Lenten Hope

A Reflection on the Gospel for March 10th, 2019:
First Sunday of Lent

​Luke 4.1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone.’”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his Angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

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​Have you ever had one of those days? Months? Years? Where you ask yourself, "how did I get here"? Lately, and I’m not sure if it’s the Holy Spirit that led me, but I have most definitely been feeling like I’m in the middle of the wilderness… the wild, wild, wilderness!

So thank God for Lent! Literally, thank you Lord! I have often thought of this season as a reset button for my spiritual life. Lent always gives me hope. I know Lent isn’t always thought of as a hopeful time. The notion of sacrifice often gets all the attention in Lent: What are you giving up for Lent? How is that hopeful? 

For me, the hopefulness of this season comes from Lent’s intentionality. The Church in her wisdom sets aside 40 days to call us to, yes, specifically sacrifice, but it is also a time for us to purposefully pray, and generously give. By recognizing my temptations and letting them go (sacrifice), I can focus on building my relationship with the Father (prayer) and with others (almsgiving). In doing so, I also prepare space in my mind and heart to more deeply understand and recall the supreme gift given to us in the death and ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

"By recognizing my temptations and letting them go (sacrifice), I can focus on building my relationship with the Father (prayer) and with others (almsgiving)."

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I don’t mean to imply that Lent is “easy” for me. Far from it! I inevitably start my Lenten journey with the best intentions, “I will stop spending so much time on social media and eating cookies." “I will spend an hour in the morning and an hour at night in prayer each day.” “I will stop spending money on lattes and donate that money to the food bank.” But then all of a sudden it’s Holy Week and I realize I have not done what I set out to do. Being intentional is hard! Yet Jesus shows us, in this very apropos Gospel reading as we begin Lent, how intentional God wants to be in the relationship He seeks with us. The devil offers instant gratification while Jesus continually points to the intent or aim of God’s relationship with us—relationship that sustains, requires a response, and is not about playing games! And so what are our intentions with the Lord? Are we in it for the long haul—an actual relationship? Or is this (forgive me) a fling?

Unlike Jesus, I am entering these next forty days not filled with the Holy Spirit but rather I am looking to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to strengthen my relationship and be an intentional disciple (Thank you Sherry Weddell!). And I will be filled, if I am willing to receive. Through our baptism we became daughters and sons of the Father who have complete and full access to that very same Spirit that filled Jesus, led Him to the wilderness, and allowed Him to defeat the devil. For me, that is the hope I find in Lent. 

​Aurea Sadi

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