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Sunday of Lent (A) – March 9, 2014
Gospel
reading: Mathew 4:1-11
Fr. Charles Johnson, O.P.
From his hospital bed,
just days before his death, Fr. Philip Lamberty, OP, held court with
visitors. His bodily pain could not hold
back his smile and sense of joie de vivre. His laughter gave way
to a heartfelt moment as he shared his gratitude for a God-filled life:
“I’ve been so
impressed by the sincerity and authenticity of people’s prayer and I am in awe
of that. Why shouldn’t I be impressed by
something that is so beautiful? And if
I’m impressed, then Jesus, whose standards are much lower than mine, would be
tickled and delighted. ….”
At first I thought,
“Jesus has low standards?” However, I
didn’t take much time to correct myself as I reflected, “Thank God, how
wonderful the low standards of Jesus.
For, it makes possible his reaching down below you and me and lifting us
up.” As I reminisce about
Fr. Philip, I’m so thankful for his humorous wisdom. I never encountered him disconnected from the
struggles of life, nor did I ever see him without joy – kind of like
Jesus.
In today’s Gospel
reading, we hear about Jesus living in connection with the struggles of life as
he is tempted in the desert. It’s a
moment Pope emeritus Benedict XVI characterizes as the Lord’s “descent into the
perils that beset humanity.” A moment
in which the standards of Jesus took him so low to the point of mixing it up
with likes of Satan, the father of lies himself. I’ve said it many
times before, but it still makes me wonder; that the life and mission of Jesus
was a continual descent into our human condition and struggle. We can call it the “downward mobility” or low
standards of Jesus.
We do well to remember
that it not only was, but is, a continual descent into the perils and struggles
that beset us. In that, Jesus lowers his
standards by lowering himself to be with us.
Yes, he lowers his standards, but he never weakens them. Lest we forget, his standard is love.
Back in the season of
Advent and Christmas, the keyword about Christ is Emmanuel, God with us. At the same time, the good Lord reminds us
today and always, “I’m with you.” Might our lesson this
Lent be to learn just how Christ is with us.
When that happens, our standards will be raised and redeemed.
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