Imagine an occasion when you walked along a soft, sandy beach with your mother in hand. Do you remember how it felt? Do you remember the gentle breeze and the night sky and how you waited in anticipation for that time to come again? This is what Christ gives to us this Lenten season. It’s like taking along an old friend with you on a quiet journey through time. A journey of discovering the meaning of your life and the adventure it can surely be. We touch, we feel, we see with our minds, our hearts and our souls the beauty of such a moment. Many of us try to capture and hold onto these memories but as with all things, they fade away with time. But God is constant; He lives on in us, in the past, present and future. He is the one thing that is unchanging, unalterable and genuine.
During the coming months, we need to focus on what we can do as Christians to bring others into our frame of mind. Not just attending church but celebrating the mass as it was intended. When we accept Him as our savior and take Him in, we are transformed into beings of light. Don’t shy away from your responsibilities as His children for He calls us each in very unique and wonderful ways. Allow Jesus to work in you and see what He can create. Do not be afraid of the unknown because He will always follow us on our path as a true and trusted guide.
Mary was convinced and confident of her way through life as well. Told about her conception in a dream, she was intent on following God’s will. It is not for us to second guess His nature and why He does the things He does. There is a reason for everything and a time for every purpose under the heavens.
Understanding this is like reaching an agreement to not understand; to take a leap of faith into the unknown. We cannot know what will happen today, tomorrow or even the next moment. We live our lives in the here and now. Only Christ lives in all three, direct and simultaneously. Mary knew that when she accepted her fate. She and all of us are shaped by the events that life places before us. It is for all of us to try and find that same courage within ourselves. Stand up for what you believe and fight for the innocent. Be mindful and forgiving of others mistakes, be thankful for what you have, and share your bounty with both God and man.
We tend to lose sight of such things during this season, the season we call the lamb. Let us feast on His presence in the holy Eucharist and in our daily lives. Proclaim to the world yet unborn that we intend to protect what is ours, what is created by God’s own hand and given to us in the birth of each and every child. Yes, Mary held the son of God in her womb but all mothers carry the scent of His spirit, because of Mary’s sacrifice, in every newly conceived child. We have lost our way in this secular society but God is patient. He awaits our return with the anticipation of a newborn infant. Resurrected from the ashes, we become as we are destined to be, children of God and life eternal. Remember, we are not from this world; we are from an age beyond age and from a time beyond time. Walk with Him along the shore, hold Him in your heart and say to the world that the traveler has awakened. We are watchful now and will defend life, all life. Resurrection is at hand, call to the Gospel, atone for your sins and wait in joyful hope of the coming of Jesus Christ.
May the gentle wind of the Holy Spirit be with you all, may He guide you in your decisions and may they be the right ones. Celebrate life. May God bless you and keep you, His child, always.