Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Scripture:
Hosea 6:1-6
Luke 18:9-14
Reflection:
"What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your piety is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away. For this reason I smote them through the prophets, I slew them by the words of my mouth; For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."
In this season of Lent and "March Madness", these words from Hosea represent a "game-changer" of major proportions!
God wants love!
God does not want empty sacrifice. God does not want rituals. God does not want burnt offerings. God does not want dualistic, judgmental thinking grounded in a culture which requires winners and losers. God does not want money or a comfortable life based on careful investments and savings. God does not want an approach to life characterized by hearts hardened by greed and supported by an economic system which needs the poor to exist.
God wants love!
God does not want streams of empty words disguised as prayers. God does not want clericalism which promotes the ego and avoids the poor. God does not want violence in any form. God does not want disputes and wars over stubbornly held doctrines and nationalism. God does not want divisive arguments over liberal or conservative ideas. God does not want hearts hardened by sin.
God wants love!
And so I pray for compassion this day, realizing the hardness of my own heart, in the words of Psalm 51:
"Have mercy on me O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn."
Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family who volunteers at the Passionist Assisted Living Community in Louisville, Kentucky.