A Return to hope - Identifying the real roots

THE WORD IN LENT - Monday, First week of Lent

March 10, 2025 - Leviticus 19: 1-2, 11-18; Matthew 25: 31-46

The Word has initiated us into a line of thought and reflection from yesterday, and this perspective will continue to present itself right through this week - returning to hope is returning to our roots. The journey of returning to our roots begins with identifying the right roots, because in the process there could be some illusions and delusions that we need to beware.

Let us begin with the easiest of ways pointed out to return to hope and to return to our roots... it is doing good. I call that easiest, not because it does not cost anything. It does cost. We shall have to apply ourselves and sacrifice ourselves to do good...but comparing to those which are coming further in a while, this is the easiest... in the realm of doing. We think, we decide, we set apart our resources and our energy and do something good to others!

Getting further, the step is, to declare why I am doing the good that I am doing. Of course, now you understand why I called the previous one, the easiest. It is not so easy to declare why I am doing the good I am doing - first of all, I need to realise it myself; that requires being highly reflexive. Secondly, I need to be sincere to myself, to recognise and affirm what I have realised. And thirdly, to declare it to the others. Most of the times, with all the refraint from being too judgemental, we do good to others, for our own sakes - may be for good name, for some returns, for a blessing from the Lord... the motives could range from those simply selfish to those highly spiritual. 

The third step is, to look at the call to be good rather than restricting ourselves to doing good! That is a totally different level: being good, being holy, being godly - because the One who has called us wants us to be so! Be holy, be good... the doing has to essentially flow from the being! That is our true roots - the Most Holy Being - that is God, who has called us to be holy, to be good, because God is good; God is Holy.