40 DAYS OF LENT: REPENTANCE IN THE
FACE OF TEMPTATIONS
(Mark 1:12-15)
Jesus was driven into the
wilderness where He was tempted for forty days and nights. 'Fortieth' is the
Latin meaning for Lent. The Latin rendition is "quadregesima".
This is a solemn religious observance in which Christians call to mind and
relive the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time we should have the
spiritual drive to go into the wilderness with Christ; the drive for holiness,
for prayers, for alms giving and for mortification.
We are called today to follow
Jesus into the wilderness for the spiritual encounter. We will not but repent
of our evil deeds if we follow sincerely in this Lenten desert experience. But
will temptations allow us? Will our flesh, the world and the devil stop putting
obstructions on our way? Let's see what
the Gospel has to say on this matter.
DESIRE TO SEEK THE FACE OF GOD
Jesus went into the wilderness to
look for God, to find quiet time with God, to meditate in a calm atmosphere, to
pray and indeed to fast.
What Jesus did is like what we do
when we decide to stay away from
occasions of sin, when we go for confession, when we set out to fight a
particular vice in our lives, when we plan to say no to distractions from the
world around us.
The devil follows behind. The
tempter comes along. That time we want to be alone with none but God, he comes
to deform our 'Christ's wilderness experience' into 'Eve's Eden
experience'
In the Gospel, the themes of
temptation and repentance were made manifest. Jesus was tempted but did not
give in to the temptation. But Jesus comes out after the temptation and
understood quiet well while we fail so often. But He didn't want us to remain
lying on the ground. He calls us to repentance.
These 40 days avail us another
opportunity to enter into conversation with our maker once again. It prepares
us spiritually to face the challenges of our world. It charges and recharges us
to function more effectively. It propels us to move on in the good deeds we do.
We are inspired and encouraged to face the ups and downs of the ministries and functions
divinely entrusted to us with renewed unction. For these we enter the desert
with Christ. For these and many more we seek the face of God. Because of these
we wish to renounce our sins, repent of having offended God and become new in
Christ. But we have some fears.
FACTORS CHALLENGING OUR DESIRE FOR GOD AND REPENTANCE
We have a lot of problems and
questions staring us at the face in our longing to follow Jesus even in these
forty days of lent. These questions do not only give us worries within lent but
also outside of lent. They include:
In the face of the many
temptations surrounding us in our world, what is the need for repentance?
Why bother about repenting when I
know I may still fall into the same temptation? How do I talk of repentance
when I am not yet convinced about saying bye to that sin?
DON'T GIVE UP! YOU WILL
CONQUER
Anaghi aso mgbagbu eje ogu!(the
fear of temptation should not demoralise you) Ride on trusting God. Take the
decision to depart from your evil ways. Take the decision to repent. The angels
of God will come to your help, they will minister to you. Divine assistance
will not allow you to fall. At the weakest moment, when you think all hope is
lost God will not allow you to be put to shame.
Go for confession and live a more
sinless life. Reconcile with your enemies. Overcome the temptation to exploit
people. Overcome the temptation to be a tempter. Overcome the temptation to
allow this year's Lent come and go without transforming your life. Rebuke the
temptations following into this holy season. Do that with prayers and faith.
LET US PRAY
Thank You Lord for this time of
favour which you have offered us this year again. As we follow You into the
wilderness Oh Lord bless us with the spirit of true repentance. Help us to
overcome the temptations that come our way. May we not be temptations to others.
Grant us the fortitude these forty days to win the battle against our flesh,
our world and the devil through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Happy Sunday (First Sunday of
Lent, Yr B)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
Image from: First Sunday in Lent Reflection - The Southern Cross (scross.co.za)
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