The early weeks of Lent constitute in their readings a kind of short course in the Christian life, a review of how Jesus calls on us to love one another. Today’s liturgy of the Word is a good example: after listening to a beautiful passage in the Book of Daniel, where Daniel recognizes in some detail how rebellious, sinful, and disobedient we can be in the face of God’s mercy and compassion, we hear a Gospel quoting Jesus’ warnings on the need for compassion and refusing to judge in our own lives, to “be merciful just as your Father is merciful.”

Daniel notes that “we have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name,” anticipating the refusal of his descendants to listen to Jesus, who always spoke in the name of his Father.

“For the measure with which you measure will, in turn, be measured out to you.” We might take some time this Lent to read Shakespeare’s play, Measure for Measure; reading even a plot summary of this play would lead us to reflect on the challenges we face in our efforts to “Love one another as I have loved you.” After all, the Gospels of the second half of Lent focus on Jesus’ life of self-sacrificing love. As always, Jesus invites us to model our lives on his.

In the Eucharist, Jesus demonstrates his love for all, reaching out to everyone. Saint Peter Julian Eymard demonstrated this same love in his life and ministry. He is a model of how the Eucharist can empower our lives.

Prayer:

God our Father, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and deliver us from evil, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.