Tuesday of the 5th week of Lent
First reading Numbers 21:4-9
In the wilderness, as the people of Israel grew weary and rebellious, they were met with the consequences of their sin—venomous serpents whose bites brought suffering and death. Yet even in their affliction, God provided a path to healing: a bronze serpent lifted high by Moses. Those who looked upon it with faith were saved. This striking image prefigures the Cross of Christ, where Jesus, though sinless, was “lifted up” to take on the poison of our sins. During Lent, we are invited to recognize that we too are wounded—bitten by pride, selfishness, fear, and all that separates us from God and from one another. Our healing does not come from hiding our wounds or striving to fix ourselves alone, but from lifting our eyes to the Crucified Lord. To look upon the Cross is to repent, to believe in the depth of God’s mercy, and to entrust ourselves to His love. It is an act of surrender that opens us to the grace that does not merely remove the sting of sin, but transforms it, giving birth to new life. In the Cross, suffering and love meet, and in that meeting, we find the path home. Let’s reflect: Lent is looking at the Cross for redemption.
Don Giorgio