Flourishing Life

“Never forget that there are only two philosophies to rule your life: the one of the cross, which starts with the fast and ends with the feast. The other of Satan, which starts with the feast and ends with the headache.” – Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Today is Fat Tuesday. I think the above quote is appropriate. There will be lots of headaches tomorrow due to overindulgence today!

Lent is upon us, a time of focussed self-inquiry. What in my attitude and behavior needs to change so that I can more fully reflect God’s goodness in the world in which I live?

Jesus told us that in order to follow him we would need to deny ourselves and take up our cross. Sounds like fun! But it actually is because it is the narrow path that leads to life. The other path, the wide one that most people are on leads to destruction and who wants that? No, I want to discern the way of the cross and follow Jesus.

The fact is that we are all sinners. Everyone of us has done our own thing, ignored God’s leadership, and rebelled against his good purposes. Each one of us has given into our shadow self, our false self, the self that is narcissistic and self-destructive. Because of the Fall, each of us is burdened with a sin-nature that opposes health, wholeness, and life. And, if we are to live the lives Jesus wants to set us free to live, then it will take a measure of self-discipline and focus in order rise above our brokenness and live in the light of the love of Jesus.

So this Lent, choose the way of the cross. Travel the path of obedience. Fast so you can enjoy the feast.