Fr. Scott Haynes
Meditation on 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
"And we helping do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee; and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."— 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
I. Receiving Not the Grace of God in Vain
As we enter the holy season of Lent, the words of St. Paul come to us with particular urgency: “We helping do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor 6:1). What does it mean to receive the grace of God in vain? The Fathers of the Church have pondered this deeply.
St. Augustine of Hippo warns, “He who created you without you, will not justify you without you.” (Sermon 169). Grace is freely given by God, but man must respond. Grace lies dormant when we turn away from God, refusing to amend our lives or surrender our will. During Lent, we are invited to a profound cooperation with grace, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent states:
“It is not enough to be merely called to grace; we must strive to conform our lives to it.” (Part II, Chap. V)
This is the season to awaken from spiritual slumber. If we neglect grace, we become like the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6-9), destined for spiritual death. But if we labor with grace, even the hardest soil of our hearts will yield abundant fruit.
II. Behold, Now is the Acceptable Time
St. Paul then proclaims: “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). Lent is that time of grace, set aside by Holy Mother Church for the renewal of our souls. It is a time of penance, fasting, and recollection — not out of mere obligation, but as an opportunity to grasp the grace God offers.
St. John Chrysostom teaches:
“The present time is a season for action, the future for reward. Now is the time for conflict; then, for the crown.” (Homily 13 on Romans)
Lent reminds us of the urgency of conversion. The devil tempts us to delay our repentance, whispering, “There is always tomorrow.” But the Saints did not think this way. St. Bernard of Clairvaux declared:
“He who does not strive today will be less inclined to strive tomorrow.” (Sermon on Conversion)
We must seize the present moment. God offers us graces today that will not be offered tomorrow. If we do not take advantage of them now, we may forfeit them forever.
III. In Much Patience: The Path of the Saints
St. Paul next describes the life of a Christian in the most practical and harrowing terms: “In much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labours, in watchings, in fastings” (2 Cor 6:4-5).
Here, the Apostle reveals a fundamental aspect of the Christian life: suffering. If we expect Lent to be comfortable, we deceive ourselves. True Lenten observance involves fasting of the body and mortification of the will.
St. Teresa of Avila reminds us:
“To suppose that He would admit to His close friendship pleasure-loving people who want to be free from all trials is ridiculous.” (Way of Perfection, Ch. 18)
Christ calls us to follow Him in patience and suffering. The world despises penance, but the Saints cherished it. St. Francis of Assisi joyfully embraced bodily penance, declaring:
“It is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life.”
Our trials during Lent — hunger, fatigue, and the sting of discipline — unite us to the sufferings of Christ. Every affliction we bear in patience becomes a stepping stone to eternal glory.
IV. As Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing
In one of the most paradoxical lines of Sacred Scripture, St. Paul writes:“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as needy, yet enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things” (2 Cor 6:10).
This is the very mystery of the Cross. The world views sorrow, fasting, and penance as misery. But the Christian finds hidden joy in these crosses. St. John of the Cross writes:
“To suffer and to be despised for the love of Christ is a precious balm which, if we truly understood it, we would seek rather than shun.” (The Ascent of Mount Carmel, Bk. 2, Ch. 7)
Lenten penance is not drudgery but a gateway to divine joy. The emptier we become of earthly comforts, the more we are filled with divine consolation. The Saints discovered this secret, and now they invite us to embrace it.
St. Alphonsus Liguori declared:
“He who suffers most for Christ has the greatest assurance of reigning with Him in glory.”(Preparation for Death, Consideration 6)
V. Bearing Fruit in the Desert of Lent
Lent is compared to Christ’s forty days in the desert. Just as Our Lord fasted, prayed, and suffered temptation, so must we. Yet notice: Christ entered the desert full of the Holy Ghost (Luke 4:1) and emerged triumphant (Luke 4:14).
Our Lent must mirror His. We enter weary and burdened, but if we persevere, we will emerge strengthened and filled with grace. The ancient Fathers observed that Lent is a desert in which our sins are burned away, leaving the pure gold of our souls.
St. Gregory the Great taught:
“The days of Lent are a remedy for the soul, a time for healing its wounds and cleansing its impurities.” (Homily 16 on the Gospels)
Thus, we should not begrudge our Lenten penances. They are the chisels that sculpt us into saints.
VI. The Promised Victory
As we advance in Lent, the devil will seek to discourage us. He will whisper: “Why fast? Why pray? Why suffer?” Yet the answer is clear: because Christ did. The devil fled from Christ after the forty days in the desert (Matt 4:11). He will flee from us as well — but only if we persevere.
St. Leo the Great exhorts us:
“It is not by ease but by labor that we reach the crown of life.” (Sermon 42)
When we stand with Christ in Gethsemane, bearing our cross, the Resurrection becomes certain. The Church, in her wisdom, places the shadow of the Cross at the center of Lent, because the Resurrection cannot be separated from the Passion.
St. Augustine proclaims:
“We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song — but only after the sorrows of Good Friday.” (Sermon 229)
VII. Conclusion: Now is the Day of Salvation
We must then approach Lent with renewed fervor. Let us not receive the grace of God in vain. Let us fast, pray, and do penance, knowing that the cross is the surest path to glory.
St. Louis de Montfort challenges us:
“Take up your cross, then, my dear soul, and follow Jesus. If you bear it as you ought, it will lead you to Him.” (Love of Eternal Wisdom, Ch. 12)
This Lent, the grace of God is being offered in abundance. But we must labor with that grace, lest it be received in vain. We must fast, lest we be spiritually sluggish. We must pray, lest we drift from God. We must suffer, lest we remain far from the Cross.
As we stand before the altar this First Sunday of Lent, let us hear again the voice of St. Paul: “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Let us not delay. Let us embrace Lent with fervor and love, and the promise of Easter will not fail us.
“O my Jesus, grant me the grace to carry my cross daily, to fast willingly, and to offer all my sufferings for love of Thee.” Amen.