Bishop's Weekly Message: The Third Week of Lent

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As we enter the third week of Lent, we hear the story of the Israelites’ journey in the desert. As their journey continues, their anger toward Moses intensifies, asking him, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” – a question some even ask today! Yet, there in the desert, God gave them manna from heaven and water to quench their thirst.

The Church continues to invite us to remain faithful to the journey we began on Ash Wednesday. As with the Israelites we can grow tired or feel like giving up. We must remember that we are never alone, and that Jesus accompanies us every step of the journey. Lent invites us to reflect on our current spiritual reality and turn our hearts toward Christ who provides for our physical and spiritual needs. Christ promises to satisfy and quench our deepest longing and thirst. Just as he spoke to the Samaritan woman, he now says to us, “…whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become…a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

This Lent, let us commit to our own spiritual journey – one that allows us to hear Jesus’ invitation to find life in him. Let us return to the Lord in earnest by fasting, giving alms, and praying. You might spend 5-10 minutes praying before the Blessed Sacrament or performing a simple act of charity such as helping a neighbor to clean the house or wash the dishes. Let us truly walk with the Lord this Lenten season, and each time we say “Amen” at his table, may we recognize that it is only in and through the Holy Eucharist that we may become one in the Body of Christ.