Lent is the journey, Love the destination

By Mary Regina Morrell
©Catholic Online 2005

"To suppose that He would admit to His close friendship pleasure-loving people who are free from all trials is ridiculous. I feel quite sure that God gives them much greater trials; and that He leads them by a hard and rugged road, so that they sometimes think they are lost and will have to go back and begin again. Then His Majesty is obliged to give them sustenance - not water, but wine, so that they may become inebriated by it and not realize what they are going through and what they are capable of bearing." St. Teresa of Avila

When my sons were all little, and just so cute, I couldn't imagine that I would enjoy myself as much with them as they grew into adulthood. But I would learn that I actually enjoy their company more now that they are "big" and we have more things in common, and so, more things to laugh about together. Yesterday, for example, as I was "racing" my son to the local convenience store, I knowingly slipped through the surrounding residential area and ended up at the store at least five minutes ahead of him.

When he and his friend finally arrived I joked, "What took you so long?"

"I don't know how to get there by the back way," he complained, and then made some under-the-breath comment about the speed at which I was traveling. Later, as I was driving home, again by the back way and some very bumpy roads, I thought about how often the back way is a more "hard and rugged road" but it's inevitably a more interesting drive.

In a way, that's how it was with my becoming an adult member of the Church - a back road drive to say the least. I found my own way, with lots of twists and wrong turns, but I got here though my own initiative and hard work. Perhaps that's why, in spite of the very frequent frustrations, I am more inclined to stay than others who have taken the road most often traveled. There are many who would be surprised to know there are frustrations involved in working for the Church. I know because they write me letters about how wonderful it must be to work in an environment where everyone is Christian and going about their work with love and compassion.

My advice to them is "Land your spaceship and get your feet back on solid ground for awhile!" There is no such place! We are a Church of sinners and Christ has not yet returned to establish his kingdom on earth. But in the meantime, there is a call for us sinners to undergo a regular examination of conscience to acknowledge when we have been less than loving, less than compassionate, less than the followers of Christ we are called to be, and, I know for myself, that is more often than not.

Arrogance; pride; power; an attachment to things other than God, other than love, are continual stumbling blocks on any road to faith. And that is why Lent is so important as the road to Easter, the road to Resurrection. While the Lenten season only comes once during the Church year, it is symbolic of the soul's lifelong journey to God - a journey that nurtures awareness of the soul's inherent holiness, an acknowledgment of its sinfulness and opportunities for reconciliation. This is a journey of many twists and turns and moments of being lost.

But the soul that is dependent on God will inevitably be moved along by faith and hope until it finds itself at its final destination - Love.

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
http://www.diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Education, 732 562.1990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

Lent, love, journey

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »