LENT 2020 – Called to a life that pleases God
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are all called to a life that pleases God. Let us learn to discover His will as much in our choices, our characters as in our service, our passions, our work and our dreams. Each week, through these mediations, let us also take the decision to put the Word into practice by coming with concrete action(s) for our lives. This time of Lent, let us walk together to enter into God’s plan of love.
Called out of death to life
Week 5
This week, let us read John 11:1-45.
Can we hear him shout? “My child, come out!” In which tomb are we locked down today? What prison does Jesus want to free us from?
In this week’s text, Martha and Mary are confronted to an illness, to the reality of death and to death itself when their brother Lazarus gets ill. Since last December, many people are confronted to a sickness, the Covid-19, to the reality of death and in some cases to death itself. Today, who would have thought that we would also be confronted and that we would be locked down?
Locked down, forced to stay in a limited space. As much as death, this word frightens us. No one likes to be locked down, blocked, buried. Since last December, this is what this invisible evil is doing to the world. It locks us up, not only in our houses, not only in our bodies but also in our most intense anxieties. It is a weapon that the evil one uses to weaken up our defenses; our immune system; our souls and spirits. Many of us are caught off guard, feeling clueless, lost, and anxious because of this virus which rages in the invisible and like Martha and Mary, though we have faith, we may ask ourselves “and what if this is the end?”
Jesus is standing in front of our door today and He knocks, He tells us to open to Him and to get out of these lies in which the evil one wants to bog us down and bury us. Jesus invites us today to get out of all these deadly thoughts, of all these actions in our lives that lead us to death, of all these deadly words. He tells us “get out from there, believe only and you will see the glory of God”. Jesus wants to free us from fear of death and wants us to understand that at the cross he defeated death.
This virus is not the end of our lives. If we believe in Jesus-Christ, He tells us in this text: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Do we believe in this?
Our fears and anxieties are fed by our fear of dying, by death. And what if we start to really understand and believe what Jesus tells us in his Word?
By putting Jesus as Lord of our lives, by accepting Him as the Master of who we are and by regularly walking along with Him, He makes us understand that we will not die. Death has no hold on us. We are not beings that our Father has destined to death. We are beings that He has destined to life, eternal life in Jesus Christ. Believe it.
Let us take a step back on our lives during this lockdown season. Let us look back on our daily priorities and choices. Let us take a look at our relationships; with God, with others but also with ourselves. Let us take advantage of this lockdown to reassess our lives and entrust it to God. Allow God to show us what in our lives brings to life or what on the other hand brings to death. Let us give back to God His rightful place.
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die,” Jesus.
Personal application
This week I take time to look back on my life, my choices, and my relationships. I decide to thank God for each of the years that He granted me; I decide to allow God to guide me in His will. I decide to allow God to teach me how to forgive.
Prayer
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 Papa, you are the God of life. Forgive me for having lived a life as if you did not exist. Forgive me for having wasted my time in trivial things. Forgive me for not forgiving those who did me wrong. I decide to forgive and to receive your forgiveness today Lord. I decide to walk in life with you. Amen.
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