Once a king was walking through the streets of the capital city when he came upon a beggar who immediately asked him for money. The king didn’t give him any money. Instead, he invited him to visit him in his palace. The beggar took up the King’s offer.
On the appointed day he made his way to the royal palace and was duly ushered into the King’s presence. However, as he came into the King’s presence, he became acutely conscious of his rags and felt ashamed of them. They were an eloquent symbol of the wretchedness of his life.
The king, an exceptionally kind man, received him warmly, took pity on him and among other things gave him a new suit of clothes. However, a few days later the beggar was back begging on the streets dressed in his old rags.
Why did he give up his new suit? Because he knew that to wear it would mean that he would have to live a new life. It would mean giving up the life of a beggar. This he was not prepared to do. It wasn’t that the new life didn’t appeal to him. It did. It was just that he knew that a change of life would be slow, painful and uncertain. In other words, he was too steeped in habit to change.
Habit plays a big part in our lives. We live most of our lives according to the habits acquired during the first half. That will bring comfort to those who have formed good habits. But it’s quite a terrifying prospect for those who have formed bad habits.
Lent touches something in us all. The sight of Jesus fasting and praying in the desert moves us. But it also forces us to look at our lives. It challenges us to improve ourselves. But often our efforts at renewal do not go deep enough. If we want a new garment, we must cast aside the old one. The wearing of a new garment will involve a new way of living.
If we wish to change the outer aspects of our lives, we must first change the inner attitudes of our minds. Change requires the substituting of new habits for old ones. It calls us to command ourselves and make ourselves do what needs to be done. The change of heart to which Lent calls us can be accomplished most of all through the power of prayer.
Even though repentance and prayer are always appropriate, they are especially appropriate during Lent. There is such a thing as a moment of grace. Lent is a great window of opportunity. It is the church’s ‘holy spring’. During it, the catechumens were prepared for baptism, for their rebirth in Christ. It was a great time of penance and effort. But it was also a time of great joy. It was like springtime. As we progress towards Easter the sun gets brighter and warmer.
with love and prayers, Fr Michael