Five R's for Lent -- Remember, Reflect, Repent, Return, Rejoice - And Some Other R Words for Good Measure!

Prodigal son among the swine by
Albrecht Durer (1496)

During my Lenten reading the past few days, I keep meeting five R words: remember, reflect, repent, return, and rejoice. The first is remember and we hear it from the very first day of Lent in the Ash Wednesday admonition. "Remember, man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." A sobering thought upon which we do well to reflect, the second R word. Holy Mother Church, on the first Sunday of Lent, also urges us to remember the devil's temptations of the Holy One of God and to reflect on them. Jesus goes out to the desert and He responds (another R word) to each temptation with a remembrance from Old Testament scripture. Remember, Satan, "It is written, man does not live by bread alone!...You shall not put the Lord your God to the test!....You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve!" Jesus looks at us from the cross and tells us to remember and reflect upon the word of God whenever we are tempted. The Word has power over evil that we can hardly imagine. And so during this time of Lent, let us remember to read  (another R word) and reflect upon holy scripture every day.

Our memories attach us to the past and, here's another R word, they remind us of many things: our joys, our sorrows, our sins, our virtues, our faults.... The prodigal son left home a cavalier little boy intent on enjoying his life and fortune. He did, briefly, but found out that fair weather friends quickly desert one after the money runs out and the fun and games are over. In his misery, he remembered the comfortable situation at home where one worked, but had plenty of food to eat and no doubt leisure time to enjoy. It was remembering those precious memories of hearth and home and the kindness and generosity of his father that sent him with the next two R words returning homeward with repentance in his heart and  on his lips.

Think of all the sinners in the gospel who came to Jesus, knelt before Him repenting, and begged for mercy. The woman at the well and the woman taken in adultery no doubt never forgot God's mercy. Imagine them sharing their memories of Jesus filled with wonder and spreading the gospel with their stories. Think of Dismas on the cross experiencing perfect repentance and begging, "Jesus to "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." What consolation and hope were his when Jesus replied, "This day you will be with me in paradise."

St. Dismas, the Good Thief!
Bradi Barth (1921-2007)

And finally...rejoice! How can we not rejoice in gratitude and relief when we experience God's mercy. Many people have such a false image of God, a tyrant god who is quicker to punish than to love, looking for any excuse to dash us to the ground. But that isn't God. That's the false image Satan wants us to have. "Did God really tell you not to eat of the fruit of the tree?" Can you imagine the conversation? "You can be a god yourself, Eve, if you stop listening to His unreasonable rules. He doesn't want to share His power. Eat the apple. You can see how good it looks! Besides, then you'll know everything!"

Satan seduces mankind by presenting God as the great spoilsport in the sky who wants us all to be miserable (No fun for you!) He has the lightning bolt ready at hand to punish us if we color outside the lines. Nothing could be further from the truth! Boundaries give freedom and protect one from terrible consequences. The parent who puts up a fence around the pool to protect non-swimmers gives his little ones the freedom to roam the entire yard except for that one small area. That's what God's boundaries do for us. If we embrace them, we are protected from making decisions that can damage us both physically and spiritually. 

What a gift Lent is! Let us remember, reflect, return, repent, and rejoice during these blessed days so that Easter Sunday may find us closer to Jesus Christ, Mary, St. Joseph, and all the angels and saints worshiping our wonderful God in spirit and truth.

My Jesus, I trust in you.