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Showing posts with the label The true spirit of Lent

Yoked to Jesus

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“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” †  Mathew 11: 28-30  What is the labour and burden that Jesus is asking me to deal with? Perhaps I have to let go of the compulsive burden (or is it a sort of entitlement?) that my spouse and children should choose a spiritual path that I know to be right. Jesus accompanied Judas Iscariot to the very end but never deprived him of his freedom to choose his own destiny. Jesus on the other hand, uninterrupted by Judas's choice to reject him, continues to accomplish his mission. He does become a victim of Judas's betrayal but he seldom takes on the victim's identity. In divine wisdom, Jesus chooses to die in our place (and that of Judas) in a redeeming act of love. Rather than being compelled to fix those whom God has entrusted to my headship by m

The true spirit of Lent

Never in my life have I really understood the true spirit of Lent. This morning I was led through the following thoughts by Jesus. Shifting Focus from self to Jesus On all previous lent, my focus was on what I did, what I sacrificed. This lent, may my focus be on Christ alone. What I do and what I give up would be the fruit of my being in YOU. Lent is a privilege and a special season of grace Jesus is giving me to identify with Him, the God who left the riches to become like me, the God, who walked the path of complete self denial, for my sake, until the peak of Calvary, the God who was obedient unto death on the cross, the God who went beyond forgiveness and cared to understand why his executioners did what they did, and interceded on their behalf to father saying “ forgive them for they know not what they do ”. As I deprive myself of the privilege of eating and drinking at my will and as my body signals to me of it's thirst, hunger, I would attend to it with love and unde