us.  We must pray, fast, and keep watch with Jesus to overcome these tests (cf. Mt 26:40-41) so that we can fulfill our mission, just as Jesus was focused on fulfilling the reason for His incarnation.

Another short reading (Lk 5:27-32) gives us another confrontation, this time between the scribes and Pharisees and Jesus’ disciples.  The former disapprove of Jesus attending a banquet at a (former) tax collector’s house (Levi’s, whom Jesus just called) to which is invited many of his (current) tax collector friends.  Jesus responds directly with the words at top and follows that by saying He has called sinners, not the righteous, to repentance.  Who are the “sick” in this scene?  Everyone but Jesus.  And in our scene?  The answer is the same.  The religious leaders could not see their own faults and sins but were quick to point out real or perceived iniquity in others.  At least the tax collectors realized the need for healing.  The scribes and Pharisees were the worse off for not realizing this in their own lives.  (We immediately recall the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector praying in the temple — Lk 18:9-14.)  Neglecting our spiritual health will likely have deadly consequences.  But even self-diagnosis, with no recourse to the help of competent authority, is a prescription for failure — he who gives himself a diagnosis has a fool for a doctor.  For a proper regimen, with a prospect for a full healing in the spiritual life, we must turn to the Lord.  The Divine Physician always sees us immediately, takes as much time as we need, gives us exactly the right medicine, and is there for us at all times for all of our days.  And His service (grace) is free, but not cheap.  Have recourse often to prayer, Scripture, and the sacraments for a healing that lasts forever.

A very short excerpt from the gospels (Mt 9:14-15) has Jesus being confronted by John the Baptist’s disciples regarding Jesus’ followers lack of fasting.  Jesus starts with the line above and tells them that His disciples will fast when He is taken away.  We are fortunate that Christ is always with us.  Aside from a relationship we should be cultivating through prayer, we also get to hear Him through Scripture whenever we wish.  Most uniquely and specially, He is available to us in the gift of the Eucharist, His presence par excellence.  A day should not go by when we don’t at least engage in prayer and prayerful reading.  If it’s feasible, even if it requires extra effort, daily Mass attendance (or at least listening to it or watching it) is a great blessing.  These encounters lift us up, strengthen us, and give us a reason for joy.  This is true even when bad things happen, suffering is heaped upon suffering, or dryness (a lack of a sensible presence of God) or emptiness pervades us.  Consider the constant joy and positivity of two recent examples of holiness: Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.  The former, known for her beautiful smile in the midst of the most terrible poverty and suffering and, as we found out after her death, decades of feeling abandoned by God.  The latter, suffering debilitating illness but always with an uplifting word and unforgettable example.  Whatever their state, they remained close to the Lord.  While they may have been saddened by certain states of affairs, they saw Christ in every circumstance.  This is also a key for us.  Aside from prayer, Scripture, and Eucharist, we must find Jesus in everyone we encounter.  His countenance may be marred, but He is there.  “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).  Let us turn mourning into joy! (cf. Jer 31:13)

The short passage from Luke (9:22-25) starts with Jesus predicting to His disciples His trial, passion and death.  He turns to the larger crowd and, beginning with the words above, speaks of denial, suffering, and even loss of life that comes with being a follower of Him.  This is a wonderful passage for the beginning of the Lenten season.  We often think about what we will give up for Lent.  A bit of denial (along with taking on additional good works — this should not be an either/or) is a valuable reminder to us that being a true disciple of Jesus involves setting aside what keeps us from God, accepting crosses along with Christ, and even death — maybe not a red martyrdom but at least a white martyrdom.  Avoid or fight temptation, deny sin, accept physical and mental pain and unite it with Christ’s Passion, die to oneself in order to live well for God.  And when all these things come our way because we uphold the Faith, so much greater should we exalt God for allowing it (remember the apostles in Acts 5:41).  Why should the servant be different from the Master (and certainly not better — see Jn 13:16)?  Jesus set the pattern we are to follow.  Imitate Christ unhesitatingly.

Every year on Ash Wednesday the Church provides us a lesson (from the Sermon on the Mount) from Jesus’ own lips on the proper attitude and disposition we are to have regarding prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and all good deeds (Mt 6:1-6, 16-18).  All of these things are to be done in secret, without show, so that no one (except God) is aware of them.  Christ calls out those who let it be known widely of their deeds in these matters, calling them hypocrites.  Each time the Lord mentions the hypocrisy, He also says the words at top.  What is the reward of which He is speaking?  It is the earthly adulation that comes their way from this show they put on.  No concern for eternal matters is in their minds.  This earthly glorification is enough for them.  How antithetical to that is Jesus’ life and teaching!  Never once does He call attention to Himself for all the good He did.  Sometimes He even asks those impacted not to say anything to anyone.  This is the model we are to follow.  What good are earthly rewards and accolades when we face Christ the Judge?  All these things will be stripped away by the only One who truly and completely knows our hearts.  Thanks and praise from others in this life is not a bad thing as long as we aren’t looking for it and as long as we credit the One from whom we receive every good gift.  This is humility, the acknowledgment of truth.  Truth is very powerful and will draw the sincere and the questioning while piercing those living a lie.  Living in such a way that demonstrates that the only reward for which we wish is eternity with the Lord follows the Lord’s command and will attract others.  A powerful way to preach the Kingdom and bring others along to the King.

The Pharisees and scribes once again come to Jesus to give Him grief (Mk 7:1-13).  This time they notice that some of Jesus’ disciples don’t purify their hands before meals as they felt their long tradition demanded.  Jesus calls the religious leaders hypocrites, even quoting Isaiah (29:13) to reinforce this accusation.  Then Jesus gives an instance (although He tells them there are many such examples) of how the Jews disregard God’s commandments in favor of their human tradition.  This episode is maybe the primary one used against Catholics when discussing the idea of Tradition in the Church.  There is no need to get in a discourse about that here; let us simply leave it that tradition is not necessarily bad and that Sacred Tradition is part of the deposit of faith (i.e., divine revelation).  The key takeaway from this gospel passage is that nothing we do, in and of itself, gets us to heaven.  It is God who makes possible salvation.  And He is not a slot machine.  There is no magic formula that, if we do it just so, God has to “let us in” when we finally meet Him.  To think that we can behave in any sort of manner contrary to God’s commandments but, just by doing some particular act (even an objectively good one), we will be saved, is dead wrong and may have eternal consequences.  Go to Mass on Sunday and live like hell on Monday (and Tuesday and Wednesday and…)?  No.  Live in mortal sin but faithfully say your rosary?  No.  Read the prayer card as prescribed which tells you that by doing so you will not be damned, but forget your Christian values for the rest of the day?  No.  We are obligated to go to Sunday Mass.  Do not miss!  Saying the rosary is a wonderful practice.  Don’t stop!  Reciting particularly helpful and moving prayers from a card or book can provide inspiration and comfort at all times of day.  Continue this practice!  But what all of these should do is lead us to reform.  The sacraments are the normal means by which God makes His grace available to us; as we remove sin and vice from our lives we become more open and receptive to grace.  Contemplating the mysteries of Christ through the rosary should lead us to appreciate Him and His mother more and inspire us (and give us the strength) to imitate Him more closely.  Thoughtful written prayers can provide reminders at different times of day to adore, thank, petition, or ask forgiveness of God.  These can also strengthen and console us.  When it comes to things of God we do not go through the motions.  And we certainly don’t presume our salvation because of rituals followed (we leave the judging up to God).  May we never have Christ accuse us of being hypocrites.  Rather, may or beliefs, words, and actions always be in harmony in the key of God.

The people are again in hot pursuit of Jesus as they bring many sick to Him immediately upon recognizing Him (Mk 6:53-56).  This happened in all of Jesus’ travels, with those who needed healing just desiring to touch His clothing — which unfailingly restored them to health.  Jesus took no pride in this widespread fame — no hint of haughtiness would ever be part of Him.  He was simply focused on proclaiming the Gospel and fulfilling His Father’s mission for Him.  He took this responsibility with utmost seriousness.  So must we.  It is well for us to be recognized for what we do for the Lord and the building up of His Kingdom.  But, like the Lord, this must never lead to pride or the temptation to take advantage of our status.  Rather, it is our responsibility to make our words and our actions correspond perfectly to God’s will for us, which, of course, is always in line with divine revelation.  We will fall short from time to time.  This need not be a discouragement to us.  Rather, it should spur us on to repentance through Confession with a firm purpose of amendment.  As we become more open to the graces of the sacraments we find that temptations to sin can be more easily resisted.  This helps us to stay on the narrow path (cf. Mt 7:13-14) and encourages others to follow that example.