“BE
WITH ME LORD WHEN I AM IN TROUBLE!”
My
Brothers in Christ,
These
words from Psalm 91 are ones that we are encouraged to reflect on
during this Season of Lent. Jesus is always with us and this is
especially true when we are in crisis. He never abandons us. In fact,
he feels what we feel and suffers with us. What an amazing
relationship we can have with our God. The emotions and pain that we
experience are the same ones that Jesus feels. He is eternally united
with us but it is up to us to recognize this relationship and
strengthen it. He cannot help us if we do not first recognize his
presence. This is done through a fruitful prayer life and constant
attention to our own Christian Conduct. Sacred Scripture also serves
a roll in this by revealing to us our salvation story and unlocking
the mysteries of our God. All these need to be practiced and used all
the days of our lives. If we do not partake in these opportunities
before us we risk the danger of not fully knowing God and what he has
planned for us. Yes, he does have a plan for us but it is offered and
it is not mandatory to follow. This is our choice and responsibility:
“Do we want to live our lives with God or without him? This is one
of the biggest Challenges of our Faith. During Lent Christ is asking
us to suffer with him and for us share our own sufferings at the same
time. In this short responsory from Psalm 91 we are not only pleading
to him but we are also accepting his invitation join with him.
When
Jesus was tempted in the desert it was for our own benefit. In his
human nature Jesus was subject to temptation and suffering just as we
are. He demonstrated this but allowing Satan to come forward and test
him. He did not have to do this. He wanted to do this so that we may
realize that he fully understands the trials and tribulations that we
experience. Throughout the forty days in the desert Jesus did not
abandon his faith. He fasted and prayed constantly. He maintained his
relationship with his Father and relied on his own faith to
persevere. It became a preparation period for his own ministry. Lent
is our own time in the desert where we have the opportunity to focus
on our own temptations, sins, and short-comings. It is a time of
renewal and a time to reflect on Jesus' glorious Passion. To
experience this fully we must realize that we are journeying through
our own Passion and approach this season as such. Calvary awaits all
of us. We carrying our crosses forward with Christ. To experience the
Resurrection we must first live through our Passion.
Examining
ourselves is a very hard task. We all have things that we are
genuinely ashamed about in our past but through Christ they can be
overcome. We must acknowledge our sins then cast them behind us. Once
our sins are cast behind us then we can move forward with Christ as a
new creation. If God has forgiven us for what we have done wrong then
why can't we forgive ourselves? It is hypocritical if we don't.
Nothing we do in our lives can be considered wasted. We all make
mistakes but that is what being a person is all about. Nobody is
perfect except for God. He is our Father and we are his children. And
as a Father, God forgives his children all the time.
Yours in
Christ,
Deacon
Tom
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