Thank you to Father Jonnel for reflecting on the Sundays of Lent. 

As we go through five Sundays of Lent; let us follow the Gospel readings of these Sundays.

On the first Sunday, we will hear about the temptation of Jesus.[1] The Anointed one/ Messiah/ Christ unmasks himself. The tempter suggests images of the Messiah; Jesus rejects them because they are ways of exploiting God to achieve material pursuit. This is not the Messiah/the Christ. This is not the Messianic people, the Christian.

The Second Sunday will tell us about the Transfiguration of Jesus.[2] What makes this event profound? Jesus is not a recipient of the revelation of God. It is in Jesus that God reveals Himself and shows His face to the Apostles. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” Now this is the Christian, the one who listens to Jesus.

For the Third Sunday of Lent, John will narrate Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well.[3] The encounter begins with a notable experience of thirst; the reason why she is there, the reason why he is there. In the middle of the conversation, she said “I know that the Messiah is coming, he will tell us everything.” Jesus entrusted her with something very rare; “I am he, the one speaking with you.” She left her water jar. It is the Messiah who quenches our thirst.

The fourth Sunday will tell us about the cure of a blind man.[4] He was in the dark since birth. Jesus, in that same episode will say “while I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” And he reached out for earth, and used it to cure the blind man. This is the Messiah, the light of the world.

The following week, John will tell the story of Lazarus.[5] He died. Four days now. “Your brother will rise” he tells Martha. “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. While he is about to be crucified and die, he assures those who listen to him. HE is the resurrection and life.

Lent is a door, and this door leads us to a closer meeting with the Messiah. May this Lenten encounter clear or purify or re-orient the perception of Jesus Christ in the Christian life. May after this encounter, we will be more attentive to the voice of God. May His Words truly console us and quench our thirst. May He bring light to our path; and may the path we walk, lead us to life eternal.

May this Lenten season be fruitful. May God bless us all.