dying to self, saturday

Saturday, March 22

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer: You, O Christ, are my wealth.  All those things I thought I couldn't live without "dissolve" in a glance from you.  They are nothing when considered in the larger light of your intimate presence.  How difficult it has been to come to this moment!  The moment of letting go!  I, who have learned so well to hoard, grasp, clutch, and control!  Now I want only to be grasped by you.  All my possessions are empty when they become obstacles to my union with you.  O Glance of God, prepare my heart for the Great Surrender.  Enable me to surrender my ego self so that I may put on Christ.  Then I will begin enjoying heaven on earth.  Amen. (Abide by Macrina Wiederkehr)

Scripture Reading for the Day: Romans 6:1-14

Reading for Reflection:

It is easy at times to get mixed up and start believing that I can actually rid my life of sin by trying to eliminate it at the surface rather than dealing with it at its core.  When I try to take my actions, behaviors, or patterns and simply try to stop doing them, I am fighting a losing battle.  I can cut them off at the surface, but since they are rooted much more deeply, they will grow right back.  Paul knew this well and reminds us of it right here in Romans 6.  If we really want to rid our lives of its "slavery to sin" we must do it at its core.  We must crucify the old self, rather than just trying to crucify our sinful behavior.  This crucifying of the old self involves a much deeper work.  It involves naming that self, recognizing where and how we have believed that that is who we truly are, and determining to kill the false names we live by in order to truly believe, be convinced of, and live according to, the new self (true name) that God has bestowed upon us.  This false self, whatever his or her name may be, must die; it must be nailed to the cross with Jesus.  Then, and only then, will this body of sin be done away with, and we will have the possibility of no longer being slaves to sin.  That is the dying that we are invited to during this Lenten season—dying to the old self that we might live anew in Christ.

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to truly die to self, that I may truly live in you.  Amen.