Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
Isaiah 1:10, 16–20;
Psalm 50:8–9, 16bc–17, 21, 23;
Matthew 23:1–12
“And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven.” —Matthew 23:9
One of the iconic moments in Francis’s life was when he stood before the bishop and people of Assisi and stripped not only the clothing that belonged to his father, but of his very identity as his father’s son.
Thereupon the servant of God rose joyfully…and holding out the money, he said: “My Lord Bishop, not only will I gladly give back the money which is my father’s, but also my clothes.” Going into the Bishop’s room he stripped himself of his garments and placing the money on them he stood naked before the eyes of the Bishop, his father, and all present and said: “…Hitherto I have called Peter Bernardone my father; but because I am resolved to serve God I return to him the money on account of which he was so perturbed, and also the clothes I wore which are his; and from now on I will say ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ and not Father Peter Bernardone.”
At some point, most of us have to stand up for ourselves apart from our parents, our siblings, our friends. While we share many things in common, we also have our own ideas and ways of doing things. We may not have as drastic a break as Francis and Pietro, but we still become our own persons as we mature. is prepares us to one day stand before God and account for our lives as we have lived them, not blaming anyone for our failures.
Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as
it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
