We are focused on repentance during Lent, but the lessons today helped me see the joy, not the burdensome obligation of asking the Lord for forgiveness. We read that those who repent of turning away from God and return to the Lord and hear God’s voice are healed of their sins. Not only do they no longer fear God’s wrath, but they are also restored to their favored status with God and loved freely. Yet, for many of us, accepting the ways of such a loving God is difficult. Is it guilt or is it fear that causes us to stumble in walking the straight paths of the Lord by listening to God’s voice guiding us?
Perhaps it is because we fail to understand that God’s love and forgiveness is not dependent upon how hard we try to do better. The Lord calls us back to hear God’s voice, not to admonish us for our sins, but for not listening to the voice of God, who frees us from our burdens and distress. To me, repentance is not so much about confession of guilt as it is drawing closer to God to better hear God’s voice. It is not about me trying so hard. It is about me letting the Lord be my God. That should be a joyful spiritual discipline, not a burden. Jesus reminds us of what we need to hear. We must love the Lord our God with all our hearts, our understanding, and our strength. And we must love our neighbors as ourselves. I pray today that when we are called to repent, we can see this as an invitation to enter into joy, for the Kingdom of heaven is indeed at hand when we love the Lord, ourselves, and our neighbors.
Barbara Dilly
I came to Creighton in 2000 and retired in 2020. My twenty years of teaching, research and service in the Jesuit tradition enhanced my own life. It was an exciting time of celebration. I loved teaching and interacting with Creighton students because they responded so eagerly to the Ignatian pedagogical emphasis on the development of the whole person. It is this spirit of whole person development and celebration of life that I hope to infuse in my reflection writings.
My academic background is eclectic, preparing me well for the Liberal Arts academic environment at Creighton. I earned my BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA in 1988 and my Ph.D. in Comparative Cultures from the University of California, Irvine in 1994. My research focused on rural communities in the American Midwest, Latin America, and Australia. I taught Environmental Anthropology, Qualitative Research Methods, Social and Cultural Theory, and Food Studies courses.
I retired to Shell Rock, a small rural community in Northeast Iowa where I enjoy gardening, cooking, quilting, driving my 65 Impala convertible an my 49 Willys Jeepster. I have lots of fun playing my guitars with friends from the Cedar Valley Acoustic Guitar Association. But most importantly, I am still working to make my community and rural America a better place. I host a community quilt studio and serve on the Mission Board of my church. I also serve as the Climate Committee Chair and on the Executive Board of the Center for Rural Affairs.
