Our Faith is Strengthened in Lent

03-10-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. Julius Kundi

Last Wednesday we began the 40days program of Lent. A spiritual exercise organized by the church to bring us closer to God, to heal our broken relationships with Him and our fellow brothers and sisters. It is a special spiritual discipline also to strengthen our faith in the Lord Jesus, for Lent will mean nothing if we do not believe in Christ.

Indeed, Lent is a time to become more deeply aware of our faith and to deepen that faith by practical actions. The Book of Deuteronomy reminds us that our faith is in response to God’s action in our lives. And that means that once again we must face this question: Do I see that God has acted in my life? Our Jewish ancestors in the faith had no doubts that God had acted in their lives and in their history as a people.

Also from the Letter to the Romans, we read about faith and trusting the Word of God. Once again, we are challenged: Do we believe in this Word of God? Do we really believe that God speaks to us in Scripture?

It is clear from the Gospel that Jesus does believe that God has acted in His life and that God is truly revealing Himself in Holy Scripture. If we truly want to be followers of Jesus, then we must also believe. It is this belief that gives Jesus the inner strength to resist the temptations of the devil. It is this belief that forms and shapes the whole life of Jesus. When we believe, our lives begin to change. That change is not always deeply obvious, but it is a change. We begin to make decisions based on our belief. We begin to act in ways that reflect our belief.

As we begin Lent, we must take the story of Jesus’ temptations more seriously. The message there is more of a warning that we can ruin our lives if we stray from the path God wills for us. The first temptation was decisively important. On the surface it is a desire for something innocent and good: why not call on God power to satisfy our hunger. “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread,” the tempter says to Jesus. His reply is surprising: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” We must always seek God’s will above all. At every moment we must listen to God’s Word, seek God’s will.

Our deepest needs are not met by physical food and drink. Human beings need and yearn for more, for spiritual nurture. To help save other people from hunger and misery, we need to listen to God our Father, who awakens in our conscience a hunger for justice and solidarity.

Let us ask today that our faith may be strengthened in this time of Lent and that our choices may be clear and firm to follow our Lord Jesus.

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