Over the last few years, I have spoken and written often about the importance of abiding in relationship with the Holy Trinity. The underlying principle that makes this abiding possible is the gift of God’s love, which we call charity. One of the main points that I stress is that the love that transforms us and gets us to Heaven is one that loves God first and above all things. This point cannot be understated.
The Lord himself gave this command to the people of Israel, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Take to heart these words which I command you today” (Dt 6:4-6). Furthermore, Jesus in the Gospel teaches us, “ as I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34). And he gives us the command, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Lk 6:27). As we begin to ponder how Jesus is calling us to approach Lent, I offer here an examination of our love. Please pray with it and ask the Lord how he is inviting you to love him more fully.
1. Do you dedicate time each day to give praise and worship to God?
Daily personal prayer is necessary if we are to follow Jesus as his disciples. What we do in that time is just as important as carving the time out itself. In prayer, we want two things: to receive God’s love more deeply and to love God more perfectly. I encourage you to examine how much time you spend simply telling God how much you love him, praising him for his goodness and blessing his name. “It is truly right and just” to worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let us make sure that our prayer time is giving glory to the Holy Trinity and not only looking at ourselves.
2. Do you regularly read the Bible and allow it to guide your life?
Jesus teaches his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). If we love God above all things, his Word will shape and guide every aspect of our lives. This is nearly impossible without frequent reading and prayer with Sacred Scripture. If regular Scripture reading is new to you, begin with the Gospels (especially the Gospel of Mark!). Allow the Word to speak to your heart, listening to each word from the mouth of Jesus as addressed to you personally. In his love, how is he calling you to conform your heart and behaviors to his?
3. Do you make the Lord’s Day a priority?
God commanded his people to keep the Sabbath holy. In the new covenant, we honor the Lord, especially on Sunday, in remembrance of Jesus’ Resurrection. How do we honor the Lord on Sunday? Is it a day of rest and prayer? Or a day to catch up on work and prepare for the week ahead? Is Mass something you fit in? Or is the rest of the day scheduled around it? Do you encounter Jesus as you listen to his Word and receive him in the Eucharist? Let your heart cry out, “Jesus, help me to love you in your Word and in the Eucharist.”
4. Do you receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation with the intention of reconciling with God or clearing your conscience?
The sacrament of Confession is an incredible gift from God to help us receive his forgiveness and love and to grow in grace and virtue. Our disposition to the sacrament matters. Sometimes, we can be motivated to go to Confession to relieve our guilt. While we should still certainly go, it is more perfect to desire to go to Confession to reconcile with God. Do our hearts miss the intimacy we may have lost with God because of our sins? Or do we need to clear our conscience and move on?
5. Do you have worldly attachments which get in the way of your love for God?
Attachments are not necessarily always sinful, but they do prevent us from growing in charity. Our human hearts have finite abilities. Although we often think we can have it both ways, the Lord tells us we must choose one over the other. “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt 6:24). What attachments are preventing you from serving and loving God more fully? Are you more attached to money, judgments, political parties or work than to the love of God?
6. How do you give to those who have no way to repay you?
Jesus is the most perfect example of charity in action in a human heart. His highest act of charity is giving his life for us on the Cross. In Jesus’ sacrifice, he shows us that if we truly loved, we would not consider “What’s in it for us?” Through Jesus’ Passion, God chooses to love us and fix the mess we have made, even though we have no way to repay God for original sin or our personal daily sins. In what ways do we love those who have no way to repay us or fix what they have done?
7. Are there relationships in your life that require deeper forgiveness
I have written before on the necessity and power of forgiveness. I reiterate that Christians are required to forgive, and I remind you that there is great freedom in forgiving. Ask the Lord to show you any relationships where you need to offer deeper forgiveness. Then pray, “In Jesus’ name, I forgive (name) for (what), and I release them from their debt to me and ask you to bless them abundantly.” Remember, forgiveness will bless you more than them! They may not even know that you were offended, yet when you forgive from the heart like Jesus, the burden, the grudge, the brooding will leave you. The love of Jesus will set you free!
Take time this month to examine your love as we approach Lent. A Lenten practice that the Lord invites us into is always better than what we throw together on Ash Wednesday! Be assured of my prayers for you, and may we grow in charity and more perfectly glorify our Father in Heaven.
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