In this fourth Lenten Sunday, we continue in earnest our journey to a deeper holiness and intimacy with Jesus Christ. Throughout this season we will delve into the Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Savior. These can be some of the most profound experiences for a Christian.

Anyone who desires to follow Jesus more closely must be willing to engage with these spiritual and theological realities. Christ is the Savior of the world and there is no other gate to salvation than the Gate of the Cross. To a world filled with apathy, it is a challenge. To a world bent on evil, it is a call to repentance. To a world lacking direction, it is a sign of contradiction. If we desire meaning and purpose to life, an answer so to speak, we need to look no further than these last months and days of Christ.

Jesus Christ, both through His teachings and His actions, demonstrates the love of God. St. John tells us that “God so loved the world that he sent his only son into it, to gain for us the gift of eternal life.“ This correction of the Original Sin of Adam and Eve was necessary to gain victory over the death and offer eternal life as a reward to faithfulness, humility, and obedience to God.

By reading the events chronicling the life of Christ, we gain a broader insight into God‘s love and his gifts of free will. God can’t make us love Him; otherwise it wouldn’t be love. Yet, He never stops offering and inviting. He calls us to repentance through confession of our sins and offers a healing grace to anyone open to such a gift. His gift is sincere and daily. It is our goal and purpose to return that love in our actions, deeds, and thoughts. May this Holy Season of Lent be a time of growth in both our Faith and the practice of it. Go to Confession, attend Mass, be open to God‘s Grace, reflect on the Life of Christ, and pray, daily and often. With such a plan, you can’t stray too far.