Opere et omissione

A significant aspect of Lent is looking at one’s life afresh and seeing the need for continual conversion and forgiveness in Christ: seeing where we still fall short and how we need God’s grace.

A good tool for this spiritual self-examination can be a structured Examination of Conscience.

Both of today’s readings give us wonderful touch points that we should integrate into our personal self-reflection and examination of conscience: not only in terms of what wrong we have done but also what good we have failed to do (opere et omissione).

Some of these points are magnificent and all-encompassing yet simple:

Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy....

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Others are very concrete and should prompt us to ask ourselves challenging questions, to find seriously honest answers deep within ourselves, and to resolve to follow the way of God more closely.

Read these readings... slowly and carefully.

The first reading, from the book of Leviticus, warns us of things we should not do.

It is an amazing thing that a book mostly full of obscure, complex rituals performed in temples and meeting tents speaks so movingly of our religious obligations outside of explicit worship, that treating other people badly directly impacts our relationship with the Lord.

Some of the warnings are familiar: Thou shalt not steal, lie, swear falsely, spread slander, defraud or take revenge.

Some warn us not only against evil actions but also evil intentions: thou shalt not bear hatred in thy heart, show partiality, or even hold a grudge.

How often do we fail in these things?

Some of the warnings sound very modern: demanding right treatment of day laborers and persons with disabilities.

How often do we think of these things?

A possible reaction to all of this "Thou shalt not this” and "Thou shalt not that" is to avoid doing anything, but even failing to act can be a sin.

Nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake

How often do we stand idly by while our neighbors’ lives are threatened and even destroyed? We watch the news and say “what a shame” and do no more (or we close our eyes completely to the suffering and troubles of those around us).

We cannot save everyone, but we cannot simply do nothing.

Indeed, in the Gospel, people are sent to Hell precisely for doing nothing.

Then they will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison,
and not minister to your needs?'

He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you,
what you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for me.'

What should you and I as individuals be doing for strangers, whether newcomers in our congregations or newcomers to our country?

What should you and I as individuals be doing for the poor, near and far? For the sick, for shut-ins, or even for prisoners?

We have much to consider, much to pray about, and much to do.

Miserere nobis, Domine.