Fr. John’s Lenten Message
I like St. Paul’s image of the ambassador which we find in the second reading of the Ash Wednesday liturgy: “We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us”.
Now an ambassador is an official representative for a country. Therefore being an ambassador for God means that we are official representatives of God in this world. And we received our official status at baptism and through confirmation and the Eucharist.
A great part of an ambassador’s job is to reconcile, to accommodate, to smooth over, to settle differences – and God’s ambassadors also must reconcile -- and this takes the form of words which instruct and guide, and actions which show visibly that we believe in God and respect his commandments.
But we can hardly seek to be an ambassador who reconciles, if we are not reconciled ourselves.
The good news is far from throwing us out on our ear as bad ambassadors, God constantly asks us back to himself. St. Paul writes: “We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”. And he goes on to encourage us by saying: “Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation”.
And so the image of God, which St. Paul gives us, is one where God trusts us enough to call us his ambassadors -- but knowing our weaknesses, he never ceases to call us back to reconciliation.
This is what the season of Lent is all about: to increase in our love for God and to become better and more credible ambassadors for Christ.
Lent is the season for meaningful sacrifices, and for honest prayers.
Lent is the season to come back to the Lord who calls us to return to him.
Whether it is through fasting, almsgiving, special prayers and devotions, or doing without something we like, or through acts of kindness for others in need, remember to see Our Lord in the sacrifices you make.
Above all, make this Lent a time to recognize Jesus Christ, who calls us to the high calling to be his ambassadors to the world.
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