Friday of the 1st week of Lent, February 23, 2024
Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26
I used to have a plaque on my wall that had the verse from Eph 4:26 on it. It was a more contemporary version of that verse as it said, “Do not let your anger turn to sin.” In most of my current Bibles, the verse reads, “Be angry, but do not sin.” Both versions imply the same thing, but I always liked the contemporary version. As I sat at my desk working, it always reminded me to stop, take a breath, and see the situation from the other person’s point of view. I don’t know what happened to that plaque, as I now have, “The Lord is my Light, to whom I trust.” Another more contemporary version of Psalm 27:1 is equally calming, but for a different reason. I do not work for my job in my home office anymore, but when I am in my office, both verses help me as I work on whatever I am doing.
The reading from Ezekiel reminds us of those two verses I mentioned earlier. If we do evil, even if we try to be virtuous, how will we be remembered? Worse yet, where will we end up? Jesus says we will end up in Gehenna. That seems pretty harsh, but Jesus always spoke the truth. Sometimes that truth is hard to hear, but it is what it is, and nothing can change that. So, I think on those two verses. “Be angry, but do not sin,” and “The Lord is my light, to whom I trust” and hope I do the right thing. While it may not be fair, as Ezekiel says, we must realize it is the choices we make that make it fair. We all struggle, and we all make mistakes. But, if we turn away from sin, and trust in the Lord, all our failings will be forgotten, and we will surely live.
In today’s psalm, we hear tremendous words of hope. We start by pleading with God, “Lord, hear my voice!” But then we turn our attention to what God can do for us. “But with you is forgiveness…”, the psalmist says. Here we recognize that we can be saved from our sins if we turn to God. “I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word”, the psalmist laments. We, like the psalmist, make the conscious decision to turn from sin, just like the wicked man in Ezekiel’s story does and God forgives him, He will forgive us as well. “For with the Lord is kindness, and with him is plenteous redemption.” Plenteous redemption, what more could we ask for?
Lastly, there is a prayer that is in the missal that we do not use much during daily Mass, but it is there, right before the Gospel reading. Today’s prayer says, “Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” This is the hope we have in Lent, the hope of a new heart and clean spirit. One that will purify my soul. After all, it is our soul that matters, and I always pray that my soul trusts in His word.
Saint James Catholic Church 