he Christian life is an unmerited grace of God. No one is a Christian because he or she merits being one. It is all grace and nothing but grace. This is the most humble fact we must be conscious of daily.
God is love (1John 4:8). Hence, to love is not only to be religious and spiritual but also to be God-like. Inarguably, love is at the basis of our religious teaching, preaching, doctrines, theology, philosophy, ideology, practices and even rituals and rites. If these are devoid of love then religion is as useless as any human venture.
The spirit of Lent is one of sacrifice. A sacrifice that leads to transformation and renewal. A sacrifice of Lent is the Easter joy of the resurrection. Hence, Lent invites us to renounce something precious in us: ego, desire or things. It is a time of penitential sacrifice to give up something we hold dear for the sake of the gospel.
In our human life or existence, temptations are always bound to come our way. Interestingly, these temptations are not meant to ruin, to obstruct or to destroy us. They are tests or trials meant to strengthen us, to empower us as winners not losers in Christendom.
The Lenten season is a moment of grace that God a given to us through his Church. It is a sober moment that calls for a pause and a reflection on what is the essence of life. It is a period to know life is nothing with God.
The leprosy of sin is more contagious than physical leprosy as a disease. This is because like leprosy, sin separate and ostracize us from God and the Christian community. Good enough, though leprosy has no remedy. For sin, there is repentance and the infinite mercy of God.
In life, someone argues, there is meaning only in the service of others. This is because there is an absurdity that comes with life. When this sense of absurdness engulfs us with a sense of uncertainty and insecurity life becomes meaningless.
Today, we celebrate the feast of Christ light of the world, and the glory of Israel. Indeed, Christ is our light. We celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord forty days after we celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
Jesus´ authority and power are one to heal the broken humanity and to cast out evil in all its form of existence either as demonic possessions, satanic influences, powers, and principalities in the low and high places.
A Christendom without reformation or renewal is doomed. This conversion is a radical renewal of faith, lifestyle and commitment to God. Our vocation to know, to love and to serve God begins with a call to authentic or genuine conversion.