Choices… could it be as simple as that? Entering Lent and Life

As God has given us Free Will, we can chose good or evil, eternal life or eternal death… He allows us to make choices. But how are we supposed to go about doing that?
Here’s how: He’s given us His Son Jesus, the Scriptures and the Traditions of the Church to learn from, to pray with, to contemplate, to emulate. As the Gospel Acclamation says: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”

In the Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7, we hear of Adam and Eve, when tempted, chose to be disobedient to God the Father, to break their Covenant with the Father who had provided for all their needs, God who made them for happiness to enjoy life eternal in the Garden; they turned away from Him, they doubted His Love and Care. They thought He was holding something back from them and they wanted it, even though they really didn’t know what it was…
So the Scriptures say, as they were looking “the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom.”. But looks can be deceiving, especially when Satan, also known as the “deceiver of the whole world” is at play… and this, all in an attempt to be like God. Pride & Death enters the world!

In Matthew 4:1-11, we hear of Jesus, when tempted, chose to remain obedient to God the Father, to stand firm on the Covenant His Father made with the human race, to deny the temptations of the world, the temptations tossed at Him by Satan. And He responds to this creature with the command, VADE RETRO SATANA! Here is Jesus the Man, the Messiah, the Anointed One of God, the Word made Flesh. He makes the choice to follow His Father, God. Salvation enters the world!

Choices!

Now for us: who do we chose to follow?
In Romans 5:12, 17-19 we can see evidence that following Adam & Eve, we will fall short, we’ll be caught up in our senses & emotions as the Deceiver tempts us, we’ll head down the road of disobedience, sin and the forfeiture of our eternal life.
Following Jesus, we head down the road of obedience, reconciliation with
God the Father, to our Salvation and toward the Gates of Heaven one day.

Choices… could it be as simple as that?

As the children of God we’re called each year to these 40 days of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, to follow Jesus into the desert, moving toward self- purification, taking control of our senses, taking control of our desires, taking control of our wants… taking every thought captive… subduing the sinful drive we have within ourselves! All this so that we too may be better equipped to say as Jesus did, “Get away Satan!” Each day we make choices, do I eat this or that, do I exercise, do I wake up a little early to read a meditation for the day or maybe watch Fr. Mike
Schmitz bible in a year podcast, do I pray a Rosary or watch Yellowstone, do I make that call to my cousin that I’m mad at to forgive them, do I call my mom and tell her I’m sorry… you get the picture?

Choices… could it be as simple as that?

We’re to be Christ in the world… when someone sees us, sees me, sees you, do they see and hear Christ, His mercy, His love, His forgiveness, His hope, His obedience? Lent is about becoming more Christlike… to be present to God the
Father daily in all we do, in all we say, in all we think. And this can happen through prayer and fasting. We must allow ourselves through our presence to the Lord to become His present, His gift to others!

This Lent, Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord! Make those choices that will prepare you at the end of Lent to enter more deeply into His Passion, His death and His resurrection. To climb onto the Cross, the Cross that so many saw as death but it was truly to become the eternal Tree of Life! Climb up onto it, to be broken for the salvation of souls with Him, to make yourself an offering to God for others!

This takes effort on our part, it takes dedication, if you fail, get up and try again; ya fall down, get back up! Jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden light, He will be there to give you a hand up! To grow stronger in the Lord we can make the choice to do some things… and here are some suggestions:
Be more attentive at Mass, today, right now! Listen with intent to the prayers and come forward to receive the Lord with a determined dedication to be changed into His disciple.

Come to Adoration in the Chapel once a week.
Come to the Stations of the Cross once a week.
Come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once during Lent.
Read a daily Meditation from a good source.
Read the daily Mass Scriptures.
Pray an Our Father each morning when you wake up before you get out of
bed.
Discover the depth and character of fasting.
Come to daily Mass if possible.
Reach out to us if you’d like more direction on your Journey with the Lord.
You are not alone In The Battle…

Choices… could it be as simple as that?
Yes, it can!