Brad Rozairo, OMI – Pope Francis’ message for this year’s Lent titled “Let us journey together in hope” highlights three key dimensions of the Lenten journey, namely: Journeying in Conversion, Journeying Together and Journeying in Hope.
Journeying in Conversion: By recalling the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, Pope Francis says that our lives are also a journey that should be directed towards God. This is a constant call to conversion that encourages us to embrace a path of renewal. According to him, “a first call to conversion comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life”, and each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. The Pope also enables us to make a good examination of conscience by comparing our lives to a migrant or a foreigner so that we may learn how to sympathize with their experiences. Thus, we may discover what God expects from us as we advance on our journey.
Questions to ponder: “Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?”
Journeying Together: We are invited to walk the journey of life not alone but with others in a spirit of synodality. This is a call for communion, which demands that we resist isolation and self-centeredness and join hands with those around us. The Pope says, “The Holy Spirit does not keep us in a self-centred state, but encourages us to continue to walk toward God and our brothers and sisters”. He also emphasizes that journeying together means “strengthening unity based on our common dignity as children of God, without leaving anyone behind or excluding anyone”.
Questions to ponder: “Do we welcome others? Do we embrace those who feel excluded?” and, “Do we cooperate with others before God and as servants of God’s Kingdom as bishops, priests, religious and laity?” “Do we show welcome through concrete actions, both to those close to us and to those far away?” and “Do we make others feel part of the community, or do we distance them?” Are we ready to walk in the same direction, with love and patience tending towards the same goal?
Journeying in Hope: The third fundamental dimension of the Lenten journey is based on the central theme of the Jubilee, which is “hope does not disappoint” (Rom.5:5). This is the focus of our journey. Pope Francis writes, “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, and from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often, we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness. For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope” (SPES NON CONFUNDIT, 1).
Questions to ponder: “Do we believe in God’s forgiveness, or do we fall into the trap of self-trust?” and, “Do we concretely experience a hope that inspires a commitment to justice and fraternity, a way of caring for our common home and ensuring that no one feels left out?”
Our Holy Father closes his message by citing a prayer from Saint Teresa of Avila, who said, “Hope, oh my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain and turns a very short time into a long one.”
Link to Pope’s Message:
