Lent is a special time, in which we hear God’s call in a louder voice: “Come back to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12).
This is a time to recognize our wickedness and to see the evil that is in us. Indeed, evil is actively present in our lives, in the society in which we live and in the world at large. Even when we try to do good, our lives are contaminated by evil. In spite of this evil influence being bigger than ourselves, our evil actions are fruit of our decisions. Recognising that, we must repent, showing sorrowfulness and changing our behaviour.
Today is the day of salvation
We should not delay. Tomorrow is not our day; it belongs to God. For us, today is the day. That’s why Paul wrote: “this is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2).
However, more than being a time to recognize our sin, Lent is a time to become more and more aware of God’s love and compassion. In the first reading of today’s liturgy, the prophet Joel says it clearly: “for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, and ready to relent”. (Joel 2:13) And he is just repeating the old words in which Go revealed himself to Moses: “The LORD, the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity” (Ex 34:6).
Omba umo ombela, amenso ya bantu tayalya
Today’s gospel warns us against an attitude, which is prevalent nowadays: “Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice” (Mt 6:1). Many people will do the strangest things in order to be noticed, to appear and to be talked about. They need to be counted as special and important, and they try by all means to be different. However, most of the times, that puts us in a dangerous path, which will bring about very little good or none at all. We should put our trust in being counted and noticed by God, not by the public. The Bemba proverb says: Omba umo ombela, amenso ya bantu tayalya (Let they clap hand as they please; the eyes of people don’t eat).
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