Last Sunday we heard at the conclusion of the temptations in the desert: "Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him" (Mtt 4: 11) The gospel of the Transfiguration, for today, comes after an unsettled time in the ministry of Jesus. He has said to Simon Peter: "Get behind me, Satan!" (Mtt 16: 23). and the disciples are admonished: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Mtt 16: 25) I find it a rule of the spiritual life that consolation follows from desolation. This is the case with Lent. We intentionally enter the desolation of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, so as to prepare ourselves for the consolation of Easter. In our times of suffering the ability to endure given us by our faith in Jesus Christ can be helped by knowing that the Lord will grant us consolation when we emerge from the time of trial. St Paul speaks of this when he wrote: "And not only that, but we boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rm 5: 3-5)
No comments:
Post a Comment