Embracing the Transformative Power of Lent: A Journey of Mercy and Renewal
This year’s Lenten season presents a unique opportunity for profound spiritual growth. It’s a time to reconnect with the core of our Christian faith: the awe-inspiring mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This isn’t merely a historical event; it’s a living, breathing reality that continues to shape our lives, both individually and as a community. The more we open our hearts to its power, the more deeply it will transform us.
The Joyful Message and the Temptations We Face
The Good News: A Foundation for Life
Christian joy stems directly from embracing the Good News – the kerygma. This powerful message unveils a love so profound, so tangible, that it compels us into a vibrant, open relationship with God. As Christus Vivit (117) beautifully states, it’s a love that invites “openness and fruitful dialogue.” Believing in this message counters the lie that our lives are solely our own to control. Instead, it reveals that life originates from God’s boundless love, His desire to bestow life in abundance (John 10:10).
Resisting the Lie: Choosing Life Over Absurdity
Conversely, listening to the seductive whispers of “the father of lies” (John 8:44) leads to a perilous descent into absurdity and despair – a hellish existence mirrored in countless tragic events throughout history. This Lent, let us resolutely reject this path and choose the life offered by God.
Contemplating the Ever-Present Passion
In his Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit (123), Pope Francis urges us: “Keep your gaze fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved again and again…Contemplate his blood poured out with such love and let yourself be purified by it.” The Passion of Jesus isn’t a relic of the past; it’s a present reality, empowering us to recognize Christ in the suffering of others. Through the Holy Spirit, we can see and touch, with faith, the flesh of Christ in those who are hurting.
The Paschal Mystery: A Face-to-Face Encounter
Deepening our contemplation of the Paschal Mystery reveals the immeasurable extent of God’s mercy. This mercy is experienced most profoundly through a personal relationship with the crucified and risen Lord, the one who “loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). This intimate connection fosters sincere dialogue, a friendship with the divine.
Prayer: A Response to Unconditional Love
Prayer is paramount during Lent. More than a mere obligation, it’s a vital response to God’s unwavering love – a love that precedes and sustains us. We pray acknowledging our unworthiness, yet confident in His unconditional love. The form of prayer is secondary; what matters is its ability to penetrate our hearts, softening our resistance and leading us towards complete conversion.
God’s Unwavering Desire for Connection
This Lenten season is not just another opportunity; it’s a precious gift, a renewed invitation to turn towards God. This invitation should stir within us profound gratitude and banish complacency. Even amidst the pain and suffering in the world, God’s desire for a saving dialogue with us remains steadfast. In Jesus, who knew no sin yet bore our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21), the Father’s love reached its apex, a love that even extends to enemies (Matthew 5:43-48).
Beyond Empty Words: A Meaningful Dialogue
God’s desire for dialogue is not about superficial chatter, unlike the Athenians who “spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing some new thing” (Acts 17:21). This empty curiosity, a hallmark of worldliness, often manifests in our age through the misuse of media. True dialogue necessitates genuine engagement, a willingness to listen and respond from the heart.
Sharing Our Abundance: A Call to Action
Placing the Paschal Mystery at the center of our lives compels compassion for the wounds of Christ, evident in the suffering of innocent victims of war, violence against life (from the unborn to the elderly), environmental destruction, economic inequality, human trafficking, and the idolatry of unchecked profit.
Almsgiving and Structural Change
We are called to actively share our resources with those in need, participating in the creation of a more just world. Charity elevates our humanity, while hoarding diminishes it, imprisoning us in selfishness. We must extend this compassion beyond individual acts to address structural issues within our economic systems. This is why a meeting was convened with young economists and entrepreneurs to foster a more just and inclusive economy. Political and economic life, guided by the spirit of the Beatitudes, becomes a powerful expression of charity.
A Prayer for Open Hearts
Let us pray to Mary, Most Holy, that this Lenten journey might open our hearts to God’s call to reconciliation, to fix our gaze upon the Paschal Mystery, and to engage in sincere dialogue with Him. In doing so, we will become what Christ calls us to be: the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14).
