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Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

from a homily by Fr. Philip:

Can you smell the wood of the cross? There are many more steps between here and now and the foot of the tree. The hot sand blows stinging hard and everything and everyone you�ve left behind calls to you out of friendship to come back. What�s ahead after all? Blood, bits of flesh, spit, gall, deception, cruelty, violence�your betrayal of a friend. You can turn back now. Do it. Just for a second. Look back to Ash Wednesday. What do you see? Hot promises? Eager intentions? A hunger for holiness? I�m going to do it this time!? Sure. And will you? Not likely. You�ll make it to the cross alright. But you won�t make it there any holier than when you left on Ash Wednesday. Do you think the purpose of Lent is to make you holy? Holier? The purpose of Lent is to show you your need for God. You will make it to the cross b/c God wants you at the cross. Holy or not. Your dieting and fasting and fussing about prayer and alms are at best distractions if they don�t serve to clear up God�s will for you: smell the wood, then see the wood, then taste it. Then feel it against your skin, your hands, your back and feet, feel it�burning, wet, raw, sharp. You are Christ. Lent is not your time to flee from weakness and temptation. Run to them!  Lent is your time to pray like the Prodigal Son, �Father, I have sinned against heaven and you, I no longer deserve to be called your son�� And then wait for God the Father to forget your sins and drape you in His finest robes and slaughter the fattest calf to welcome you home again.

Sniff the air. The cross is coming closer. The cup is full. Will you drink from it? Or will you pour it into the desert sand?

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1 comment
  • Please, pray:
    That Our Lord God strength the relationship between Dejan M. and me!
    For GOING DEEPER IN KNOWING EACH OTHER!
    That WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER!
    That our love will grow stronger day by day and that we always place God in the center of our lives!
    Thank you for all your prayers
    Praying for you
    Katarina

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