We are currently embarking on our Lenten journey which Pope Francis described as an exodus, an exodus from slavery to freedom.
The 40 days of Lent are paralleled with the 40 years that the Israelites, God’s chosen people, marched through the desert to return to their homeland, leaving with them the memories of the past, friendships established, or whatever idols they had. It wasn’t a smooth journey for them, as time and again … they failed, rebelling against God and Moses.
On the other hand, in the New Testament, we contemplate the scene of Jesus going out into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights; the time after His baptism and before His public ministry. He was so hungry. The tempter was lurking about Him as he did to Adam – tempting Him three (3) times to change stone into bread; to jump from the temple; and to fall on His knees and worship Satan. And Jesus rebuked Him and shooed him away.
The desert represents a natural and symbolic environment where God speaks to the heart of man. In the quietness and solitude of the desert, Jesus prayed, meditated, talked to His Father, and fasted as He prepared for His public ministry.
Our own desert which Christ is calling us might be anything from a nook or corner at home, the garden, the oratory or at the far side of the church. In other words, our own sanctuary where the contents of our heart can be poured out to Him and …there … the Bridegroom awaits us… the Bridegroom who stayed in the desert for 40 days in utter solitude at prayer and fasting … who beckons us to love Him more deeply than ever minus the distractions that often cloud our relationship with Him that can come from the world, the devil and the flesh.
To know Him is to love Him. The more we know Christ, the more we love Him. Our Lord’s preferred comparison for the kingdom of God is that of nuptials – the wedding banquet, the bridegroom, and the bride. It is out of true love that spurs Him to embrace the cross and it is our love that He wants more than anything. Love begets love.
As we make our spiritual sojourn into the desert this Lent, let us not regard the season as one that has to come around again. Lent is a unique time, a divine aid which we should accept. During this time, we can make a spring cleaning of our soul – removing the cobwebs, dirt and grime that may have inhabited or got stuck into the corners of our soul. To keep our soul young, we must call upon our Lord, know how to listen to Him, and having found out what has gone wrong, know how to ask His pardon. He is always waiting for us like a bridegroom waits for his bride. He tells us that there are occasions of sins to come about, temptations to arise, challenges and sufferings to test us. But have no fear. He has conquered the world.
This pandemic has set the field not only for a physical and mental battle but a spiritual one, too. We are grateful to our faith in God which helps us pull through the night.
We seem to be on a roller coaster ride in the carnival of life. Sometimes we are up in the air or down on the earth. Fear can come about but the most crucial is to grip the rail. What is essential in life is to hold firmly to God through thick and thin, make our heart in consonance with His. Jesus willingly exposed Himself to the devil while fasting, teaching us to follow in His footsteps. The devil does not take a vacation. He is determined to separate us from God by making us look the other way – the lure of the material world, increased consumerism, never-ending pursuit of comfort. But we need to keep the lamp of faith lighted, hope and charity as the wise virgins had done awaiting the coming of the bridegroom.
Lent is said to be a campaign, a battle against spiritual evils and we pray that we are equipped with the proper battle gear to face the challenges with the weapon of self-restraint, our sacrifices, penances, and little self-denials that help us to fight. These may come in the form of fulfilling your schedule for the day; being more charitable towards those around you, avoiding critical spirit but to correct whenever necessary (especially for parents) eating gladly whatever is served without being fuzzy. In doing so, we are prepared to face the challenges in our life, not grudgingly or with a pessimistic or fatalistic stance, something like …we accuse ourselves of neglecting our prayers and so we suffer the brunt. We face our challenges with a peaceful spirit and good cheer.
As St. Josemaria Escriva, the saint of ordinary life, advises: Don’t wait for the Lord to send you setbacks – go out to meet them with a spirit of voluntary atonement. Then you will receive them, not so much with resignation … as with love.
Our goal is to train ourselves to confront trouble rather than sitting back and relaxing, waiting for it to find us. Because when it finds us, we will run from it, run from the cross and run from our Lord who, incidentally, is waiting for us.
St. Rose of Lima, a saint who suffered so many tribulations, said that we cannot obtain grace unless we suffer afflictions. The gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. Without the cross, there is no way to climb to heaven.
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