Lenten Reflections
First Sunday of Lent, February 18, 2023
Colleen Huber, Religious Education
The first reading today speaks of the covenant God made with Noah. Yesterday we celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation with our 2nd year Confirmation students affirming for themselves the promises or covenant that was made on their behalf at Baptism. They received the gift of God’s grace, strengthening their relationship with our Lord.
Lent offers us the opportunity to pause, reflect, and strengthen our own relationship with our Lord. The kingdom of God is at hand. How might we as disciples enrich that kingdom? In past years I have given up candy, treats, or other things I enjoy. However, as soon as Lent was over, I went back to enjoying those things and not much had changed. Lent is a time of repentance and giving up candy does not seem like penance to me, as much as I love candy.
This year I wonder if there is something that can impact my relationship with God in a deeper, more lasting way. I think in any relationship whether it is a marriage, parent/child, friendship, or other the key is spending time together. That is how the best relationships are built and endure. So, following that logic, the best way to impact a relationship with God is simply to spend time with Him.
That may mean attending mass every weekend (or maybe even daily mass), receiving the sacraments (which were given to us by Jesus specifically to draw us closer to the Father), taking time out of each day to pause, reflect, and just check in with God, or reading the Bible to hear His words and how he is revealing Himself to us.
I invite you to join me this Lent as I make more of an effort to spend time with God.
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First Sunday of Lent Mass readings:
Genesis 9:8-15
Psalm 25: 4-9
1 Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:12-15