Saturday of the 5th week of Lent
First reading Ezekiel 37:21-28
As Lent draws to its final days, the reading from Ezekiel offers a powerful image of what God desires to accomplish, not only in history, but in the hearts of each one of us. The Lord speaks of gathering His people, once scattered and divided, and making them one nation under a single shepherd. This is the promise of the Messianic time, the time of the Church, where in Christ Himself everyone is united. Lent, far from being just a time of personal effort or spiritual exercise, is in fact a divine movement toward unity. During the lent we are invited to cooperate with Jesus who is actively working to restore unity on every level of our lives. He draws us closer to Himself through prayer and repentance, heals our broken relationships through acts of reconciliation and mercy, and invites us to rediscover inner integrity, a deeper harmony between what we believe, what we do, and who we are. Thus, lent becomes a moment in which we let God rebuild what is shattered in us. We enter into a better relationship of unity with God, with others and with ourselves. Let’s reflect: Lent is letting God rebuild what is shattered inside us.
Don Giorgio