Persevere
in faith
We hear it
every time we board an airplane: “in the event of an emergency, oxygen masks
will drop from the compartment above you. Please put on your own mask first –
before assisting others.” Lent is rightly considered a time of self-reflection,
where we take stock of all that has elapsed, derive the lessons worth learning,
and take a crack at applying what we can learn to life in the coming weeks,
months, and years. Equally important, however, is to take our inward
reflections and begin to share them with those around us – to help one another
at a time of thought and need.
Jesus’
teaching is a two-fold ask that poses a robust challenge: first to cleanse our
own consciences, and second – as if the first wasn’t already hard enough – to
not lose ourselves in self-thought, but to “stir up one another to love and
good works.” In reality however, both teachings are part of the same ask: Jesus
invites us to reflect with those around us because of the strength we can find
in community, camaraderie, and love. Lent is an opportunity to let go of our
self-imposed burdens and care for one another by asking the simple questions
that help us understand how we feel, what we think, and where we would like to
go next.
In the
event of an emergency, it goes without question that the first mask to go on is
yours. But where we feel stuck, feel the need to share, or aren’t sure about
what the next step of reflection should be, Jesus implores us to treat others
as we would want them to treat us. We have an incredible opportunity to care
for both ourselves and for others in a way that is thoughtful, engaging, and
empowering. All we have to do is ask.
Anna De
Marchi
"Tresha and Ashlesha playing with love and care",
by
TejendraBaruwal - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/
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