Lent: Tiger Woods and Mary MacKillop

There has been much comment about Tiger Woods’ apology for his adultery: is the apology sincere or hype or hoping to regain sponsors? Whatever your conclusion of his motive, and surely we must be generous in attributing the highest motive – genuine reconciliation, the words of the apology are profound. Note his recognition that temptation lurks so very near and is so very alluring,

I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have far — didn’t have to go far to find them.

I was wrong. I was foolish. I don’t get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me.

These words are particularly apt for reflection at the beginning of Lent.

Lent is a time for review of life, for reflection and examining the inner places of our heart in the day to day struggle to be totally reliant on and committed to God.

The Rector of Devonport noted Tiger Woods’ apology made due to his behaviour and the news of Mary MacKillop’s recognition as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in commenting insightfully on the significance of the daily decisions made by of each of us. Mary MacKillop, like all of us, was faced by daily decisions about the pathway she would walk. Each decision we make shows something of who we are.

Yesterday’s (Lent 1) Gospel reading from Luke 4 on the temptations of Jesus Christ are set at the beginning of Lent to show us who Jesus is – the promised Messiah who will exercise his Messiahship in complete accord with God’s will. What do Jesus’ responses to these testings demonstrate? – they demonstrate his person: who he is.

And so for us, the decision we take when faced by temptation reflects both the person we are and the person we will become. 

May this Lent be a time of reflection and revision of life in accord with God’s will.

May the Holy Spirit so work within us that we be increasingly transformed into the image of Christ.


Comments

Lent: Tiger Woods and Mary MacKillop — 3 Comments

  1. All born again christians are saints.
    Are we to assume that the Rector of the Devonport Church accepts and recognises Mary MacKillop as someone special. Different from all the born again Christians?
    Does he believe that she performed miracles of healing even if done in the power of God? There is no proof for this.
    Was she born again? No one knows, except God.
    Many people in all religions including the Roman Catholic Religion, do good works. Undoubtedly Mary MacKillop is to be commended for her good works. Do they look for human recognition like the Pharisees?
    Are they necessarily going to heaven?
    “Unless a man is born again he will not go to heaven.”

  2. Dear David,

    The point of the illustration is the importance of the daily decisions we make – “commenting insightfully on the significance of the daily decisions made by of each of us. Mary MacKillop, like all of us, was faced by daily decisions about the pathway she would walk. Each decision we make shows something of who we are.”

    Likewise, the daily decisions we make build our own lives.

    May our lives be built in the grace and love of Christ through the transforming Holy Spirit.

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