Lent Reflections, Part 1 (Hopefully of Many)

Ho mangiato. È detto che il pieno non hanno il desiderio a cucinare per l'affamato. Ma questa non dovrà essere, perché Cristo, non me stesso, ha cucinato per me. Lui mi ha dato lui stesso, e io come lui divento.

I had originally decided to give up a number of things for Lent (including gtalk, aim, facebook, blogging, etc.), but depriving myself of those things did not cause me to become any more prepared for His Passion. In fact, I gained greater perspective and much-needed correction whilst engaging with others. After all, Lent can only be as personalized as our own walks with Christ, which aren't solitary at all. There has been one consistent theme I have seen throughout this past half-year, and it is the importance of the each member's relation to the rest of the body. Just as a lone verse that is plucked out of the Bible, each of our walks loses proper perspective and meaning when cut off from the rest of the body. One verse out of context is meaningless without the rest, as are each of our relationships with Christ without taking hold of his redemption of all our relationships with one another. What makes this analogy work? Jesus is the Word incarnate, and we are the body of Christ. We are to embody the Word, but can only do so together.

If we do not love one another, then Christ's life, death, and resurrection have accomplished nothing in us.