This Lenten season will not be a time of rest. Simply because the Lord will not realize in us the grace of conversion without our active collaboration. No rest, but we must set to work, be active to collaborate with God for our transformation. On the contrary, through indications from the Word of God, (Joel 2:13), the Lord leads us on a crazy adventure: to recognize our sin and humbly welcome our weaknesses, to make them emerge in our conscience through a process of spiritual accompaniment and a penitential journey, to make the decision to change our life, to choose to be reborn in Christ, to allow ourselves to be filled with his mercy, to feel the joy of being forgiven and loved.In short, letting our hearts accept one by one the gifts that he wants to give us, day after day, is the first step to take in order to live this Lenten journey. And the first gift that God gives you is yourself, in all your simplicity and beauty. You were not created out of automatism, but out of love. You are not a slave, but a friend. You are not an executioner, but a cooperator. Then dare to accept yourself as God created you, as he loved you and still loves you. Are you sinful, fragile, imperfect? Do you see yourself unworthy of God's tenderness? No doubt, but He knows all this, He knows it better than you do, and yet His tenderness for you remains, because He knows that you are better than all your faults and errors, because He trusts you and sees the best in you. Tear your heart out," Joel adds, "not to destroy it, but to expose it to the gentle warmth of God's own heart, to dare to go forward with him in his life, in your life. It is in the choices you make today that you already participate in what God is doing for you.
My friend, get up, do not be afraid, set out resolutely on your journey, you are not alone on this Lenten journey. Your God is with you, waiting for you and counting on you. Good Lenten journey 2020.
Your Brother
F. Léonard Ndjadi, mccj
Share this article