Wednesday, we began our Lenten journey
to Easter. The word “Lent” comes from an Anglo-Saxon word
meaning spring. Yes, Lent symbolizes the renewal of our spiritual life. The point
of Lent is revitalizing our relationships with God and one another.
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| Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness |
Then, his father died. And the son
found a letter written in his father’s hand, dated years before.
The letter noted doctors told his parents they could never have a
child of their own, expressed his father’s joy in their “miracle
child,” and concluded:
“Son, I’ll never be rich. But I
believe that when God helped us find our way to you, God also would
be ‘beside us’ the rest of our lives. We would always have each
other and that’s more than I ever hoped for. Just keep in mind who
you are, where you’ve come from, and how much we love you, our
miracle child.”
It was only then that the son realized
what mattered in life.
Lent challenges us to refocus on what
truly matters and to have a change of heart: to become more aware of
God’s presence in our daily lives, and to pay more attention to the
needs of others.
In the Gospel according to Luke, the
devil appears as a seductive voice, tempting Jesus to use his powers
to satisfy his own hunger and gain earthly power. But Jesus refuses.
These are temptations that many people
face: self-indulgence, pursuing power unscrupulously, craving fame.
Jesus remains true to his identity and vocation. To God alone
belongs the glory.
Our Christian Lenten discipline focuses
on being true to our identity. Baptism brands us and transforms us
into into “new creatures.” We are Christened, plunged into the
mystery of Jesus Christ. The living Christ lives in us and we in
Him.
Lent challenges us to re-discover and
re-treat ourselves to.
Prayer: an awareness of our dependency
upon God, a grateful response for our fragile lives. Prayer brings
to consciousness the presence of God that is already around us and
within us. Now there are many approaches: familiar prayers like the
Our Father, the liturgy, the prayer of silence or petition. All of
these are simply pathways into the presence of God.
Fasting: for early Christians, going
without food “enabled the hungry to eat.” Our Lenten fast can
also mean doing without other things: anger, impatience, selfishness,
negative judgments, whatever prevents us from living the Gospel
message of love.
Alms-giving. Share what we have. Our
time. Our talent. Volunteer. Share with needy people, if we can.
Share ourselves: smile more often so others know that you want them
to share your joy. Pay attention to people’s needs.
And share mercy. Pope Francis’s new
book is titled, “The Name of God is Mercy.” An excellent subject
for our Lenten reading.
