By Sally Riconscente
Based on the Mass Readings for March 2
Our first reading poses a striking "If, then" scenario for us to ponder. 'If' we follow the ways of the Lord and His commandments, 'then' we will be blessed. But, 'if' we turn our hearts from God, 'then' we will perish. Moses' words are clear and perhaps even piercing to those who reflect upon them, but he does not leave us wondering about our choice: "Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him."
But, we may ask, how do we choose life in the midst of our busy days? Our experience has often shown us that choosing life is not always easy in our frenetically paced modern world.
Often rushing from place to place, activity to activity, how do we measure whether we have chosen life in the myriad circumstances of our daily lives? Today's Responsorial Psalm helps guide us: "Blessed is the man who ... delights in the law of the LORD." It seems so simple yet, as we know, so difficult in reality. Yet, if we consider the many opportunities each day brings to be kind to another, to put another first, to soften a harsh word with a gentle response, to wave a driver ahead of us in traffic, then we may already have found ways to put this choice into practice.
For sure, these life-giving acts often call us to heed Our Lord Jesus' words in today's Gospel: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." As we reflect upon the rich and challenging readings today, let's ask ourselves the ways in which we have chosen life this day in the concrete situations of our day. Have we paused long enough to weigh our choices and deliberately choose the most life-giving responses, even those that require sacrifice and self-denial? For myself, I can admit that I fall short more often than I wish, yet, Jesus is always before me, offering His limitless mercy and love. Indeed, He is before us all with this same hope!
Sally is a Lay Associate of the La Salette Congregation and serves at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. She is a Visiting Professor of Psychology at Bridgewater State University and is active in Catholic ministry with the La Salette's at Wheaton College in Norton, MA.
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