In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus enters the desert and is tempted. He is alone with no one except himself and the presence of his Father. For us, Lent is also a time to know God and to know ourselves. It is a time to open ourselves up to the truth of who we are and to see ourselves in the light of God’s love, truth and mercy. The following quotes from the saints help us to do this. In the first, St Bernard of Clairvaux reminds us to centre our lives on the God of love as revealed by Jesus. The second by St Augustine goes directly to the challenge we all have to face, especially during Lent – owning up to the shadow side of who we are and acknowledging our need for repentance. The third quote from St Francis de Sales directs our hearts to Christ, his cross and the love with which he bore it. Here is the love of God that is the source of our hope.
Offered also is a newsletter insert provided by Trocaire about this year's Lenten campaign
‘My opinion is that all those who lack knowledge of God are those who refuse to turn to him. I am certain that they refuse because they imagine this kindly disposed God to be harsh and severe; this merciful God to be callous and inflexible, this lovable God to be cruel and oppressive. So it is that wickedness plays false to itself, setting up for itself an image that does not represent him (St
Bernard of Clarvaux, Sermon 38, 2.
‘Lord, you turned my attention back to myself and I looked and was appalled. You thrust me before my own eyes so that I should discover my iniquity and hate it. I had known it, but deceived myself, refused to admit it, and pushed it out of my mind.’
St Augustine, Confessions, 8, 16, 17.
‘Turn often with your inward eyes on Christ Jesus, crucified and naked, blasphemed, slandered, forsaken and overwhelmed by every kind of weariness , sorrow and labour. Remember that your sufferings are not comparable to his either in quality or quantity and that you can never suffer for his sake anything equal to what he suffered for you’.
St Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, 11,1, 3.
This year Trócaire’s lenten campaign focuses on the country of Malawi, Africa. Malawi is one of the least developed countries in the world and has been badly affected by climate change. In the Machinga district, Malita and her family must make a one-hour trip up to five times a day to collect water. Please support Trócaire in helping communities develop sustainable access to clean, safe and reliable water supplies by taking home a Trócaire box today or going to: www.trocaire.org.
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