Did I Offend You? (02/17/2024)

Yesterday I got a phone call. When I answered, the first thing the person asked me was, “Did I offend you?” It obviously was worrying her. I took her seriously, recognized her concern, and assured her that I know her, and that I wasn’t offended by what she’d said. She was so relieved. Our words and actions do matter. Lent is a time for us to truly reflect on just that matter.

Jesus came to dwell among us as one of us and He gave His life upon a cross because of our words and actions that were offensive in the eyes of our Almighty Father. Our sins matter. Our cruel or untruthful words matter. Our selfish and hurtful actions matter. During Lent, we are called to reflect upon our lives and upon the LORD’s unfathomable love for us and desire that we live the lives we were created to live – lives marked by love for our LORD and for one another. It is a time for us to repent, to turn back to the LORD with our whole being, to seek to live as our savior taught us to live through his teachings and his example.

Our LORD not only gave us His Son to teach us through word and example and to give His life to win our lives, He also gave us the Spirit to guide us and to grace us with wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and awe. Furthermore, the Spirit is the source of human love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We do not fight this battle we human beings are fighting against selfishness, darkness, hatred, and other evils alone.  We must always remember, no matter what, that the LORD is all-present and all-loving.  Our struggle matters not just for ourselves but for our world, for our sisters and brothers.

We can’t have it both ways: that we matter so much to the LORD that His Son died for us and that the LORD sustains us AND that what we do doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. What we do does matter greatly. And so, this Lent, let us truly seek time with the LORD prayerfully discerning which turns we need to make in our lives so that we get back on track on our personal journeys of faith, hope, and love.

As we make this Lenten journey this year, let us be very intentional and also very reflective. Let us seek to do what is right for our relationship with the LORD and with one another moment to moment. And let us spend time reflecting on our days, identifying those times we failed because we will, and seeking forgiveness not only from our LORD but also from those impacted by what we have done or said.

Our Lenten journey isn’t just about what we eat or don’t eat. It isn’t just about whether we pray or when we pray only. It isn’t only about giving to a charity. Lent is about focusing on the crucifix, recognizing that we as individuals were on the mind and in the heart of Jesus as He hung upon that cross and gave His life so that we might have life. Lent is about repenting for past sins and seeking to more tightly embrace the love of the LORD that can and should guide us as we continue on our way.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.

Thoughts? Questions? Requests? – katewiskus@gmail.com