The Third Thursday of Lent

When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Jesus’ love for us is stronger than any trials we will ever face in our lives. With him at our side nothing will conquer us. However, if we turn away from him and believe not in his strength, but in our own, then one day we will be scattered. In life, we shall face sufferings that reveal how weak we really are and if we do not accept Jesus into our hearts, then we shall experience true poverty. In death, we shall have everything we own stripped from us and distributed to others. How much easier will that day be for us if we have developed a spirit of holy detachment from all our possessions? We cannot take things with us, but we can take Christ with us wherever we go if we have made him the source, center, and summit of our lives. Then, as we stand before Paradise, Jesus will lift us up to our Heavenly Father as one of his faithful servants.

Do we admit our weaknesses and seek God’s strength? Are we possessed by our possessions or free of material attachments? Have we committed ourselves to gathering with Christ and having him as the heart of our lives?

O Lord, you are our strength.

Amen.