Each year, in many ways, for people of faith the season of Lent is both difficult and welcome.
It is difficult because the very nature and theme of Lent calls us to look clearly at ourselves in a spiritual mirror. We are to see to what extent we find the image of Jesus Himself looking back at us.
In baptism we were conformed to Jesus by the working of the Holy Spirit. Throughout life, in the continuing cascade of joys and sorrows, we are called to come closer to Christ. Even more, we are to be transformed little by little into the fullness of His image as He Himself described in the beatitudes.
That means we are to be poor in spirit, meek, merciful, clean of heart and peacemakers. We are to mourn our sins, to hunger and thirst for righteousness and be willing to accept persecution because we stand with Jesus.
Lent is difficult because as we look in that spiritual mirror, every one of us sees our sinfulness. We see how our lives still stand far from the image of Jesus. In that moment we are tempted to look away, to excuse ourselves. But Lent calls us to focus on the very reason that Jesus came into the world and why He died on the cross. It was for our sins, and to save us from them. By being reminded of this, we know ourselves more fully.
Lent, however, is by no means all sadness and sorrow. It is even more welcome because it reminds us of the unending reality of God’s love and His mercy that is constantly offered to us, if only we are willing to turn to Him again and to accept His gifts.
This Lent, we will be blessed with three magnificent Sunday Gospels that are meant to give us the hope to rise above the violence, anger and despair of our society and our world. On the Third Sunday, we will hear proclaimed again the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. She comes to that well burdened by a thirst that she cannot quench, and by a life of sin and shame. She leaves healed in her soul and wanting more.
On the fourth Sunday we hear again of the man born blind. Reminding us of our own moments of spiritual blindness, Jesus heals the man by His personal and forgiving touch.
In the Gospel of the fifth Sunday, we walk with Jesus as He confronts death itself as it touches some of His closest friends. He receives the anguished reproach of the sister of Lazarus and He even weeps as we do before death. But He raises His friend, foreshadowing the overcoming of death that we all fear because of our sins.
Lent calls us to examine and admit our sins, but also to seek that same astonishing mercy of Jesus. It is available to each of us, no matter how little or far we have wandered.
This Lent, as a rising number will come to the Church or return to the Catholic faith, we join them by once more embracing Jesus’s mercy. That is the reason each of us should make a good and heartfelt Lent confession.
For many, the experience of Be Reconciled Day, held this year on March 25, the final Wednesday before Holy Week, is a moment each Lent that they look forward to with anticipation. In all the parishes of the diocese, to the extent possible, confessions are offered from 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. to be available to everyone’s schedule. Check your parish bulletin or bereconciled.rockforddiocese.org for specific times.
Please come to confession this Lenten season, especially if you have not confessed for many years. Share the spiritual healing of the blind man, the Samaritan woman and Lazarus. Jesus awaits us as He did them. He wants us to share His image.
How welcome Lent is!
