Happy 1st of March!
I was reminded today in one the prayer books I am using this Lent that today – the first day of the month of March – as a good time to evaluate your Lent and see how it’s going. We are a bit more than 2 weeks in, with just more than 3 weeks to go. Are those fasts you’ve undertaken actually sacrifices or just chances to lose some weight? Are we looking at turning back to God with our whole heart and whole soul or are we still holding something back? Maybe you’ve developed a blind spot to your own behavior.
Today’s Gospel tells us the story of Lazarus at the gate of the rich man – LK 16:19-31
The homily at daily Mass today was directed on the ‘blind spot’ the rich man had developed towards Lazarus. Lazarus had been at the gate so long, the rich man didn’t even ‘see’ him. He kept eating his banquets while a man died outside of his door.
While this parable is, in part, a reflection on the sins of omission (what we chose NOT to do) versus commission (what we DO), this is also a good time in our Lenten journey to examine the blind spots we have developed in regard to our behavior (what we do) and our neglect (what we aren’t doing).
Having the image of a blind spot was new for me and I left Mass with much to think about. As the busy Mom of a large family, I know I’ve developed a good number of blind spots – cobwebs in the furtherest corners of the basement, the fingerprints on the door jams that are waiting to be wiped off and the pile of stuff at the end of the kitchen counter that magically rebuilds itself moments after it is cleaned off! You know what I mean – we all have blind spots in regard to what is around us externally.
But, now I am thinking about the blind spots I’ve developed in my soul – cobwebs, fingerprints and piles of stuff I am loathe to approach, much less attend to.
I’m glad there still some time in Lent…….
(If you are a Scripture nerd who has always puzzled over the two Lazarus’ in the Bible – check out Mark Shea’s column – Lazarus in Mark and John)
