We are now in the great season of Lent. However, it seems as though we just finished Christmas, but in some traditions, Christmas decorations remain until February 2nd. Retailers of course are already putting out Easter decorations.
In this happy coincidence of the calendar (with the close proximity of Christmas and Lent), we are shown how the love of God caused him to send his only-begotten Son to be Our Savior. With Ash Wednesday and St. Valentine’s Day occurring on the same date, we see that while we think of Lent as being a season of sacrifice, ultimately it is a season of love.
So often, people dread Lent because it means “giving up” something they enjoy, going in the desert spiritually, or engaging in sacrificial practices. But for anyone who has been “in love,” he or she knows that love ultimately means sacrifice. You give up a part of yourself so that your partner, friend, child, etc. can live better, happier, healthier, and perhaps even holier. We sacrifice because we love.
So too with Lent. The readings that we hear are all about love: Jesus’s temptation in the desert led to his proclamation of the Kingdom of God. The transfiguration is an affirmation that God has eternal glory planned for us. The righteous anger that Jesus displays in the Temple is a result of his love for God’s house. The prediction of Jesus being lifted up like the serpent in the desert is a reminder that God heals and forgives. In dying to self, we can produce much fruit and attain eternal glory as we hear in the Fifth Sunday Gospel. I encourage you to listen to the Lenten scripture readings through the lens of love. How is this particular incident an example of God showing us his love?
This Lent instead of trying to decide what to “give up” instead ask yourself, “What do I need to do in order to love more?” Try to view each of your actions, however insignificant they may seem, as an act of love. Tina Turner sang “What’s love got to do with it?” claiming love is only a “second-hand emotion” and implying that the only thing necessary in relationships is the physical. But Jesus shows us that relationships require more than the physical. Love is not just an emotion. Love is a conscious decision to sacrifice for the other persons in our lives. While hearts do get broken when people love, to answer Tina’s question, Love has everything to do with it.
