What's leprosy got to do with Lent? (Sunday homily)

 Skin diseases might be an odd thing to talk about at Mass. 

But the point is that illnesses like these do more than make us sick. 

They separate us from others. 

Four years ago when we had the lockdowns in reaction to Covid, 

among other things, many of us discovered 

just how destructive isolation can be.

That’s why Jesus told the man to go show himself to the priests, 

so there would be no question of his freedom to return to the temple.

Ash Wednesday is this week. 

This is a good time to set the tone for our Lent.

I’m going to tell you something you may not believe, but’s it’s true. 

Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation.

It really isn’t! And yet, our churches will be filled. Why?

Ash Wednesday – and Lent as well – 

is one of those times when we realize 

our spiritual journey isn’t solitary. We are part of a family.

Notice, we all do certain penances together:

Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday,

and abstaining from meat on the Fridays of Lent.

Our students and our families will do things together.

There is power in that “together,” isn’t there?

As we go into Lent, I want to highlight 

some of the opportunities we have – together – 

to grow closer to Christ. That’s what it’s all for.

There are still forms in the pews for the Catholic Ministries Appeal, 

if you want to contribute.

We’re offering a retreat for men and one for women in a few weeks. 

You’ll see various materials provided at the doors of church.

Please watch the bulletin for many added times for confession.

As in Advent and last Lent, we’ll have confessions 

every Monday and every Tuesday evening, 

and on Thursday and Saturday mornings, in addition to our usual times. 

And we’ll have times on Good Friday.

When we go to confession, we do that individually; 

and yet, even there, we’re together in a way.

I’m in that line; you are; your parents, your children, 

Archbishop Schnurr, Pope Francis – all of us.

There’s another part of this. Lent is not only about holiness; 

it is also about reconciliation.  

Remember, we call confession the sacrament of reconciliation.

The leper, being cleansed, 

was also able to be reconciled with the community.

When we go to confession, as hard as it can be to tell our sins, 

that is still, really, the easier part.

The really hard part is what we do next – 

after we are absolved, after we do our penance.

The really hard work comes next. 

Who do you know who is owed an apology? Seek them out.

What concrete steps are you prepared to make, 

in order to be different toward others?

Seeking out someone to be reconciled with?

People say, “Oh, that’s just my nature, I can’t help it.”

O c’mon!

Being Irish or German or Scottish or whatever is not an excuse.

Change is hard; but we can do it, if we really want it, with God’s help. 

It’ll still be difficult, but you and I can make it happen.

If you want a powerful conversion experience, 

ask the Holy Spirit to awaken you 

to how your sins affect other people.

If you are making fun of other kids, or bullying them, at school?

If you are drinking too much, too often? 

Being dishonest? Not doing a full day’s work? 

Those pictures on the Internet? They are real, flesh-and-blood people.

In other words, none of our moral failures are really “private”; 

our actions and omissions affect others, one way or the other.

So as we go into Lent, be mindful of the people around you.

How you and I can either be a negative influence – or a good one.

Lent – repentance and conversion – is something we do together.