"Lord, Lord"

For those of you that couldn't make it to mass, here is a link to the readings for the day.  It is the frightening part of Matthew's gospel where Christ says that not all who call to Him, and not all who do great works in His name, will enter the kingdom of heaven. But, however, at the same time, He says that the wise man is he who both listens, and then acts upon the word of Christ. To those who do neither, even if they outwardly profess their faith and do mighty deeds, Christ will say to them at the day of judgment, "I never knew you, depart from me, you evildoers."

One could very well say that when Christ says, "I never knew you", one could say in its place, "you never knew me." Those who, with their outward works and profession of faith, are not welcomed at the judgment, could very well be those who did not act like the wise man, who first listened, and then acted. Instead, caught up in themselves, they never emptied themselves.  Focusing on themselves, they never imitated Christ. With Lent fast approaching, let us reflect upon how we can empty ourselvses and imitate Christ. And how we can listen to Christ in prayer, the sacraments, scripture, and study, and act with fasting, almsgiving, and charitable works.

The beatitudes, the great signs of perfection in Christian life, offer us a model for self-emptying and the imitation of Christ, who was both the Message and Messenger. These are expanded versions of the beatitudes which I heard from a homily at Blessed Sacrament in Seattle.

Blessed are those who are convinced of their basic dependency on God, those who keep trying to empty their lives of all that really doesn't matter...the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Blessed are those who wear compassion like a garment, those who have learned how to find themselves by losing themselves in another's sorrow....they too shall receive comfort.

Blessed are those who know that all they are is a gift from God, and so are content with both their greatness and their smallness....they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Blessed are those who are hungry for goodness. Blessed are those who never get enough of God...they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, those who remember how much has been forgiven them, and then extend the same mercy to the lives of others...they, too, shall receive God's mercy.

Blessed are those whose hearts are free and simple, those who are honestly seeking for truth....they shall see God.

Blessed are the creatos of peace, those who build the roads that unite rather than walls that divide, those who bless the world with the healing power of their presence...they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are those who love has been tried, like gold, in the furnance and found to be precious, genuine, and lasting. Blessed are those who have lived their believe out loud, no matter what the cost or pain...Theirs is the reign of God.

Let us prepare our hearts for Lent, and find Christ in all things. Let us make our works and the faith we profess genuine as we grow clsoer to the Divine Word in prayer. How blessed are those who build on the rock of Christ!