Trust and Hope

As I looked through the readings today, the first and second reading didn’t really stick out to me as much as the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel, partly because I love hearing the Responsorial Psalm sung in mass but also because I’m poignantly aware of my faults and how often “I am in trouble.” This awareness coupled with the Gospel today where Christ is tempted in the desert has me imagining myself in Christ's shoes and thinking about what my response would be. When the devil says to Him, “turn that stone into bread” I imagine myself saying, “Yes, please! May I have two stones please?!”

I have faults. You have faults. We all have faults. In today’s world with any information readily available to us at the touch of a screen, it’s easy to see how much fault there is: darkness, hate, envy. Just a quick look at social media shows many political polarities and extremes, bullying, shootings, abortions/infanticides, etc. Within this type of culture that often exudes negativity, being plagued as well with “Catholic guilt” (while not a bad thing if balanced) can easily lead one down a slippery slope towards despair. What can we balance all this with, however? The undeniable answer has to be hope. And that to me is really what the Responsorial Psalm is about: God has our back – trust in Him, regardless of how bleak the situation.

“You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.’”

Lent is a time of fasting, sacrifices. It is a time of both being aware of our faults and working on our faults... because we ALL have them. However, let’s not allow our faults to overshadow everything. As we continue on through our 40 days of Lent, let us always be mindful of our faults, but more importantly, keep our eyes on the hope and redemption that comes at the end Lent. Let us keep our eyes on the end, the joy of Easter. 

Author: Jonathan Alexander, Athletics