Fasting from our sinful behavior
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
PISCATAWAY — During the season of Lent, Catholics worldwide will attempt to fast as a means of growing closer to God. Father Edward C. Puleo believes that by walking with Jesus through the Stations of the Cross, one may find the inspiration and motivation to not only abstain from sinful behavior, but to live a more faithful life.
Father Puleo, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Carteret, discussed the first three Stations of the Cross Feb. 23 during a “Lenten Lunchtime” reflection at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center sponsored by the diocesan Office of Evangelization. According to Father Puleo, these first stations provide encouragement to change our habits during the Lenten season.
In the first station, Jesus is condemned to death. Father Puleo stated that in our society, we often condemn others with our words and can be quick to judge others or speak negatively about them. In seeing how the comments and judgment of others led to the crucifixion of Jesus, we may reevaluate our own words and the meaning that they have.
“Sometimes I think we live in a society where we forget about our language,” said Father Puleo. “During Lent, instead of condemning one another with our words, we should fast from simple things like foul language.” He added that Lent is a time to say ‘no’ to lying, cheating and being unfaithful, while saying ‘yes’ to charity and encouraging one another instead of being judgmental.
“Let us try not to judge,” said Father Puleo, “but rather to look at each other as who we really are, made in the image and likeness of Christ.”
The second station sees Jesus take up and begin to carry his cross, an image to which all who have struggled in their lives can relate. “We can take up our cross in so many different ways,” said Father Puleo. He explained that one must acknowledge his or her own faults in order to take up one’s cross and embrace the suffering of Christ.
Father Puleo described suffering in life as being only a splinter of the cross of Jesus. Although the splinter may be painful, said Father Puleo, Jesus inspires us to press on through the pain and to carry not only our own cross, but to help others with the weight of their crosses as well. “We could embrace each other’s crosses by prayer and love,” Father Puleo said.
The third station of Jesus falling for the first time is also a familiar image, as every person falls in life through sin. By understanding the journey of Jesus, we are motivated to rise up from those falls and to take another step. “I think Lent is a great reminder for all of us to understand that when we fall, we can get up,” said Father Puleo. “The first step is always the hardest, but we have to take the first step towards Christ when we fall.”
Father Puleo also urged Catholics to use the lessons in the stations not only during the Lenten season, but to look to them for inspiration at any time of the year. “That’s why the Stations of the Cross are all around the church,” he said, “so that we remember they’re not only reserved for Lent.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law