In the First reading Moses gives the Ten Commandments to the Israelites. The Commandments offer a way of life rooted in fidelity to God. This focus leads to right relationship with all others without distortion or distraction. Yet even as Moses is receiving this law from God, the Israelites are worshiping a golden calf at the base of the holy mountain. Their impatience quickly leads them astray but God does not give up on them. He calls them back again. God also knows our impatience, our fixations and our longings. In the midst of a world competing for our attention, God calls us back.

In fact, one of God’s primary actions throughout scripture is to call us back from distractions. Our Lent began with God speaking through the prophet Joel: ”Return to me with your whole heart.” God knows that our desire is to live ultimately for Him, but our world at the same time tries to pull us from that. God knows that our distractions are linked to our deep longing for a connection to what is meaningful and holy. As we know, our desire is ultimately for God, but the problem is that our world and worldly things try to substitute for the real thing.

Put our trust in God always. He never wants any one of us to be lost. He calls us back again and again. God will never give up on us at any time. So therefore, my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, this is the time for repentance and coming back. The season of Lent always reminds us that the Lord is telling us to “Repent and Come back to Me.” He came into this world in order to save us. On this Lenten journey, God invites us to recognize our distractions and our longing for holiness to put into practice.

Through his death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus has reconciled us with God and made us adopted sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. He fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes us living temples of our God. Do you recognize the indwelling presence of God within you through the gift and working of his Holy Spirit? The Lord Jesus wants to renew our minds and to purify our hearts so that we may offer God fitting worship and enjoy his presence both now and forever. Ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with a holy desire and burning zeal for his holiness and glory to grow in you and transform the way you think, act, and live as a son or daughter of God. The Lord Jesus makes us temples of the Holy Spirit. As the Good Shepherd takes care of his sheep, He takes care of us always. He will never abandon us at any time. Put our trust in Him and only in Him and follow his footsteps and pray to him always: Forgive our sins and lead us not into the temptations of this world.

God bless you all and I wish you all a happy, fruitful, Holy season of Lent.

Fr. Charley