You Are Mine

 

Lenten Reflection #3

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” – Isaiah 43:1

Abstinence. Wikipedia defines it as “giving up certain luxuries in imitation of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice during his journey into the desert for 40 days.”

After watching the roundtable discussion about the story I assigned myself to watch today*, I realized why we need to practice abstinence especially during Lent. As we live in this material world, we become addicted or attached to things. We end up being “owned” by them. They dictate the use of our time and resources. Worse, they threaten our wellbeing and relationships. It may not be major, like addiction to alcohol and drugs and attachment to wealth and power. It can be a host of seemingly innocuous things. Say “Aray!” if this hits you:

You deny yourself by eating tuyo and kamatis but will die if you can’t drink from that Venti coffee cup with a green siren.

You have labelled your chocolates “Vitamin C” and take a regular dose for your wellbeing. (Aray!)

You binge watch Korean novelas for 3 straight days without sleep.

You feel naked without your expensive designer bag (original, not Class A from Divisoria).

You’re awake till two in the morning because you want to reach the next level (and the next, and the next…) of your favorite mobile game. (Aray! again)

Ø        > Insert your own list here if you haven’t said “Aray!”

Many times, our attachments make us forget what’s important. It can even lead to illness of body and spirit. I was struck by what the rabbi, the priest and the pastor (no this is not the beginning of a joke) said in the roundtable discussions: “There are different ways evil can try to insert itself into one’s life. When God is missing, a vacuum is created which results in sickness. The lack of wholeness is an opportunity for things that are not of God to come in.”

In the homily for today’s mass, the priest also said that Lent is not just about self-denial. It is also about self-knowledge. It is knowing your identity, your name. Is it Starbucks, Lindt, Soong Ngit (sorry I don’t watch KDrama), Prada, Candy Crush?

So, this Lent, abstain from things that have “owned” you. Let Jesus call you “Mine”.

References:      *The Chosen Season 1 Episode 1 – “I Have Called You By Name”

                        The Chosen S1E1 Bible Roundtable

                      Mass Homily for today – Fr. Eric Salazar: “Self-Knowledge”