Thou shalt not oppress!

Ave Maria!  If we've not yet decided what our Lenten fast will entail this year, we might consider what the prophet Isaiah suggests in today's first reading (58:9b-14):  not just abstaining from but actually removing from our midst "oppression, false accusation and malicious speech."  It's not just the Pharaohs of the world and the gossipmongers of the media who overwhelm or crush people.  We do it, too, in countless little and even not-so-little ways in our daily lives.  Or at least I do this now and then ... such as when I speculate on people's motives ... when I analyze their behavior ... when I report their idiosyncrasies or mistakes to others and make fun of them ... when I ignore or avoid them because I am wrapped up in myself ... when I must have the last word ... when I insist upon doing something my way.  Sometimes it's not what I say but how I say it that oppresses others ... my tone of voice ... the rolling of my eyes ... the lifting of my eyebrows ... the heavy sighs ... the sharp breaths.  What if this Lent I removed all these things from my midst, from my heart and mind, and replaced them with love, the love of Christ for the upbuilding of His body?  Then I might be considered a "repairer of the breach" and a "restorer of ruined homesteads."  Then I might become more like Jour Lord esus, who calls us to follow Him through death to life.

Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth.

~Psalm 86