As the calendar ushers in another season of Lent, we are once again gifted with a sacred opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds for the central celebration of our Christian faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This great mystery forms the very cornerstone of our lives, both as individuals and as a Christian community. It is a mystery that transcends time and place, and one that invites us into a deeper communion with God. With each passing year, we are called to return to this mystery, not just as a distant historical event, but as a living, breathing force that shapes our present and our future.
The Paschal Mystery, which includes the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, is not just a story we recount in church or during the liturgies of Holy Week. Rather, it is an invitation into a continuous process of transformation. We are invited to open our hearts to the spiritual power that flows from the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Through this openness, we allow Christ’s presence to grow within us, reshaping us into vessels of His love and mercy.
The joy of the Christian life arises from an intimate relationship with the Paschal Mystery. This joy, as Pope Francis points out, is not based on transient happiness or earthly success, but on the deeper reality of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. Christian joy is the joy of knowing that we are loved by God in a way that is utterly real, true, and concrete. It is a joy that invites us into a relationship of openness with God, a relationship that is marked by fruitful dialogue with the Creator.
The Foundation of Christian Joy: The Kerygma of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
At the heart of Christian joy is the kerygma, or the proclamation of the Good News. This is the message that we are loved by God in a way that is so profound, so complete, that it invites us to live not according to our own desires, but according to His will. The kerygma, in its most basic form, reminds us that we are called to reject the lie that life is merely about doing whatever we please. Life itself is a gift from God the Father, who desires to give us life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10).
But this truth can only be fully realized when we are willing to embrace it with our hearts. When we reject the voice of the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44) and open ourselves to the voice of truth, we begin to experience the fullness of life. Conversely, when we follow the false promises of selfishness and sin, we risk losing our way, falling into the abyss of despair, and experiencing hell here on earth. Too many personal and collective tragedies stand as a testimony to the destructive power of living outside of God’s love.
Lent is a time for us to turn our gaze back toward the cross, to remember that Jesus laid down His life for us. It is an invitation to walk the path of renewal and transformation, rejecting the falsehoods that enslave us and embracing the liberating truth of God’s love.
Lent: A Call to Contemplate the Passion of Christ
In the year 2020, Pope Francis wrote a message to young people in his Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit, that provides a powerful framework for our Lenten journey. He urged us to keep our eyes fixed on the crucified Christ, to allow ourselves to be saved again and again by His love. As he writes, “Keep your gaze fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved again and again.” These words are a powerful invitation to continually return to the wellspring of grace that flows from the Passion of Jesus.
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking of the Passion of Christ as a past event, something that happened over 2,000 years ago and no longer affects our daily lives. However, the mystery of the Passion is ever-present. It is not bound by time or place but is continually made present to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. By His grace, we are able to touch and see the flesh of Christ in those who suffer, in those who are marginalized, in those who are in need of mercy.
The Paschal Mystery is not just a historical event to be studied, but a living reality to be encountered. Every time we reflect on Christ’s Passion, we are invited to be transformed by it. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to experience the mercy of God in a profound and personal way, allowing us to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. It is only in His mercy that we find the freedom to be reborn, to start anew.
The Role of Prayer in Lent: A Response to God’s Love
Prayer is an essential part of our journey through Lent. It is not simply a duty or obligation, but a deep response to God’s unending love for us. In prayer, we recognize our dependence on God and acknowledge that, despite our unworthiness, we are still loved by Him. Prayer is the language of the heart that speaks to God not because we are perfect, but because we know we need His grace.
Christian prayer, as Pope Francis emphasizes, should penetrate deep into our hearts, transforming us from the inside out. It is not enough to simply go through the motions of prayer. True prayer requires vulnerability, humility, and an openness to God’s will. During Lent, prayer becomes a means of softening our hearts, breaking down our resistance to God, and allowing His love to transform us.
The beauty of prayer is that it is not just about us speaking to God; it is also about listening to Him. It is about entering into a conversation with God, where we open ourselves to His voice and allow Him to speak to us. Prayer during Lent calls us to listen carefully to the voice of God, to hear His invitation to conversion, and to respond generously with our lives.
Embracing God’s Mercy: The Power of Confession
Lent is a time when we are invited to reflect on our sins and to experience the mercy of God in a tangible way. One of the most profound ways we can do this is through the sacrament of confession. As we approach the confessional, we are reminded that Christ’s mercy is always available to us. We are invited to leave behind our guilt and shame and to be purified by His blood.
Pope Francis, in his letter Christus Vivit, encourages us to approach confession with a firm belief in God’s mercy. He writes, “And when you come to confess your sins, believe firmly in his mercy that frees you from your guilt.” This is a powerful reminder that confession is not merely about acknowledging our mistakes, but about encountering the transformative mercy of God that sets us free.
Confession allows us to experience a spiritual rebirth, where we are cleansed and renewed. It is a powerful encounter with Christ, who through His Passion, offers us the gift of reconciliation and new life. As we are forgiven, we are called to forgive others, to extend the same mercy that we have received to those around us.
The Centrality of the Paschal Mystery in Christian Life
The Paschal Mystery—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus—is not only the foundation of our faith but the source of all Christian life. It is through the Paschal Mystery that we are reconciled with God and given the promise of eternal life. Every Christian is invited to live in the light of this mystery, to allow it to shape every aspect of their life.
Throughout Lent, we are invited to reflect on the Paschal Mystery and to renew our commitment to live according to the love and mercy that Jesus has shown us. As we meditate on the Passion of Christ, we are reminded that the suffering of the world is not meaningless. It is in the cross of Christ that we find the ultimate meaning of suffering, a meaning that leads to hope, redemption, and new life.
Lent is an opportunity to allow this mystery to penetrate our hearts in new ways. It is a time for deep spiritual renewal, a time to reflect on how the death and resurrection of Christ have shaped our own lives and how we can more fully embrace the love and mercy that God offers.
Conclusion: A Call to Embrace the Paschal Mystery
As we journey through Lent, let us remember the invitation to return to the Paschal Mystery again and again. It is not enough to simply reflect on this mystery as a past event; we are called to live it every day. We are called to embrace the love, the mercy, and the grace that flow from Christ’s death and resurrection.
Through prayer, confession, and a renewed commitment to God’s will, we are invited to experience the transformative power of the Paschal Mystery in our own lives. As we contemplate the cross, let us be reminded that the love of God is so real, so true, and so concrete that it invites us into a relationship of openness with Him. May this Lent be a time of spiritual growth, of deeper conversion, and of greater joy as we continue to walk the path of mercy, redemption, and new life.