| Lenten Reflection for Today
Friday of the First Week of Lent
Reading: Matthew 5:20 - 23
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your
ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to
judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery
Gehenna.
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Reflection:
Breathe -- such a simple word -- such a simple action --
an action that goes on without our conscious awareness.
Breathe -- While automatic, it is still a function that
does come under our control. We can hold our breath, control our
breathing, or, even under certain stressful situations, find ourselves
taking shallow, quick breaths, as the body is being pumped with
adrenaline.
Breathe -- Slowly, deliberately, breathe. Take in the
Spirit of God -- be in-SPIRED, full of life. Inhale that breath of life.
Exhale what is garbage, poison, torturing the soul and keeping us
fettered in misery. We can be so caught up in the moment of aggravation
and upsetment, that we don't take the time and energy to deliberately
breathe, to slow down the mental processes that drive us deeper into our
misery, that make us react to one another.
Breathe -- find the heart slowing, the mind less racing,
the chest cavity being filled and with it your soul, filled with the
Spirit of God, a Spirit of tolerance and patience, a spirit of love and
compassion, a spirit of self-acceptance and other-acceptance, a spirit
that sees that this precious moment is a precious moment, a
God-filled moment, an inSPIRED moment.
Breathe.
In the gospel, Jesus speaks against those who, in their
anger, fire off words of contempt and scorn, words of bitterness and
anger, words that are not filled with Spirit and life. Would that we
could remember in those moments to BREATHE. Chances are, when caught up
in that fiery moment, when we are nothing but one huge reaction of
receiving and inflicting pain, we will not remember the word BREATHE.
Would that someone could lovingly be at our side to remind us that we
need to Breathe.
Would that we could remind someone else!
BREATHE!!
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