Since it’s rodeo time in Houston, I figure I need a Texas question to begin today’s homily. I’ve lived here for only thirty-some years, but I’m still fascinated with Texan expressions. So, my question for you is this: What is your favorite Texas expression, your favorite Texan quotation? One of my own favorites is: “I’m fixin’ to start.” It seems I’m often about to get ready to begin a project but am reluctant to actually start it. I spend a lot of time just getting ready. It’s like cutting up my meat and buttering my roll and arranging my plate before I start eating. Sometimes, all the food is cold before I get around to taking a bite.
Today’s readings remind me of that condition of “fixin’ to start.” With Lent starting next Wednesday, maybe now is the right time to think a little about getting ready for it. Just like with New Year’s resolutions, many of us plan to do something different for Lent. And like New Year’s resolutions, my Lenten changes often don’t last very long.
The first reading for today, from the Book of Deuteronomy, has a good reminder for us as we prepare to enter this season of Lent. Moses has just finished reminding the Israelites about their Exodus through the wilderness and how the Lord God was with them all the way. He is about to reveal to them the Commandments he received from the Lord God on their behalf. But before he begins, Moses tells them they have a choice. They can continue to follow the Lord God and obey the commandments he is about to give them, or they can turn aside and not follow the Lord God and his commandments. If they follow them, they will be blessed. If they turn aside, they will be cursed. They know the consequences. They know the alternatives and one of them doesn’t sound too encouraging. Nevertheless, the choice is theirs: to follow or to turn aside.
Saint Paul in his Letter to the Romans heard in our second reading, elaborates on this theme. He reminds the new Christians at Rome: “Now, the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law … the righteousness of God, has [now been manifested] through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”
The “righteousness of God,” the glory and power of God and our unity with God are shown forth no longer by following Torah, no longer by performing the ritual actions contained in the Law given to Moses, but rather, by our faith and our belief in the saving action of Jesus Christ, who brought us our redemption through his own death and resurrection. Paul concludes his reminder with the words: “… a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” Ritual action as dictated in Torah has been replaced by our faith in Jesus Christ.
Nevertheless, although ritual actions associated with clean and unclean food, for example, are no longer demanded of us, our faith in him does require our participation in the actions of Jesus, himself. The Gospel of Matthew records the warning Jesus gave his disciples at the conclusion of his “Sermon on the Mount” when he said: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.’”
Merely claiming to be a follower is not enough. A true follower must listen and act upon what he has heard Christ teach. These actions are not to be mere ritual, but to have a true meaning. Our actions are to be real actions and not make-believe actions, not actions undertaken for their own sake, but actions performed on behalf of others.
Jesus then tells his followers the parable of the house built upon rock and the house built upon sand. The person who prepares for the storms of life, the one who acts wisely, and builds upon a solid foundation will survive. The one who is foolish and builds upon sand will lose everything in the trials to come.
Both the wise and the foolish know storms will come into their lives. Everyone who has lived for a while along the Gulf Coast knows a hurricane, sooner or later, will strike the area. The wise person builds accordingly. The foolish one merely hopes for the best. The wise person plans and builds. The foolish one continues to be “fixin’ to start,” but never gets around to constructing a solid foundation.
Here in these days immediately prior to Lent, in these days of the celebration of “Mardi Gras” when all inhibitions are let loose, here, today, is the time to plan for the foundations needed for our lives. There are many Lenten resolutions one can make. It’s up to you do decide what foundation stones are still required for a solid life with God, what aspects of your own life need to be changed. And the change, I would hope, might be more than the ritual action of giving up candy for the next forty days.
One suggestion might be: don’t grumble about your life, instead, fix what needs to be fixed. Do it. Don’t just talk about it and hope it will fix itself or that someone else will fix it for you. It’s up to you to decide what needs repairing in your life, what you might begin this Lent, and, perhaps, continue beyond Easter Sunday.
One area you might consider is to stop grumbling about relationships and to begin fixing them. We all have broken (or bruised) relationships with others that need repairing or healing. These damaged interactions may involve a spouse, a child, other relatives, including parents and brothers or sisters, grandparents or cousins, aunts and uncles. Friends at school or at work. Even those we meet casually in our everyday life.
The repair can begin by talking civilly with one another. Lines of communication can be opened up, can be repaired. The silent treatment can end. Resentment can be lowered and eliminated. Apologies can be offered. It’s possible for me to admit a problem exists and I, myself, might have something to do with its origin. It’s also possible to admit feelings have been hurt and to recognize the hurt comes because of the original love each one held for the other.
It’s possible to attempt to correct the problem, to desire to return to a relationship which existed before the problem arose. It’s possible to remember the good days of the past and what is needed to recapture them. Lent is a good time to resolve not to argue about petty annoyances and to try to change one’s own annoying habits and rituals. Lent is the time to move beyond what was done in the past and to move into the future. Lent is the time to go beyond “fixin’ to start” and to begin “fixin to fix.”
An ancient Jewish custom is described in our first reading for today. We heard the instruction of Moses that every male Jew should wrap a strap around his arm and write words from Torah to be carried in a pendant on his forehead in order to remember them. However, he began his directions by saying: “Take these words of mine into your heart and soul.” And this is the instruction Jesus gives us today: “ … only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven … will enter the kingdom of heaven.”
As we prepare for Ash Wednesday and the forty days to follow, let us remember we are not destined to stand outside the closed door where we grumble and gnash our teeth. Rather we are to knock, and the door will be opened. May we not grumble with the difficulties of our Lenten season, but, rather, let us listen to the words of Christ and knock on the door so that it will be opened on Easter morning, and we can behold the risen Christ.
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time; March 6, 2011
Deut 11:18, 26-28, 32; Rom 3:21-25,28; Mt 7:21-27