2014 LENTEN LETTER   

 

One of the favorite things I did for my nieces and nephews when they were young was read them bedtime stories, especially Maurice Sendak's wonderfully illustrated "Where the Wild Things Are." It is the story of a

  

  

"wild child" who sails off to dreamland to play with "the wild things." In the process of befriending the wild things, Max (who is their king) realizes that he wants to be "where he is loved best of all."

 

Lent is here and we begin our annual journey with the Lord Jesus into our personal deserts, where the wild things are! On Ash Wednesday the Church gets our attention with the sobering "remember that you are dust, and into dust you shall return!" And then on Sunday, we listen to the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus confronts "the wild things" of his desert.

 

Our general approach to the "wilds" and temptations of our deserts is to use the traditional weapons of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. But what if we took a different approach? During the Advent-Christmas season, we listened to the consoling words of the prophet Isaiah, reminding us that Emmanuel, God-with-us, will bring about a peace that will enable the "wild things" to lie down with the gentle and the defenseless.  

 

Do we believe that God would lead us into the wilds of our desert only to abandon us without some nourishment? If we can trust God, who has Leviathan on a leash, our approach to the Lenten penance will take on new meaning. As we pray, fast and give alms, like Jesus, we will tame "the wild things." In the process we discover "where we are loved best of all," unconditionally by God.

 

Brothers, all of us desire authenticity in our lives. The great Jesuit philosopher and theologian, Bernard Lonergan, said that when we find ourselves in love with God and with all that God has made, we become authentic. If we hold back our trust, our sacrifice, our compassion, we allow our "wild things" to rule our lives and we do not give God the opportunity to show us "where we are loved best of all."

 

Let us spend this springtime of Lent preparing for the great Feast of Pascha -- Easter. Let us remember that this feast celebrates the truth that God's love for us is not only unconditional, but stronger than death. Let us pray for one another that we may never be discouraged by the "wild things," but that we keep focused on the One who continually shows us "where we are loved best of all."

   

 

Let us spend this springtime of Lent preparing for the great Feast of Pascha -- Easter. Let us remember that this feast celebrates the truth that God's love for us is not only unconditional, but stronger even than death. Let us pray for one another that we may never be discouraged by the "wild things," but that we keep focused on the One who continually shows us "where we are loved best of all."    

Joseph Lynch has accepted dispensation from perpetual vows and laicization, issued by the Congregation for the Clergy on Jan. 7. We wish Joe God's guidance and blessing and thank him for his many years of life and ministry in the Society of Mary.

With fraternal affection,