Lent – a time of trials

Sometimes the Lenten period is a time similar to the time which Jesus spent in the wilderness. He prayed and fasted, and was tempted by the devil. Facing certain trials, we also are exposed to attacks by God’s enemy. The enemy works through lies. He tries to instil hatred towards our closest relatives and friends and ultimately even towards Jesus and the Heavenly Father. He attacks us with all kinds of blasphemous thoughts and seeks to lay the blame on God for evil which he caused himself. God endowed man with free will and respects it. Evil is either caused by the enemy of God or it may be caused by ourselves when we are deceived by our feelings, reason, lusts or pride. God causes this evil to work for good if we humble ourselves before Him and walk in the truth, humility, discipline and love, if we bear one another’s burdens and show mercy to those who hurt us consciously or unconsciously. God is LOVE. He gave His Son for us (Joh 3:16), and in Him we have eternal life. “Whom the Lord loves He chastens” (Heb 12:6) and lays a cross on him. A cross is mostly spiritual by nature: various misunderstandings, darkness which prevents us from seeing the way out, anxiety, fears, uncertainty, awareness of our own sinfulness etc. Various illnesses are a cross too. It is necessary that we should bear our cross patiently, fix our eyes on Jesus and let our suffering bring us close to Him and not lead us away from Him!

Let us think of God’s love every day, let us be aware that God keeps His eye on us, that He accepts and loves us just as we are. Certainly, He is pleased to see obedient children who follow His advice and laws. But He knows very well that every day our sins cover us in dirt and make us sad, which stems from our self-love, jealousy, self-pity etc. He knows that we no sooner made a good resolution than we forgot it, or we lack the strength or courage to deny ourselves, or we do manage to deny ourselves but then there is an explosion again and it is worse than before! God knows us, He knows original sin – our old self, and yet His love for us never diminishes. Every day He waits patiently for our return, as the Lord Jesus revealed to us in the parable of the prodigal son. We sin every day, being unfaithful or deceived by self-will, and so every day we should return into the open arms of the Heavenly Father. He gave His Son for us. Therefore, amid your prayers, sacrifices and fasting in the Lenten period do not forget that God is love.

All trials (starting with material needs and ending with most secret attacks at every individual or the whole family), which you face in faith and in union with Jesus, are very precious in the sight of God. May each of you say together with the Apostle: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings … and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church.” (Col 1:24)

We pass through stages in our life which we could call Gethsemane or Calvary. Sometimes the attacks are concentrating from all sides, but we must persevere in pure faith and total surrender like the Mother of Jesus and our Mother by the cross. In the hour of darkness and in time of trial, let us stand by the cross and believe in the power of God. May you be buried into the death of Jesus in this Lenten period so that there will be nothing left – no wish or anything else of your own, and His new life, the life in dependence on the Father, shall be your new programme. May Jesus crucified and risen grant this to you!

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