We realize that Lent is a special time to reflect. I hope you managed to build into your day some quiet space to just “be” and listen to your deep self and to your God. The readings from the Christian scriptures, up until now, would lead us to see that these four weeks have been all about us – God inviting us to a change of heart, mind, and soul. Four weeks ago, we were invited to fast, pray, give alms and learn to empty ourselves of some gratifications, some excesses, so as to have more space for new life.
This fifth week and into Easter is all about Jesus and His faith-filled response to Abba, Father.
I am struck by the steadiness and stability of Jesus’ focus as He moves toward Calvary. In my quiet time one morning recently, I learned some helpful lessons from nature. As I looked out our large window onto the river nearby, I thought about the stability of nature. The sun comes up always, the moon and stars appear at regular times, the trees and bushes can be counted on to be in their places. These are symbols of our God who can be counted on, no matter what. God’s power is the power of love.
As Jesus climbs the hill of Calvary and sees the cross, we too can sense the power of this coming week as we live it with Him. We ask, like the kids on a family trip, “Are we there yet?” No, we are not, because the graces of this week are a work in progress. Our vulnerability is caught up in Jesus’, but we know we are the Beloved of God, cherished far beyond our understanding. And so I pray the Way of the Cross, asking for the grace to appreciate more deeply the surrender of Jesus to His mission on behalf of me.
Elizabeth Berrigan, CSJ