In spirituality the desert or wilderness is symbolic of the struggle to obey, heed, and listen to the voice of God who calls and issues the invitation. It is often tortuous, twisting, challenging involving purging, purifying, cleansing so that one's personal self can experience transformation through the process of dying to the old self and rising to new life, a life of total trust and intimacy with the One Who Calls. [words of Fr. Ernest Varosi, CR]
These words remind this pastor of the words in today's responsorial psalm
"I have become an outcast to my brothers ... because zeal for your house consumes me." Of course it raises questions. Am I a Catholic priest who gives my life to the priesthood of Jesus Christ? Is my life afire with a genuine effort to make Jesus the end-all and be-all of my day? The picture, artist unknown, is a depiction of Jesus in the temple, filled with zeal for his father's house. Where are in our lives?
Can you not ask the same questions of your life as we enter the 40th day of Lent and the beginning of the Sacred (three day) Triduum? How would you answer those questions in your heart? Remember it is very easy to quickly gloss over these thoughts!
These words remind this pastor of the words in today's responsorial psalm
"I have become an outcast to my brothers ... because zeal for your house consumes me." Of course it raises questions. Am I a Catholic priest who gives my life to the priesthood of Jesus Christ? Is my life afire with a genuine effort to make Jesus the end-all and be-all of my day? The picture, artist unknown, is a depiction of Jesus in the temple, filled with zeal for his father's house. Where are in our lives?
Can you not ask the same questions of your life as we enter the 40th day of Lent and the beginning of the Sacred (three day) Triduum? How would you answer those questions in your heart? Remember it is very easy to quickly gloss over these thoughts!
