Transforming your life with God’s Word!

Today’s bread for reflection is from 2Cor 13: 11-13

“And now my friends, good-bye! Strive for perfection; listen to my appeals; agree with one another; live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with the kiss of peace. All of God’s people send you their greetings. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Paul ends his second letter to the Corinthians with this wonderful advice. I think that this is a great challenge for me to start Lent with. Not a focus on hair shirts and ashes, but what I can do with this time. This doesn’t need to be a beating my chest, woe is me the sinner kind of Lent. I can be hopeful and energized by the idea of striving for perfection. I don’t need to expect to be perfect at the end of Lent. I can be energized in the notion that by the end of Lent, I will have transformed more perfectly into the image of Christ. Even a reflection resembles its image. While I may be a little blurry or fuzzy on the edges, I am still waiting for the calm waters that make my reflection clear. Paul talks about this reflection of God’s image in 2Cor 3:18. We are being transformed.

Paul also gives clues above in how we can get along with each other and live in peace. He prays that the God of love and peace be with you. If I have enough of God’s love, I can greet everyone with peace. I can pass along the grace of the Lord, the love of God and the Holy Spirit to someone else. The water begins to calm. Christ asks only that I keep my eyes on Him. If I do, I will not falter. He will still the waters. I just need to let Him. I can BE peace!

If I could give you my parting wish or blessing, it would be this. Do everything for the glory of God with your eyes on Him who loves you. Enter Lent with a sense of peace and don’t worry about having the perfect Lent. Choose your fasting and almsgiving from a peaceful place because you have the grace, love and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with you!