Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

4TH SUNDAY OF LENT (March 18, 2007)

Suggested Emphasis

“Be ambassadors of Christ…the very holiness of God.”

Salesian Perspective

The season of Lent challenges us to “turn away from sin, and to believe in the good news.” To use the language of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, the season of Lent reminds us of our need to turn away from darkness and to be a new creation, to be “the very holiness of God.”

The message is clear: it isn’t enough to turn away from sin; it isn’t enough to turn away from the darkness. The coin that being a new creation has two sides: while we must turn away from darkness, we must also walk in and draw closer to the light.

We must be “ambassadors of Christ.”

St. Francis de Sales wrote: “It may be easy enough to refrain from murder,” but it is extremely difficult to live in a way that consistently promotes life. “It is easy enough not to steal from our neighbor,” but it is more challenging to take care of and treat with respect the good things that God provides for our use. “It may be easy not to bear false witness in court,” but it may be very difficult to tell the truth in conversation. “It may be easy to refrain from drunkenness,” but it is another thing altogether to live a life of sobriety. “It may be easy enough not to desire another’s death,” but it is another matter to wish for another’s happiness, health and success. “It may be easy not to slander someone in conversation,” but it may be very difficult to speak in ways that build up that person.

In short, our Lenten practice – for that matter, the practice of living each day, each hour, each moment – must be balanced: we must turn away from evil, and we must make progress in doing the good. Perhaps in practice, however, we might reverse the order: by allowing ourselves to be consumed by the practice of what is good, righteous and true we will have less interest (or at least less time and energy) in practicing what is evil. Announcing the Good News as ambassadors of Christ might be the most effective way of renouncing the Bad News of sin.

In the Gospel we see the lengths to which God will go in helping us to become the very holiness of God. The actions of the prodigal son (that is, his rash and wasteful extravagance) that led to his downfall are only outdone by the actions of the prodigal father: see the extravagance to which the father goes – not once, but twice – to show his love for his son. In our own lives, too, whether we recognize it our not, God continues to extravagantly shower, nourish and inspire us with his love so that we, in turn, might share that same loving extravagance with others.

How far are we willing to go – how extravagant are we willing to be – in being ambassadors of Christ and the very holiness of God?

Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.