“The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” This quote from Christ at the very end of today’s Gospel is just another example of how Christ calls us to live and love during this Lent.

I think when we put who Christ is into perspective it really helps us gain a deeper understanding of what He is saying. Let us remember that Christ is a King, but not just any king, rather he is the King of Kings. He is the almighty, capital G, God of the universe, who humbled Himself to the point that He was born to a working class family that couldn’t offer Him much as far as worldly comforts go, let alone a palace and everything else a King should have. So, this King, the one person who is actually worthy of being praised unceasingly, chose to be just another regular person, a son of a carpenter. He could have come down in all His glory and demanded to be praised. He could have used all His power and might to make every kingdom in existence crumble and become His, yet He did none of these things because that is not why He came, and that is not who He is. He came to heal the sick, fix the broken, love the forgotten, and to be of service to everyone. This is the example Christ sets for us, and this is the example we should be looking to and striving to be more like this Lent. As you well know Lent is not just simply about your Lenten promise. While Lent is a time for self-improvement and growth in virtue, it cannot just be about us. How are you helping others this Lent? How are you giving back? How are you serving those closest to you? Maybe it is time to take a step back, look at the remainder of Lent and begin to focus on how you can not only grow through exercising temperance in your personal sacrifice, but through loving, caring, and serving others as Christ did.

How have you served others this Lent? How can you serve others better this Lent?

Are your Lenten sacrifices helping you be a better Christian? Are they helping you love and serve like Christ? If not, how can you change that?

How can you strive to be more humble like Christ?

"Come Holy Spirit."

"You are the King of Kings."

"Thank you Jesus."

Make humility your goal today. Fast from the need to be exalted today and do it all for the glory of Christ our King.

Today’s Gospel cuts to the core, no doubt about it. Here, as we journey through this Lenten season, we hear Jesus admonish the Pharisees of His time. The Pharisees, though ritually observant and following the law to the letter, were lacking in some pretty severe ways. Jesus exposes them today by calling them out for the big spectacle they make of themselves. The Pharisees in today’s world would be the ones who constantly complain about their Lenten sacrifices and make a big deal out of it. 

Is that you? Have you been incessantly complaining about how you can’t eat chocolate for the past two weeks? Or maybe you’re seeking praise for your fasting by sharing with everyone how your social media cleanse has been so good for you and your walk with the Lord. We find it so easy to complain and heap upon ourselves these great sacrifices and fasts just to get the attention of others.

Today, Jesus calls us to a different way. He tells us that if we want to do well in our relationship with him, we must be servants. Service is an integral part of the Christian life, and I don’t just mean helping at a soup kitchen twice a year with your youth ministry service projects. The kind of service Jesus is speaking of is an every day, every moment type of service. 

To be a servant means to be humble- it’s right there in the Gospel today. For us to be holy, we have to seek less of ourselves and more of Christ in our neighbors. Instead of moping around about our sacrifices of TV, chocolate, or whatever else we gave up this Lent, being loud and letting people know how much we’re sacrificing, why don’t we stop being Pharisees? Why don’t we take the time to put others in front of ourselves with our time and resources? Instead of being sad that we gave up Netflix, why don’t we use that time to help friends with some of their needs? When we’re hungry and craving meat on Friday, instead of complaining to our parents and asking them for steak, why don’t we offer to help cook our meatless meal or do some extra chores?

Serving others requires discipline and love and it’s not an easy habit or life view to build, but the grace we need comes from Jesus- who served more than anyone. Let your prayer today be centered on seeking ways to serve those around you and less on the woes of your fasting this Lent!

How faithful have you been to your Lenten sacrifice? Have you offered your sacrifice to God, or do you seek your reward through the praise or acknowledgement of others?

Have you grown in service this Lent? Do you spend more time helping others, or focusing on yourself? Do you take time each day asking God how you can serve Him through your Lenten sacrifice?

When was the last time you did an act of service? How can you serve others today? What do you need to do in order to make serving Christ in others a priority in your life?

"Heal me."

"I serve You."

"Help me to love."

Do something to serve someone in some way today. It can be a small act of kindness or something big. Either way, be attentive to other people's needs and love Jesus in them. Ask Christ for the graces you will need to be able to serve Him in others today.

Saint John Paul II wrote in his letter Rich in Mercy (#13) that “mercy is the greatest attribute of God”. Our Gospel for today tells us about Jesus ‘ invitation to be merciful, just as His Father, our Father in heaven, is merciful. Mercy was the premise on which Jesus built His other commands to stop judging, to stop condemning, to forgive, and to give gifts. Mercy is the foundation on which every aspect of Christian life should be based. But wait, there’s more; it’s not a mercy based on what I think is right or just, but rather a mercy according to the Heart of the Father of mercies.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”

The mercy of the Father does not judge or condemn; the mercy of the Father forgives and gives gifts. The mercy of the Father calls and beckons for repentance and a change of life in order to move closer to His embrace, and this mercy does not allow the sinner to continue in its sinful behavior or lifestyle. The mercy of the Father is our source of joy because it liberates us from our slavery to false idols and to self and draws us to the adoration and worship of the true and living God. The mercy of the Father leads us to relationship and unity rather than escape mechanisms and division. The mercy of the Father leads to dialogue, reconciliation, and truth rather than opinions that divide. The mercy of the Father leads us to the way, the truth and the life, that is, the person of Jesus Christ.

Today, let us ponder the mercy of the Father that He so desires to impart to you and me. Let us pray and say, Father, let me receive your mercy today; I want to receive it from You so that, like You, I can be merciful to others and lead them to your Son.

When you think of the mercy of God, what does it mean to you? How have you experienced the mercy of God in your life? 

In what ways is God's mercy calling you deeper into relationship with Him?

How can you let the mercy of God lead you to show mercy to others today? What specific ways or relationships might He be inviting you to bring mercy to today?

"You are merciful oh Lord."

"Help me be merciful."

​"Make me like You."

Find a time today to put down all distractions and let yourself be in silence to contemplate the mercy of God and let Him speak to you. Give Him that time, and let Him reveal His deep love and mercy. 

Use the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again).

​The first reading from today has always been a difficult one for me. “Whoa, Lord, you’re asking Abraham to sacrifice his son like you would have him kill and roast an animal? I’m not sure about this.” What’s even more flooring to me is Abraham’s quick willingness to do it. 

But the Lord has been slowly and surely softening my heart and reordering my priorities to show me that Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice is not something to scoff at but something to look up to. Abraham’s priorities were exactly right. He realized that the Lord was his ultimate treasure, and that anything else he had, including his beloved son, he only had because it was given to him by the Lord.

And now when I read this passage, I’m sobered by how far off I am from being like Abraham in my willingness to sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only beloved son, but I struggle to give up my lenten sacrifice of netflix or speeding or sweets to the Lord! I can barely keep myself from eating those peanut butter m&m’s hidden away in my room, and that’s such a measly sacrifice compared to Abraham’s offering to the Lord or Jesus’ death on the cross for me!

But the voice of the Lord is quick to speak over that hopelessness, a gentle and understanding voice. Our sacrifices may seem measly to us, but they matter to Him. Whether it’s something small like a Lenten sacrifice of chocolate or something much larger like a relationship that’s causing us to turn from Him, He understands the pain of sacrifice and treasures each one we make. 

A year and a half ago, when I graduated from college, I said yes to serving as a missionary on a college campus with an organization that’s based all around the country. It was very difficult for me to say yes to this invitation from the Lord, because in doing so, I would give up the ability to choose where I was placed. Giving up living near my family to serve the Lord in Minnesota, a 10 hour drive from home, was such a hard thing to do, but the Lord rewarded me with a life that is better than I ever could have anticipated.

What that sacrifice has taught me is that when we are willing to give up something precious for the sake of following the Lord, His reward is greater than we can ever imagine. So whatever the Lord might be asking you to sacrifice today, take heart that He never let us win in generosity. 

These questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today.

Who or what do you love most in this world? How would you feel if God asked you to give up that person or thing?

What are sacrifices are you make this Lent? How does Abraham's sacrifice change the way you look at your sacrifices?

How has the Lord been generous to you in the midst of your sacrifices and offerings?

In this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord.

"I give it all to you, God."

"I love you, Lord, above all else."

"You are never outdone in generosity."

In light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today?

Take a step back and consider why you are making your chosen sacrifices this Lent. Pray about how they are leading you deeper into relationship with God, and look for the ways the Lord is being generous to you during this season.