By Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
THE WORD IN LENT – Wednesday, First Week
February 21, 2024: Jonah 3: 1-10; Luke 11: 29-32
We are not bound to live in the desert… We have a promise that awaits us; we are just passing through this desert. At times, we get too comfortable with the desert – that is clearly a sin, an unacceptable choice in life. But there is another mindset that is more dangerous because of its ambiguity. It is self-pity, and the Word today warns against it, challenging us to do away with it and to take our choices seriously.
At times, we may find refuge under a victim-syndrome; thinking of ourselves, picturing ourselves, and presenting ourselves as victims, both to ourselves and to others. My situation, my problems, my health issues, my colleagues, my family, my upbringing, my past experiences… how many justifications can we think of, to remain in an unacceptable state of life – it could be sin, or slavery, or dependence, or exploitation or anything that does not allow us to live our life to the full.
God’s primary call to every human being is to live our lives in all their fullness. When something prevents us from doing it, we are obliged to do away with it, and not try to find refuge in reasons and causes. That would be a sign of self-pity. Certainly, the contrite heart that the psalmist speaks of today is not a sense of self-pity! It is not saying, “Oh, I am a poor sinner,” as an excuse to remain in that state! Instead, I am challenged to rise beyond that self-pity and make radical and determined choices in life, as the people of Nineveh did!
When the people of Nineveh heard the Word proclaimed to them, they found the way to cross over their desert! They immediately got hold of it and got across their sinful situation, their desert life. Like someone being washed away by a flood would grab on to anything, to find a way to safety, so we are called to grab on to every help that the Lord sends our way to go towards liberty. Jesus indicates how the people of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba recognised the opportunity they had and grabbed it with both hands – so should our choices be, says the Lord.
We cannot lie down and take refuge under a sense of self-pity! We are called to rise beyond it and be led by the Lord to liberty!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He holds doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.