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As part of my regular discipline of study for some time now, I have been reading a serious work on the doctrine of Incarnation.  You may rightly intuit how appropriate that was in the context of the celebration of the seasonal cycle of Advent, Christmas, and the Epiphany.  But as we approach the season of Lent, I find reflection on the mystery of the Word made flesh, God the Son born son of man, provides us with a challenge for the keeping of these forty days in holiness.

In coming weeks, as is always the case, you will be hearing of programs and opportunities for activities that are especially designed to be appropriate for our seasonal observance.  Besides your responsibility to attend Mass on Sundays and to offer your daily prayers throughout the week, you will be invited to consider public worship at weekday offerings as part of taking on a Lenten Rule of Life.  You could avail yourself of several opportunities for study and learning, Adult Form on Sunday morning, Wednesday morning Bible Study or participation in the Institute of the Good Shepherd on Wednesday evening, or attendance at the Friday evening Stations of the Cross and program.

All of these things can inspire growth in faith and devotion.  They are offered with this potential spiritual benefit in mind.  Yet, I am more and more convinced that most of us are not in need of more to do.  In fact, if we are to make room for awareness of the presence of God in our lives, we may need to do less, to do without something that is routine in our lives in order to attend to our Lord who calls to us, not with loud stentorian tones that can be heard over the noise of our compulsive over-activity, but in that often-barely audible, “still, small voice.”

Might we fast and allow the longing for food that we so excessively gratify to be offered as a longing for God?  “As the deer longs for the water-brooks, so longs my soul for you, O God.” Psalm 42:1.   Could we turn the television, the stereo, the computer, yes, even the cell phone off for a time and offer quiet prayer and silent listening for the Word of God?  “For God alone my soul in silence waits.”  Psalm 62:1 & 6.  Our lives have become too full.  Maybe we need to empty some of  “our lives” to receive Christ who comes to us.

This is where my thoughts about our Lord’s incarnation lead me.  Our Lord fasted for us, not only during those holy, forty days in the wilderness, but in his frequent prayer to the Father for those he came to save.   Christ came to us to speak in human tones that we might hear and understand.  Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  The Savior gave up his life for us, offering the only sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.  St. Paul expressed this so clearly.

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:6-8

 In response to this Divine self-emptying, I intend to give up something this Lent that will allow me to receive Jesus in its place.  I pray that you too will give something of yourself for him who has given himself so completely for us.

Fr. Timothy P. Perkins , SSC