I frequently have songs pop into my head. A few days ago this happened and I was remembering a song called Getting Ready for Glory by Carolyn Arends.
The song opens reflecting on an aging woman and how she lives her life preparing for eternal life with God. The end of the song shifts to invite all of us to remember that we are called to live our lives getting ready for glory.
My first thought when I remembered this song a few days ago was, “What if, instead of the woman in verse one, this song was about you and me?” What would the verse about my life say that I am getting ready for? Would it describe me as getting ready to feel good and have selfish fun, maybe it would say my favorite hobbies are comparing, complaining and criticizing, or maybe it would say that I’m trying to be more and more like Jesus, preparing to meet Him face to face? I wonder what the verse about you would say?
My second thought about the song was, “This is a song about Lent!” As Lent nears, are we focused on the church services, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving? Those are all important because they shape our body and soul, but they aren’t the focus.
St. Peter tells us what to focus on when he says, “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13). He says to put all our hope on the grace Jesus will bring at His second coming. He says to get ready for glory.
St. Paul tells us what to focus on when he says, “[We] rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God” (Roman’s 5:2). God wants to share His glory with us, so let’s focus on getting ready for it.
This Lent, let’s make this our focus just as our Church has been calling us to for weeks now. Let’s be like Zachaeus and do all we can just to see Jesus (Luke19:1, Jan. 26). Let’s be like St. Simeon who longed for the day he’d hold Jesus in his arms (Luke 2:26, Feb. 2). Let’s be like the tax collector asking for mercy (Luke 18:9, Feb. 9), and like the prodigal son returning to the love of his father (Luke 15:11, Feb. 16). Let’s make this Lent about getting ready for Glory.
Originally published in the Holy Apostles E-bulletin. Subscribe here.
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