The Colosseum is under scaffolding these days. Kind of disappointing for those currently making a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Rome. But appropriate, perhaps, to reflect on as we come to the close of this second week of Lent.
During these first two weeks of our Lenten pilgrimage, the Church's liturgy has had us all making a thorough examination of conscience. Our readings from the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Gospels of Matthew and Luke have examined how we relate to God and others: how we pray, how we sin, how we forgive, how we trust in and return to the Lord.
In the coming weeks, our readings turn broadly to the imitation of Christ – our response to the fruits of the examination we have done, made possible by the grace of our Baptism.
As we walk this road, and as we struggle with our own weakness in carrying out our Lenten resolutions, it's good to keep in mind that to some degree or another, we're all under scaffolding in this life – particularly during Lent as we consciously strive to purify our hearts and return to God's grace. Scaffolding can be pretty ugly from the outside. But it shields the expert work going on behind the scenes. It is only when the scaffolding is finally removed that one realizes that what was beautiful before could be even more dazzling and inspiring.
The Spirit is at work in each of our hearts, laboring expertly to make us all the dazzling temples of the Holy Spirit we were designed to become. No matter what scaffolding might currently be shielding our full glory, let us trust that the Master Builder knows just what He is doing – laboring untiringly behind the scenes, eager to unveil the masterpiece He knows we each can become.
[Photo: courtesy of http://www.rvisa.ru/visa/italy/]
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