Sunday Meditation: Choosing a Watchword (or watchphrase) for Lent

I went to the TLM at St. John the Baptist in Front Royal today. I love that Mass -- so reverent, so much silence for reflection, so obvious that we are all worshiping together following our shepherd united as one body. I had my old, tattered missal with the inscription from my mom: "To Mary Ann on her ninth birthday (and the date) Love, Mother and Dad." Every time I see her beautiful handwriting tears come to my eyes. That missal is such a connection to my childhood.

But that's just a sidelight. I was thinking before Mass that I want to choose a word or phrase for Lent as the needle and thread that sews together all the days of the season like the pieces of a quilt. I hope that will keep my scatter-brain focused. But what to choose?

As I listened to the gospel, Luke 18: 31-43, there it was. That particular gospel tells the story of the blind man who hears that Jesus is near and begins calling out to Him, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The apostles and others try to shush him up, but he won't listen and just keeps on calling, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."
Jesus heard him and did, indeed, have mercy. He ordered him brought over and asked, "What would you have me do for thee?"

And there it was -- the answer to my search.

"Lord, that I may see."

Yes -yes -yes! I want to see. I want to see the state of my soul so I can repent of my sins, especially those sins that I hide from myself or excuse as "insignificant." I want to see the duties of my state in life, especially those I'm neglecting out of ignorance and blindness. I want to see the love that God has for me so that I might be brought to my knees in gratitude and humility before our wonderful Savior. I want to see my faults and failings and to see the prescription for their healing. I want to see all that I owe to family and friends and even strangers who pray for me. I want to see enough of the good that I do so that Satan can't fool me with his evil whispers that nothing I do matters. I want to see the heroes who have gone before and the ones who walk along with me on the path of life and praise God for them. I want to see the depth of meaning in the liturgy and I want to see the face of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

"Lord, that I may see."

Help me every day in Lent to see Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, and follow Thee more nearly.