Thursday, February 23, 2023

First Sunday of Lent_A - Unrequited Love_022623


Deacon Tom Writes,
Unrequited Love
The Prophet Hosea speaks of God’s unending love for his unfaithful people and his desire to be reconciled with them with these words:

“I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” HOSEA 2:16

The season of Lent draws much from the desert imagery that is so deeply immersed throughout our Sacred Scripture. And, so at the very mention of the word “Lent,” for instance, we recall the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, a journey from slavery to freedom. And we are mindful of how Jesus withdrew to the desert to discern God’s Will for him as read in today’s gospel.

Yet, the words from Hosea cast another light on desert experiences: they are a time of solitude, a time of intimacy, of knowing and becoming known. God calls those he loves into a place of solitude so that we can enter into a deeper relationship with him and, through his Mystical Body, into a deeper relationship with one another.

Yes, Lent is about discovery, an awakening of just how incomplete our lives have become separated from our Beloved. These next six weeks give us the chance to see just how far we have fallen out of relationship with God and provide us the opportunity to seek to make things right.

But, least we think that we are left on our own to do all the work, recall the beautiful words from Hosea and remember who it is who entices us into this desert journey: it is our very God himself. It is God who desires us to seek him; it is God who calls us into relationship with him; it is God who desires to be our all in all, our Beloved; and it is God who is desperate for us to love him in return.

May God bless all our Lenten efforts to draw near to him. May he bless abundantly our Seeking Hearts.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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