We only have a little bit of time

I was at the race track this morning

These guys have to race 200 miles, keep it together for 65 laps. Around 2 hours. Their whole lives are dialed around race day. Different tracks but the same routine. I watched a couple of cars make a pit stop. Air jack inserted. 4 tires off. 4 tires on. Gas in. Air released. Driver goes.

There’s no time to waste! I went to say Mass for some of the workers of the event. They had 30 minutes. Its race day, can’t waste this or that amount of time.

What a great analogy for the spiritual life!

We have these forty days! What does our Lord say? “Repent or perish as they did!”

Holy week is like our grand Prix. Its coming up. Will you get into it?

Sister Vivian

I went to the opposite of the grand prix yesterday. I went to Sister Vivian’s Consecration Mass, her final vows of poverty chastity and obedience were taken… FOREVER!

And why did she say forever? A marriage is until death. What’s the difference? Because in the end, there’s only you and Christ. Holy Week is real practice for our expectation and relationship with the Crucified and Risen Lord. Its also Spring Break… where are the priorities?!?!?!

If you waste your practice, what makes you think you can pass the final test?

Final test

Does this tree produce fruit? No. Let’s assume that is us right now… And what are the fruits? Who knows?!!

The gardener, CHRIST, says, “I know, Father, this tree is wasting space and air and resources, I have a plan, give me one year!”

This is us, we have one year to overcome a vice and produce fruit. What if this is your last or only Lent?

The gardener, digs around the tree.

What can this mean but he removes what is snuggled up and cozy to the tree. This can mean that the gardener makes space. He creates a moat. The roots go deep, but the gardener exposes the roots and the base of the tree.

This is Lent. Lent is for creating space for the Lord. We decide, what needs to go? Your spouse or your priest could help you!

Then what does the gardener do? He fertilizes it. AKA he puts manure, smelly animal dung, all around the tree to give it what the tree needs, not what it is accustomed to. Something needs to give or this tree will die. Something needs to change or we will perish! God gives us what is good for us, not what we like. How do I grow in patience? God gives us house guests, and a spouse, and a trial, and kids, thank you Holy Spirit!!!!!

Repent or die, you might say, our lives depend on this. But we’re just human trees, how do we produce supernatural fruit?

Poverty Chastity and Obedience.

What if we use these as the markers for the fig tree parable today.

If these are the fruit… how’s your fruit?

Are you poor?

I am dragging around enough stuff. How much stuff did the Israelites wander around in the wilderness? What did they take from Egypt.

I’ve learned about shopping therapy/retail therapy. You should be spending less money as you clear out room for the Lord, less stuff, less things, more time opened to the Lord.

“I don’t live in that gated community!”

Penance: Have someone in your house pick something that they think you can live without. Oh yea, and give to the poor.

Are you chaste?

I wonder, if you’re single, are you maintaining your virginity until marriage? Are you avoiding dirty jokes, and movies, and books, and songs, and smutty material? Do you move from relationship to relationship, are you a “serial dater?” Is that going to help your marriage one day?

If you’re married, are you praying and communicating well with your spouse? or Do you frequently play the “what if I married someone else” game? or the “but am I really happy?” game?

See marriage is the real symbol of Christ’s love for the Church, you go to God through the love you give your spouse. Is your longing for heaven through learning how to love your spouse?

Penance: Spend time in prayer, with your God, longing and pondering on heaven, getting used to the silence, that you might be sufficiently de-stimulated that you might be able to enjoy the intense pleasure that is your marriage and family.

Are you obedient?

Chris was so obedient to God. Listen elsewhere to his instructions for us, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

Christ also said, “Those who hear you, hear me.” How are you doing with Holy Mother Church? Do you believe everything she teaches? What do you have a problem with? Spend some time this year going through the Bible in a Year, or Catechism in a Year, or with some good book or instructional videos, maybe a good commentary and doing the daily readings.

Penance: Be obedient to your parents if you’re a child and if you are married to your spouse. If you are a widow/widower, your focus has to be even more intensely on prayer then. If you haven’t married yet, consider being a nun or a monk. They can teach you about obedience to the Lord better than I can!

The race of life goes fast. Moments come with great intensity. How we spend the moments of preparation will determine our fidelity to our identity, Child of God/Disciple of Christ, as we pass through the trials. This is the time of preparation. Don’t waste your Lent!