I am the LORD.

That phrase occurs over and over in the Book of Leviticus. The Book of Leviticus is a book of Law given by God to the Hebrews. It is a legislative document. Throughout the book God lays out His Laws and commands, and at the end of each He says —I am the Lord.— or —I, the LORD, am your God.—

He is asking us to recognize that fact.

We are sixty days from Easter, two weeks out from the start of Lent.

In this time of preparation the Church reminds us of something very key. She reminds us of what God has asked us to recognize. While we may recognize it in the intellectual sense it bears hearing. God is our Lord. God commands us, rules over us, and is in charge of our lives. We are to recognize that intellectually and from the gut.

We are to recognize that in our baptism, and in our coming here, we surrender to God. We pray that He makes use of us. We ask that He take our will, our very being, for His purposes.

Brothers and sisters,

That is the hardest choice. The choice to give oneself to another. To put our trust into the hands of someone else. To give up our will, our knowledge, our desires, and to replace those with knowledge of God, God’s will, and God’s desire. It is even more difficult because we know that God is demanding, that God has all sorts of requirements we do not really, and let’s be honest here, that we do not really like.

Look at the Gospel – turn the other cheek to those who strike you. Someone wants your shirt, given them your coat as well. Your boss or spouse asks you to go the extra mile, go two. Give to whomever asks, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

Is God crazy? Doesn’t He know about credit risk, painful cheeks, and the fact that it gets pretty cold in upstate New York without a shirt or coat? He wants us to love Osama, and the atheists who think we are all delusional and schizophrenic?

Yes, that’s right.

Further, God wants us to give up sin. That little moment of selfish pleasure, cast it aside. That rush we get when we show ourselves as superior to another – let it go. More than let it go, repent of it and do it no more.

St. Paul goes on to tell us that we shouldn’t delude ourselves with pride in our own wisdom:

If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise.

My friends,

The fact is this. God created the world, and each of us, setting us on the road of return. We are all bound to Him and for Him, each according to the measure of grace that we have been given.

As we walk that path, drawing ever closer to God, we must recollect and remember these things:

First, that our Lord is God.

Second, that our wisdom, our personal strength is nothing if it not conformed to God. We can say we know everything. We can be astrophysicists, accountants, attorneys, surgeons – and all of it is lacking if we do not count ourselves as fools because we lack in the knowledge and wisdom of God.

Third, we must place ourselves into God’s hands. We are safe there, even when the world hits us, takes our coat, demands our work, and persecutes us.

Fourth, God demands repentance, a true inner change. We must reorder our way of thinking and living, aligning it with God’s direction.

Fifth, we must recognize God’s presence in all. God is in all, and all are called to return to Him, regardless of their station, class, religion, or the good or bad they have done. He is most particularly in us for as St. Paul tells us:

Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Of these things some will ask, Well how do I know what God wants? How can I know when it is all so unclear, so uncomfortable?

When asking that question recollect and remember, God has sent His Son to teach us. We have Sacred Scripture and Tradition to guide us, and the Holy Church, ever present, to instruct us. Not only that, we know that God promises an eternity of joy with Him if we conform ourselves to Him.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

There is nothing unclear in the beatitudes, in Jesus’ instruction to:

be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

As we approach Lent let us set our sights on re-ordering our lives. Let us resolve to live in union with God and His Church. Let us listen to God as He tells us:

Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.