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JOURNEY TOWARDS EASTER Written by Willy Effinger
For many of us, life has its struggles and we kind of get used to it. Life somehow becomes monotonous and we don’t even try to break free from this feeling. How blessed we are in the Catholic Church to have a Church Year with spiritual seasons! This gives us a real opportunity to change, or at least to make a renewed effort to change, for the better. During the Lenten Season, as we are journeying towards Easter, we have another opportunity to make changes in our lives.
During Lent, we are encouraged to look at our lives, to dig deep into our knapsacks or backpacks and to throw out whatever does not belong there. For instance, right at the very bottom of our backpack, we may find pride, sloth, envy or one of the other deadly sins. Before we even get to the bottom, however, we are likely to find layers of other things that have been allowed to accumulate. Some of the things that we may find include the following: a promise to pray more often that was long forgotten; a resolution to go to Holy Mass more often that remained unfulfilled; the intention to visit a sick relative or friend that was ignored; the urge to send money to foreign missions or to tithe that never materialized.
Some backpacks do not smell very nice inside but with a little work and a lot of scrubbing, it is possible to renew and restore it. All the things that we have dropped into it could have made a difference in other people’s lives – and our own as well. By the grace of God, we have a chance to really do something positive during Lent. By abandoning our old ways and taking a little spiritual risk, we can expect a much brighter future. We can and must grow, cleanse our souls, strengthen our hearts and become a Eucharistic people, a people not afraid to sacrifice a little in order to grow a lot. We are all destined for great things – the things of Heaven. All we have to do is bow our heads and say a humble YES!
Some years ago, Reverend Father George Kosicki wrote an inspiring Eucharistic Parable, which he has allowed me to share with you now.
Once upon a time, the wheat in the field was given the gift of speech. It spoke to the soil asking, “Soil, how would you like to become wheat?” “What do you mean?” replied the soil. “Well, you don’t need to stay as dirt. You could become part of me, and grow and have kernels of grain with golden hair, and wave in the wind”, said the wheat. But immediately, the soil inquired, “How can this happen?” “Well”, said the wheat, “just say yes and when the rains come and dissolve some of your minerals I’ll absorb you, draw you up into myself and you’ll become part of me.” “Is it really true?” wondered the soil. “Oh, what joy and beauty is in store for you!” promised the wheat. And so the soil said a humble yes. When the rains came and soaked the soil, the wheat roots reached out and drew the minerals up into the wheat, and the soil became part of the golden grain which grew and waved in the breeze under the summer sun. Then one day a lamb jumped the fence into the field and said to the wheat, “Hey, wheat, how would you like to become a lamb?” “What do you mean?” the wheat answered. “Well, you wouldn’t have to stay in one place, rooted in the soil. You could skip and jump, grow wool and make more lambs,” explained the lamb. “But, oh, what will it cost me?” asked the wheat. “It will cost you a total yes, a surrender to me, and then I will eat you up, digest and absorb you and then you will be part of me.” “Is it worth it?” asked the wheat, trembling in the wind. “Oh, you have no idea what it is to be a lamb! Come now and say yes!” And so the wheat tipped its head of grain and said a quiet yes. The lamb ate the wheat, digested it, absorbed it and the wheat became part of the lamb, which bounded across the field and joyfully skipped back over the fence into the pasture. Then the lamb heard the voice of the shepherd. “Hey, lamb, how would you like to become part of me?” A chill ran down the spine of the lamb as it bleated. “That sounds like the question I just asked the wheat!” “Oh, yes, it may be similar, but what a difference! You have no idea what it is to be a man! You could love and think, choose and create, invent and write, and more!” The lamb was curious about this new kind of life and really wanted something more, so despite his fear, he meekly bowed his head and said yes. The shepherd sacrificed the lamb, cut him up, roasted him and had a fine meal. After his meal, the shepherd was walking in his garden in the cool of the evening and he heard the voice of God. “Hey, man, how would you like to become a son of God?” On hearing the voice of God, the man hid himself for fear, but God pursued him again and asked, “How would you like to become like Me?” Trembling, the man responded, “I am afraid of what it will cost me. I know what it cost the lamb that I had for supper.” “Do not be afraid, oh man,” said God reassuringly, “I had My Son pay the cost for you. He has shown the way to Me, step by step. He became Man. Then the Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep, buried in the ground like grain to bring forth new life as the Living Bread. A Lamb pierced, yet risen and victorious, wants to bathe you in His life-giving Blood that you may be transformed, transfigured, divinized! You will become sons and daughters of God, members of the Body of My beloved Son, if you say yes and surrender to My will and plan for you. Unless you eat the Flesh of My Son and drink His Blood, you will not have life within you. When you do eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, you will become what you eat and drink, and have eternal life. You will become sons and daughters of God.” Some men heard this proposal of God and couldn’t accept it, and so walked away sad and confused. Others heard the proposal and their hearts began to be warmed with expectation and they asked, “Is it really true?” And God said, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, I have prepared for those who love Me, and this I have revealed through My Spirit.” And so, for those whose hearts were burning within them, for those who said YES to God’s proposal and plan, it began to happen. Day by day, year by year, the transformation took place and they began to radiate His mercy to the world. This spiritual-biochemical parable of transformation is true. Besides, it is good biochemistry! We really do become what we eat! In the Eucharistic Lord, Father George
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