Friday, March 29, 2013

Local opinion piece says this years Lent was pretty joyful

Lent this year was a joyous time for Catholics: Theodore P. Mahne

Archbishop Gregory Aymond distributes Ash Wednesday at St. Louis
Archbishop Gregory Aymond distributes ashes for Ash Wednesday at St. Louis Cathedral, Feb. 13.
 
By Theodore P. Mahne, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on March 29, 2013 at 2:12 PM
 
 
 
 
Lent, let's face it, is never a very trying time in New Orleans. Fish fries and crawfish boils on Fridays, in lieu of meat, are hardly penitential acts. Not long ago, Archbishop Gregory Aymond even issued a letter to the local seafood industry noting that alligator can be considered seafood, and thus appropriate for Lenten meals. And just about the time we start to forget our taste for king cakes, St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's Day parades return revelry to the streets.
And yet, for the church in and of New Orleans, it has been even more difficult to view this year's Lent as a gloomy season of self-sacrifice. A sense of joy and celebration has pervaded the traditional time of penance and preparation.
We continue to bask in the glow of the many successful events that have shaped our city since the beginning of the year. We've been proud and gracious hosts. Despite the lingering problems that our city faces, it just feels good to be a New Orleanian again.
And for Catholics, that feeling of joy reached a culmination this month with the election of Pope Francis. The first pontiff from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis, he is a simple, smiling pope who has already captured the hearts of the people.
The exhilaration over Francis' election is as refreshing as it was unexpected. After all, even the most devout Catholics would acknowledge that for the past several years, it has been difficult to fully experience the joy of the faith. The sex abuse scandals, divisions driven more by politics than faith, questionable financial dealings in the Vatican, all have led to a mood overshadowing the true message of the love of Christ.
That mood began to change with the announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he would retire. After the initial surprise of the historic move, a feeling of excitement started to grow.
In the anticipation of the new pope's election, it had reached a level of exuberance that wasn't tinged by the typical period of mourning over the death of a previous pope. In giving up the Chair of Peter, Benedict displayed a great act of courage and humility. Recognizing that he was no longer able to fulfill the demands of the office, he placed the good of the church ahead of tradition or his own self-interest.
In Catholic theology, the foundation of the office of the papacy is based in sacred Scripture, most notably the oft-quoted passage from Matthew's gospel in which Jesus gives Simon Peter "the keys to the kingdom of heaven." Just before that, however, Jesus asks His disciples the question that resonates across the ages to Christians today: "Who do you say that I am?"
With Pope Francis, we have a man who rejoices in echoing Peter's answer: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." He does so by recognizing the face of Christ in those he encounters, finding a genuine happiness in that mission as the servant of the servants of God. His love for the poor is not some distant ideal; it has been at the center of his priestly ministry continually reaching out to "the least of my brothers."
He also has reminded us that even through the darkest day of Lent, Good Friday, our hearts are anticipating the resurrection. We are an Easter people celebrating, not mourning, our faith.
Imagine what better people we would be if we were to follow Pope Francis' example. Even after the sacrifices made during Lent, let us commit to do more, especially for those most in need, both material and spiritual, throughout the year.

Theodore P. Mahne is a contributing writer for The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com. He also is a member of the faculty in the Theology Department at Jesuit High School.

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