“[God] saved us and called us to a holy life…” These words of St. Paul remind us of the salvation that is ours and the dignity of the life to which we are called.
            God saved us. Through his suffering, death and resurrection, Jesus saved us from the power of sin and death so that we might live in the hope of everlasting life. This proclamation of faith only has significance if we acknowledge that we are sinners and that as sinners we desire the salvation that Jesus won for us. In Lent, we ask ourselves, “Where is sin present in my life?” “Do I seek the grace of the Risen Christ to help me diminish the power of sin in my life so as to share in the glory of Christ now and in its fullness after death?” We can often overlook the areas of sin in our lives. Or, we can make the judgment that our sin is not so serious, and so doesn’t merit our efforts to diminish its influence over us. This, in turn, calls into question the intensity of our desire to know the salvation Jesus won for us. Do we actively seek the grace to recognize and conquer our sinfulness so as to live in the hope of the salvation that Jesus won for us?
            We are called to a holy life. We are called to live a life that reflects the living presence of God within us. When other persons encounter us, they should encounter God! In order for us to grow in our capacity to reflect God to the world, we must embody in our lives the qualities of Jesus, God incarnate. To be holy, therefore, is to embody the compassion of Christ, the mercy of Christ, the generosity of Christ, the fidelity of Christ to his Father, the patience of Christ, the humility of Christ, the embrace that Christ offered to all without distinction. Look at that list. Pick the one or two areas in which you need to grow in order to better reflect God to our world. Make this your Lenten project. Open your heart to the grace of the Risen Christ and allow that grace to help save you from that sin which robs you of the salvation God deeply desires for you.
            Lent can be a rich season of grace for us, if we cooperate with Christ in diminishing the level of sinfulness in our lives so that can live a truly holy life.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J