3rd Sunday of Lent 8.3.15 Vigilance
When we read the New Testament we get a strong sense of the perfection that is required of a disciple of Christ.
For example, in today’s epistle we are told to live in charity, to avoid even a mention of impurity, and to live in the light.
Many other passages say the same sort of thing.
By a sort of unofficial agreement many Christians have decided to take these instructions very loosely, reasoning that it is not possible to live them, so they should not be taken too seriously.
This has led over time to an erosion of spiritual fervour in the Church, to the point that today many Catholics-by- name have only a very remote connection either with the Church or with Our Lord Himself.
How did we get to this place from where we were at Pentecost, when there was such enthusiasm and commitment?
We have allowed the devil to rob us of our inheritance.
The Gospel describes how a person can be set free from sin only later to return to even worse sin.
This is exactly what has happened to many Catholics. They have been baptized and so freed from original sin. They have confessed their own sins, for a time.
But now they have left the Church altogether and are wandering in a spiritual desert, neither looking for God’s mercy, nor thinking that they need it.
The devil has robbed them of the treasure they possessed. How does he do this?
Some, as in the parable of the Sower, give up the faith as a result of adversity – tragedy, disappointment, some sort of mistreatment from another Christian - and they leave the Church.
But God remains God and all we ever believed about Him remains true. If I have a major disappointment, no matter how great, it cannot change God Himself.
He will compensate us for our sufferings; somehow He will make it right. But we have to be within reach of Him for this to happen.
We have to be prepared to wait on the Lord to see what He is doing. He will surprise us with joy, repeatedly. Cf Easter Sunday after Good Friday.
Others (as in the parable of the Sower) simply drift away, caught up in the affairs of the day.
Neglecting prayer and penance, gradually forgetting God altogether, they are at the mercy of whatever currents are flowing.
Today’s Gospel reminds us of the need to maintain our faith in prime working order. We service our cars. We have our teeth checked, eyes, ears … but what about our souls?
These more than any other part need to be in good order. The state of our soul defines our position with God. We are either in union with Him, or not. This means ultimately we spend eternity in heaven or hell.
If we neglect spiritual matters we risk losing everything else.
What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? (Mt 16,26)
Today there is so much confusion in the Church about these matters.
Who has spread all this confusion? Various humans have contributed, but behind it all is the cunning Tempter, seeking to rob us of the treasure we have received.
It is very sad that he has had so much success.
He can be resisted if we apply ourselves, but we do have to realize there are many pitfalls, and some of them are very subtle.
We must ensure that we do not, for any reason, abandon our faith. And that we maintain a pattern of prayer and sacraments such that we are always vigilant.
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