Lenten Journey 2020 Day 19 of 40

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Friday, March 13 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 19 of 40
 
The week of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) comes to an end with a focus on the father who endures great pain at knowing his son is lost, but also knows that his son – like each of us – must create our own destiny. Jesus uses this parable to illustrate the tremendous and unconditional love of our heavenly Father which must serve as an example for our love toward one another. God leaves the door open for us to return to Him. He does not reprimand, nor does He remind us of past offenses. Instead, he is welcoming. Can we do the same with those who have hurt us? The Lenten Journey is about asking “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.”

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 20 of 40

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Saturday, March 14 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 20 of 40
 
Day 20 marks a half-way point. It is important in any journey to review the steps that have brought us thus far and chart out the steps that lead forward. At the Last Supper, Jesus reflects on his ministry and the unique relationship between the disciples and himself: He as the “True Vine,” his Father the vinedresser and the disciples are the branches (John 15). In confidence, he moves forward to his Passion, “Rise, let us go” he instructs his disciples. Today is a day of reflection. Our bodies are becoming familiar with the dietary regimen, we have increased our prayer life and acts of charity. Our meditations and contemplations give us satisfaction. Reflect on those things you have discovered since Lent began and then Rise! Let us go forward. The second half of the Lenten Journey is moments away.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 17 of 40

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Wednesday, March 11 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 17 of 40
 
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) had lost his friends and his hunger caused him to fantasize about eating the hog’s slop. It was at that most hurtful and most vulnerable moment that he “came to his senses.” We might say that he reached his “enough moment.” Each of us encounters difficulties that accent the sharp contrasts in our lives. Part of the Lenten Journey is to find the “enough moment” in our lives when we realize that life does not have to follow a particular direction and we are ready to return back home. 

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 18 of 40

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Thursday, March 12 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 18 of 40
 
In the background of the Prodigal Son story (Luke 15:11-32) is another son – an older brother – who has done all that has been asked of him. He has played by the rules but has not been rewarded for his good behavior and therefore finds the situation unfair – perhaps even unjust. The older brother expresses the sentiments of so many: Why do good things happen to bad people? The Lenten Journey is about asking the questions and listening for the answers. The response of the father, “My son was dead and now is alive!” is one given from the vantage point of parenthood. The father changed the older brother’s perspective. Look at life and your questions from a fresh new vantage point – one which celebrates life – is at the heart of today’s Lenten meditation.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 15 of 40

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Monday, March 9 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 15 of 40
 
The third week of Lent begins with echoes of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). What was his sin? Can we tally up the offenses and stay away from such evil? Jesus gives the answer in the story, explaining that the son squandered all that he had (vs. 13). We each come into this world inheriting unique and precious talents. All that we enjoy is given to us as a gift from God. During the Lenten Journey, ours is to find the talents and gifts given to us by God and use them. When we lose track of the gift of life, we mindlessly squander the greatest gift that God has bestowed upon us.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 16 of 40

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Tuesday, March 10 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 16 of 40
 
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) had lost direction. Getting lost is not intentional. No one begins a journey with the hope of getting lost. In the journey of life we come across many difficulties, many obstacles, that prevent us from reaching the fullness that we want out of life. Those obstacles stand in front of us like roadblocks as we travel toward our dreams. When the road is blocked, we immediately look for ways to circumvent, to go around the obstacles and in so doing, we swerve off course. We are lost. Finding where we turned or swerved is part of the Lenten Journey back home.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 14 of 40

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Sunday, March 8 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 14 of 40
 
Reconciliation happens when love is present and love is made possible by forgiveness. There is no greater illustration of the power of love through forgiveness than in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). “My son was dead and now he is alive. My son was lost and now he is found,” proclaims this father who rejoices that his son has come back home. His is the voice of heaven for any one of us who puts away the foolishness of sin and returns back to God. Lost and finding our way back to God is the only way to move from death to life.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 13 of 40

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Saturday, March 7 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 13 of 40
 
Without love, what meaning or what purpose can our existence have? Love is the necessary component of life. It exists in us all and during this Lenten period we have a golden opportunity to nurture and cultivate the feelings of love thereby building the necessary habits to overcome difficulties even after the period of Lent. While abstinence and restrictions are one part of the Lenten journey, the greater task for the believer is to exercise love and to be in harmony with family, friends, the world around us, nature, and ultimately with all, namely with God. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (I John 4:8)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 12 of 40

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Friday, March 6 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 12 of 40
 
The Lenten Journey is about reconciling with one another so that we can be reconciled with God. Ridding our mind of divisive and evil thoughts is the natural first step in preventing the actions that follow and destroy our relationships. Once rid from our system we must replace them with the only thought powerful enough to keep those thoughts away. That power comes from love. Love is the one ingredient of life that can overcome those thoughts and words that divide and devastate us. As the Apostle writes, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 11 of 40

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Thursday, March 5 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 11 of 40
 
An old Armenian expression says that wounds created by a sword will heal, but wounds caused by the tongue never heal. Think about the words that we have used in haste, perhaps in anger. Think about those expressions that have separated us from friends, or perhaps from family. Some words have even destroyed others, willingly or unwillingly. Unfortunately, more often than not, we end up hurting the ones we love the most. Perhaps it is because we think that those who love us will tolerate us. Says St. James, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” (3:9)