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Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Deuteronomy 30:15
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20
Psalm 1:1
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2, 3, 4 & 6
Luke 9:22
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25
S
UMMARY
In Deuteronomy, Moses sets before us the Lord's command-
ments as a choice between life and death.
"Choose life" and
blessing, he demands.
The psalmist declares, "blessed the man
who delights in the Law of the Lord".
In the Gospel of Luke, Je-
sus predicts his Passion and states a new formulation of the
Law:
"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny him-
self...but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it".
R
EFLECTION
Joan Chittister, in a reflection on the Rule of Saint Benedict, as
well as the "rules of the road" we use when driving, provide use-
ful insights here.
The visitor asks the disciple: "Why do we need teachers?" The
disciple responds: "If water must be heated, it needs a vessel be-
tween the fire and itself". Just so with us. We are exposed to
the "fire" of daily living and it is the "container" of the community
and its rules that keeps us both safe, live
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giving, and saved from
chaos and death.
When I reflect on those norms we follow in driving (or any other
social activity, for that matter), these norms bring safety and
courtesy into our lives with each other. We surely understand
this when we witness them being breached.
It is true in all of our community life; at home, at work, at play,
and at prayer.