“At all times the lifestyle of a monk ought to have a Lenten quality” (Benedict’s Rule, A Translation and Commentary, RB 49:1, Terrance Kardong, p.402).  Now this sounds heavy, does it not?  However, if we reflect more on chapter 49 of the Rule, we will see that Benedict has a healthy and profound theological perspective on Lent.

“God acts in the simplicity of open hearts, in the patience of those who pause until they see clearly” (Let Us Dream, p.61).  These words of Pope Francis are among many thoughts he has on discerning: discerning what is the voice of God or the movement of the Spirit and what is the voice of the “bad spirit” as he calls it. 

Pope Francis said: “Let’s consider a big obstacle to change, the existential myopia that allows us defensively to select what we see. Existential myopia is always about holding on to something we’re afraid to let go of” (Let Us Dream, p.18). Repentance is about change, about turning from an attitude or a view that is short-sighted, rigid, filled with fear, that in the Pope’s words ‘allows us to defensively select what we see’…

The theme of ‘call’ is the focus of the readings for this Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The ‘call’ of God: how do we ‘know’ God is calling us?  What are the signs and movement of the heart that reveal this call?  We have the story of young Samuel’s call by God.  It seems God is calling simply through the name: ‘Samuel, Samuel, Samuel’ (1 Sam 3:4).  To hear our name being called, out of the silent depths of the heart, is an awakening moment, a divine moment in time, an in-breaking of God, asking us to listen.  Samuel is being educated in listening by Eli, the priest.  The final time the Lord calls Samuel, he follows Eli’s advice and responds: ‘Speak Lord your servant is listening’ (1 Sam 3:9).  Does not God call all the time?  Are we not still learners in having ‘the ear of our heart’ educated, educated in this growing process of listening?  Do we ever hear our name being called in the silence of prayer: ‘Kathy, Kathy’?  Or, ‘Kathy, Kathy, where are you?’  Such ‘calls’ from God are always invitations…invitations to change an attitude, invitations to wake us up, invitations to love more, invitations to change a behavior or a murmuring heart, invitations to deepen our relationship with God.

Jesus descends into the waters of baptism: this descent, this surrender to the will of his Abba, this immense turning of his whole being towards his Abba, towards giving himself over entirely to God, releases the even more immense power of Love, a Love that unites Father to Son, a Love that will never leave Jesus and will become his sustaining Source throughout his whole ministry, his death and Resurrection.