Hope in the Lord

They say that February is the gloomiest month of the year.  Unfortunately, unless you live in someplace tropical all year around  . . .  like Tahiti or Southern California . . . . you have to deal with the ice and snow and frigid temperatures of the season.  Most people, I would guess, don't like February very much.  At least in November and December we have the holidays to look forward to.  That takes our minds off of the cold and ice, doesn't it?  But in February, it would seem that we don't have anything to look forward to . . . . just more ice . . .  more snow . . .  cold temperatures . . .  and darkness.   Not much to do either because you don't feel like going out in all that mess.  This is why a lot of folks say they don't like February.   It's just plain gloomy.

In a similar vein, I guess you could say, people also don't like the holy season of Lent.  It's gloomy.  It's depressing.  People focus on what they give up  during Lent . . . . such as giving up chocolate, for example.  They focus on the penitential aspect of Lent.  In other words, dealing with being sorry for our sins.  Nobody enjoys admitting their faults, do they?  I know I don't.   This is probably why we get in the habit of pointing out the faults of others because it keeps us occupied so that we don't point out our own faults.  Let's face it, if I'm busy focusing on what others have done wrong, that probably means I am less likely to focus on what I have done wrong.  

And yet we know that life itself is not perfect.   As the old song goes, "I never promised you a rose garden."   Life is not filled solely with roses and unicorns and pretty rainbows.   Life can be difficult at times.  We can work our tails off to pay bills, for example, and then just as we finish paying the bills off, something in the house breaks and needs to be replaced.  The car breaks down.  Doctor's bills come due because we are sick.   We can all come up with our own examples, can't we?   And if we are honest, life can be downright depressing at times if we focus solely on the negative things that life throws at us.

But as Christians we are called to focus on the positive.  We are called to focus on the blessings that the Good Lord has provided us with.  "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."  (Romans 14:17)   Yes, to a certain degree, we are called to be penitential during Lent . . . to focus on our sins, the things we have done wrong . . . . but we do that in order to "get right" with God.  During Lent, we are encouraged to give up the things of the world so that we can focus more on the things of God.  Also, it helps us to see first hand that Our Blessed Saviour gave up the glories of Heaven in order to walk among us as a human being.  He worked with His hands . . .  He was tired . . . He was hungry . .  .  He traded in His throne in Heaven so that He could be with us, . . . spend time with us, . . . . preach to us,  . . . . tell the world of His Heavenly Father.

"But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.  All they that see me laugh me to scorn:  They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him"  (Psalm 22:6-8)

Our Lord humbled Himself so that ultimately we could share in His glory.   This is the beauty of His suffering.  This is the true meaning of His Cross.   In carrying that blessed Cross, Our Lord paid the price . . .  for you . . .  for me.   He paid a price that we could never have paid ourselves.  This is the true meaning of Lent.  Lent is meant to be a time to prepare ourselves for the glory of Easter.  It is a time of preparation.   It is a time to set aside both the cares and riches of the world so that we can focus on the greatness of Our God.

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil." (Hebrews 6:19)

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."  (Jeremiah 17:7)

We are indeed a people of hope.  We are all called to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the prize.  And of course that prize is life eternal spent with Our Blessed Saviour in His glory.  So often we are sidetracked by either the cares or riches of the world.  Lent is a time set aside by the Church so that we can step back, take a deep breath, and get our priorities straight.  Yes, life can be gloomy at times.  Yes, cares of the world can be overwhelming at times.  Yet, as Christians we know that God never leaves us.  We know that God sent His only Son into the world to save us.  For this we should glory in Our Blessed Saviour and all He has done for us.