Lent as Relocation

Today's readings.

The responsorial Psalm really spoke to me today, and the wisdom here is simple: We take on the tincture of what we remain near, and, over time, proximity gives way to character. I recall reading St. Hilary of Poitiers suggesting how “trivial” the image can seem to the world: a tree, some water, some fruit.  This, he says, is because modern eyes often treat growth as either accidental or purely self-made. But the psalm insists on a different way of thinking: stability, fruit, and endurance are the result of being planted in the right place, near a steady source.

For the Christian, Lent is not asking us to fabricate holiness by sheer willpower; it’s asking us to relocate.  Lent nudges us to relocate away from the counsel, pace, and noise that dries us out, and toward the few steady “streams” that actually irrigate the soul, the most life-giving one being Jesus. Most of us don’t fail because we choose what is clearly wrong; we wither because we’re constantly near the wrong things, inputs that make us reactive, cynical, thin, or numb. Psalm 1 is a call to replanting so that it is less about intensity but more about proximity.

Today’s Practice – Almsgiving (Attention as Gift):

Give one person the gift of undivided attention today: no multitasking, no phone, no rushing to respond. Ask a sincere question, listen to understand, and offer one concrete help if it’s needed. It’s a small way of becoming a steady, nourishing, and present “stream”.