Monday, February 19, 2018

A Word from Your Pastor February 18

Lent has begun.  We had a lovely start with the Valentine’s Day observance of Ash Wednesday, being reminded of Jesus’ Love for us and His willingness to die for us.  We responded in good numbers with the acknowledgement that we are sinners in need of God’s Mercy.  We have begun the season of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.  May we be truly faithful and continue the journey persevering all the way to Easter and beyond.

This Sunday, the Gospel of Mark tells us simply that the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert where He was tempted.  It also mentions the curious detail that Jesus was “among the wild beasts and angels ministered to Him.”  Then we learn that the Jesus began His public proclamation of the Gospel: This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

In other years, we hear more about the nature of the Temptation.  This year, we learn only that it occurred by the action of the Spirit driving Jesus to the place where He would experience humanity’s limits.  Jesus’ call to us is to acknowledge that God is accomplishing His purpose and to open our minds and hearts to the Good News.  Opening ourselves to the truth of the Gospel, we are invited to realize that God knows us completely and that He has a plan for our salvation.


Each day brings a lot of “bad news.”  On any given day, we will hear about tragic events, both natural and of our own making.  At times there will also be reports of situations that are clearly demonic, involving more than just what human beings could do on their own.  In the face of all this, having already confronted the reality of it all, Jesus tells us that we can put our trust in God and believe the Gospel.  But we have to repent, to change our minds, to move beyond where we have been to where He wants to take us.  Are we ready to do so?


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