5th Sunday of Lent
Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 125 (126); Philippians 3:8-14
St. Paul is ready to give up everything to know Jesus Christ: “For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him… All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to share his sufferings by reproducing the pattern of his death.” This Lenten confession strikes at the heart of the Christian journey. It is not merely about giving things up, but about gaining the One who gives life. Paul’s words invite us to re-evaluate our attachments, our ambitions, even our sense of self, in light of the surpassing worth of Christ. To know Him—crucified and risen—is to discover a love that transforms, a purpose that endures, and a hope that never fades. It’s a profound encounter with the person of Christ. Encounter with one who delivers us from the bondages. He is the one who is making a road in the wilderness, so that I can walk in the midst of my troubles. He is the one who is putting water in the wilderness so that I can drink when I am tried in my journey. Let’s reflect: Lent is to know Christ and what He had done in my life.
Don Giorgio