First Sunday of Lent 2024
An exciting throughline connects today’s Mass readings. Salvation is real, and God lovingly offers it to us. This truly is good news!
Yet, we might be uncomfortable with what else we hear: there is sin in our lives, and we have to turn our back on it.
All year long, and especially during Lent, the Church prompts us to examine our lives, reject sin, and prepare for eternal life with Christ. Thankfully, we’re not stuck relying on our own abilities to do this. If we’re open to it, the Lord’s grace gives us strength and guidance.
It’s also encouraging that the Lord is not someone who is distant and removed from our struggles. Today we hear the passage from Mark’s Gospel about how Christ was tempted, as we are. We hear from 1 Peter about how Christ experienced death, as we will.
When Christ calls us to repent, this call doesn’t come from someone who delights in our shortcomings. It comes from someone who loves us so much that He suffered the consequences of our sin in order to make it possible for us to spend eternity with Him. With this in mind, we become eager to let go of sin and grasp onto the gift of God.
We at Catholic Cemeteries are grateful to journey with you through Lent. May our lives more and more proclaim the good news of salvation.
