In their own way, the small suffering that comes with the sacrifices we make in Lent begin a transformative work in our hearts so that we may better face the greater sufferings that life will inevitably bring.
It’s no coincidence for us as Catholics that this trying time comes during our season of Lent. We gave God our hearts on Ash Wednesday, asking Him to purify us of our worldly desires. We gave up cookies, or maybe social media, gossip, or TV. Did we intend to give up everything else COVID has thrown on there? ...probably not. But it’s here. And it’s out of our control. So what do we do about it?
The best part about Lent is that we know what happens next — the joy of Easter when Christ rises from the dead and we rise with Him!
The Lord went to the cross for this moment. He went to the cross so our pain and suffering didn’t have to be the end of the story. He went to the cross so He could be united with us, on Earth and in Heaven, and empower us to carry our crosses in this life until we meet Him in the next.
His Cross: that ugly, undeserved, bloody, brutal Cross. THAT is the avenue in which He chose to redeem us. That is the avenue in which we are called to meditate and imitate.
This is the time of year when we collectively focus on gratitude. As your Edge Support Coordinator, I am grateful for you and your commitment to walking with the middle school youth in your parish. Life Teen exists to empower and equip you to lead teens closer to Christ, so I’d love to know how we did with these November 2021 resources. You can contact me directly or respond through our follow-up survey.
Not just the elderly, but those who have cancer, auto-immune disorders, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, asthma, are pregnant, etc. We have a civic duty, and more importantly, a Christian duty, to protect them. In the coming weeks, when we grow tired and despondent from self quarantining, we must remember that human life is at the center of this, even if it is not our own life that is in imminent danger.
It may be a shock, but even the most powerful and beautiful tools in a Catholic’s spiritual arsenal can be rendered useless or empty because of our tendency to sin.
God is a lot like Mexican moms, but better: He knows our deepest hungers and desires to satisfy them.
