{"id":210883,"date":"2016-02-10T08:02:07","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T14:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/?p=210883"},"modified":"2016-02-09T21:10:39","modified_gmt":"2016-02-10T03:10:39","slug":"210883","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2016\/02\/210883\/","title":{"rendered":"Lent, Baptism, Gift and our Will"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent 2015. Lent is a time of liturgical preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery during the days of the Holy Triduum. However, it\u2019s purpose is not limited to actions to get us ready for yet another remembrance of these holy and saving truths of the faith. Rather, Lent, like the other liturgical seasons of the year each in their own proper way, stands as a sign of the journey of the Christian towards his ultimate participation in the communion of Heaven.<\/p>\n

\"The

The Baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch by the Deacon Philip by Lambert Sustris<\/p><\/div>\n

The season of Lent marks the beginning of the most intense period of preparation for those who are in the catechumenate, and who desire Baptism at Easter. Baptism is that sacrament, which incorporates each Christian into the mystical body of Christ and frees us from original sin. Make no mistake about it, this incorporation is a gift we could never earn or deserve; like all grace, it is the unmerited gift of God to man. Nevertheless, for this grace to be efficacious in our lives, we must not put up walls against its operation. Because of this Baptism, if we intend to receive the full effect of God\u2019s grace, places conditions upon us. \u00a0For us to become a perfect part of the body of Christ, we first must undergo the death of our wills so that that Christ\u2019s will becomes our own wills; otherwise, we become a cell in Christ\u2019s body which works against the whole. This is what St. Paul means when he writes:<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.\u201d[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Just as Christ did not rise to glory without Good Friday, so also we must die to ourselves if we are to rise with Him in glory. This is why those<\/p>\n

\"Rom

Rom 6:5<\/p><\/div>\n

in the Catechumenate undergo an increasingly intense period of Spiritual preparation as they approach the Easter Sacraments. The promises of Baptism are not easy to live out; on the contrary, as Paul indicates they demand nothing less than total self-gift in imitation of the Crucified Lord. By the period of preparation, the Church eases the catechumens into the responsibilities which they will undertake when they make their profession of faith at the Easter Vigil.<\/p>\n

But Lent and its ascetical practices are not meant only for the Catechumens. Because our wills are free, malleable, and under the influence of concupiscence even those of us who have been baptized are in need of further purification of the will. Each day we are confronted with moments where we can choose to do our own selfish will or surrender our will to the will of Christ. The Christian is called to the later in every situation, since by baptism, he has been made another Christ in that he acts as a member of Christ\u2019s body. This renunciation of our selfish will and the acceptance of Christ\u2019s will in our lives should not be seen as limiting our freedom, but rather as the supreme act of a free human person, who \u201ccannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.\u201d[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Gaudium

From the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World<\/p><\/div>\n

Seen in this context, Lent is the Church\u2019s annual checkup point for all her sons and daughters. She asks us, along with the Catechumens to consider how well we are dying to our own wills, and offers a penitential season as a way of helping us to strengthen our resolve to act only in accord with the will of the Lord. Let us make the prayer of the Collect for the Mass of Ash Wednesday our own:<\/p>\n

Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting
\nthis campaign of Christian service,
\nso that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils,
\nwe may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.
\nThrough our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
\nwho lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
\none God, for ever and ever.[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition<\/em> (Washington, DC: National Council of Churches of Christ, 1993), Ro 6:3\u20134.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> Catholic Church, \u201cPastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: Gaudium Et Spes,\u201d in Vatican II Documents<\/em> (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2011).<\/p>\n

[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> The Roman Missal: Renewed by Decree of the Most Holy Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised at the Direction of Pope John Paul II<\/em>, Third Typical Edition (Washington D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), 209.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent 2015. Lent is a time of liturgical preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery during the days of the Holy Triduum. However, it\u2019s purpose is not limited to actions to get us ready for yet another remembrance of these holy and saving truths of the faith…. [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-210883","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":120372,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/06\/easy-green-reflection-ordinary-time\/","url_meta":{"origin":210883,"position":0},"title":"Easy Green: A Reflection on Ordinary Time","author":"Shawn Rain Chapman","date":"June 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"My daughter, Maire, got in trouble at her Catholic middle school for wearing green nail polish, which was against the rules. (Only clear or light pink nail polish allowed, if I remember right.) When asked about her indiscretion, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s for Ordinary Time!\u201d I laughed hearing about that. At\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"circular-liturgical-calendar","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/circular-liturgical-calendar.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":365517,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/02\/a-lent-of-luminous-darkness-and-wild-seeds\/","url_meta":{"origin":210883,"position":1},"title":"A Lent of Luminous Darkness and Wild Seeds","author":"Shawn Rain Chapman","date":"February 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I love Lent. I am always happy to hear that I am dust, and that to dust I shall return. When I close my eyes to pray, I can really tell I am dust. In here where I live, it's quiet and dark. Simple. Nothing to it. \u00a0Who am I?\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/maxresdefault-332x187.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":101478,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/03\/what-my-husband-taught-me-about-lent\/","url_meta":{"origin":210883,"position":2},"title":"What My Husband Taught Me About Lent","author":"Britt Echtenkamp","date":"March 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This Lenten season is the first one Danger and I have experienced as husband and wife. We began the season as brand new parents, and didn't spend much time discerning what our Lenten sacrifices would be, either\u00a0individually and as a couple. At first, I declared I would give up Sonic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Face of Jesus","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/sufferingservant-184x190.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":387756,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/04\/father-love-lenten-reflection\/","url_meta":{"origin":210883,"position":3},"title":"To My Father For All His Love: A Lenten Reflection","author":"Anonymous","date":"April 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Guest Post by Deacon Dan Lupo In Chicago, where I grew up, March days are shrouded in gray, blasted by icy wind, and blanketed by snow. Perfect Lent weather. The weather is Lent-perfect because the gray skies evoke a somber mood, which matches the serious attitude Lent fosters. Lent calls\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/deacondan-2-ordination-157x190.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":378707,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/03\/living-lent-like-little-one\/","url_meta":{"origin":210883,"position":4},"title":"Living Lent like a Little One","author":"Rachel","date":"March 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Lent is a\u00a0season of conversion, a call to repentance, a time of turning back to God. To me, these are Christ's most striking words on conversion: Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,\u00a0you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. \u00a0(Matthew 18:3) Unless you turn\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/child-angel-statue.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/child-angel-statue.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/child-angel-statue.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/child-angel-statue.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":197962,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2016\/01\/197962\/","url_meta":{"origin":210883,"position":5},"title":"Sunday Says January 10, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflection","author":"Crist\u00f3bal Almanza Herrera","date":"January 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Baptism of the Lord Sunday January 10, 2016 Lectionary: 21 (NAB Translation) [powerpress] We celebrate the official end to the great season of Christmas with this week's Solemnity. Reading 1 Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 The first reading from the prophet Isaiah returns to a period where we placed a lot\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sunday Says"","block_context":{"text":"Sunday Says","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/podcast\/sundaysays\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sunday Says Podcast","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/SundaySaysPodcast-logo-300x231.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/194"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210883\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}