Today's readings are here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022312.cfm
What Jesus teaches us in today's Gospel, and what Lent is all about, seems like a contradiction to the natural mind. He teaches us that if we want to find our life (i.e., happiness), we must lose ourself through self-denial. This is not the way we naturally think happiness is obtained. We think happiness is found by living for ourself, by doing our own thing, by being in charge of our life. To die to ourself seems to be the path to unhappiness. Mother Church knows that Jesus has it right and we have it wrong, which is why she requires us to give up things in Lent (e.g., meat on Fridays, food on Ash Wednesday, other things of our choosing like chocolate, soda, and social networking). She knows that if we walk the path of Christ's self-denial, we will receive the happiness Jesus promised to us and for which we long.
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