Guest Column

Lent a reminder of God’s mercy and love

By Autourina Mains
Posted 3/17/22

March 2 marked the start of the season of Lent, a season of the church that I especially enjoy. Some people may feel like Lent is a sad season because we are reminded of Christ’s suffering, …

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Guest Column

Lent a reminder of God’s mercy and love

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March 2 marked the start of the season of Lent, a season of the church that I especially enjoy. Some people may feel like Lent is a sad season because we are reminded of Christ’s suffering, passion, and crucifixion, but for me it’s a time that we are reminded of God’s infinite mercy and love for his children.

During Lent, which lasts 40 days, the church encourages us to practice self-sacrifice offered up to God. Some of the self-sacrifice we offer can be fasting on Fridays as well as offering up our favorite food or activity to show God our love and dedication to him. 

Instead of offering up our favorite food or activity, we can also offer up corporal and spiritual works of mercy. As we practice self-sacrifice, our faith is strengthened, and we draw closer to God. Saint James said in James 2:14-15, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has not deeds? Can such faith save them?” It is obvious that if we have faith in our Lord, then we must demonstrate it through our deeds.

James 2:15-17 says, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, go in peace keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

That is where corporal and spiritual works of mercy help us put our faith into action. Corporal (physical) works of mercy are: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, providing housing or shelter, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned and burying the dead. Many of us are performing corporal works of mercy every day as we provide for our families or even our profession and may not even realize it, but the key is to perform them with love.

Spiritual works of mercy are: instructing the ignorant (share your faith), counseling the doubtful, admonishing the sinner, comforting the sorrowful, forgiving injuries (let go), bearing wrongs patiently, and praying for the living and the dead. 

Now that the season of Lent is here, we have 40 days to put our faith into action and grow closer to our heavenly father.

I love the passage from James 2:25: “In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without spirit is dead, so faith without deed is dead.”

This passage shows us that a prostitute who did righteous acts to feed, shelter and protect others, is remembered. Regardless of our sins, when we repent and give our heart, mind and body to God, he pours his infinite mercy on us. So, during this Lent perform all the corporal and spiritual works of mercy with love and offer them up to your heavenly father who is madly in love with you, his masterpiece.

 

(Autourina Mains is a cradle Catholic who was born and raised in the Middle East. She is an Assyrian and speaks the ancient Aramaic language, which was used to write the first five books of the Bible.)

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