Rediscover the beauty of Christ’s love

At the beginning of the Lenten season, I invited myself and all of us in the Diocese of Corpus Christi to embark on a journey that has the potential to transform us and bring us closer to God.  I spoke of bringing to prayer the people who hurt us, those who might not be our friends and pray for them by name. I have experienced in my life that true conversation has its roots in prayer. 

Our Lenten journey hopefully helps us to remove ourselves from ourselves and be transformed by prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. 

One my favorites Bible passages is this one from the letter of St. Paul: “...for our sake, He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” It is dear to me because it expresses God’s immense love. This passage is very appropriate during this season of transformation. It helps us to identify the gift that God has given to each one of us.  To accept into our lives the Son of God, who for our sake though he was God humbled himself and became one of us. He did so even to the point of not committing sin but experiencing the effects of sin for our sake.  Jesus knows what our struggles are. He knows what our temptations are. He knows. What an incredible love – a God who didn’t abandon us, but rather remains with us to the end of times. Jesus Christ, the Son of God who we celebrate in the Eucharist every Sunday through in that profound act of the Incarnation became one of us.

We spent this time of Lent preparing for this great mystery of salvation, of redemption, of eternal life.  As we prepare for Easter, let’s remember that it is a mystery that includes three days. Put it in your calendars. It will be wonderful to have every parish full during the Paschal Triduum. Let us be there to walk with Jesus through his path and to re-discover the beauty of his love.

On Holy Thursday, we will remember when the Lord instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper for the first time. On Holy Friday, let’s come to thank Jesus for His love for us. On Holy Saturday the service is long, but let’s come with a renewed commitment to living this liturgy with grateful hearts, hearts that have been prepared by the Lenten journey, hearts that understand the impact of God’s love. God who invites us today as always into a relationship with Him. God who gives us eternal life. 

Again, Holy Week celebrates the great mystery of the One who made himself to be in the likeness of sin, even though not knowing sin, suffered for us, gave us His body and blood, died on the Cross to transform us, to give us eternal life. This is the mystery of who we are, God’s special children. Let us recognize His love and not let it be wasted. Let us allow ourselves to return to God. To be love for one another.