Second Friday of Lent

Remember the marvels the Lord has done. When the LORD called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them, He sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave.

We all undergo trials and tribulations in our lives. Some challenges come early in life, others later. We never quite understand why they happen to us or where they will lead us. Often, we ask in protest, “Why me?” And yet if our hearts are open to God’s Will, we discover our sufferings have led us to a better place. We must pass through the famine to get to the feast. We must struggle in slavery before we can taste true freedom. We must see ourselves ruined before we rebuild a better life. These painful moments in our lives are not something to fear or shy away from. They are opportunities to join ourselves with the Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Instead of complaining, we should thank God for the difficulties in our lives and ask Him, “What do you want me to learn from this?”

Can we think of any times when we have suffered in some way and it led us to a person, place, or thing that helped us grow as a Christian? How can we unite our suffering with that of Jesus Christ? What can we do to transform our difficulties and challenges into opportunities to grow in faith, hope, and love?

O Lord, you have done marvelous things for us.

Amen.