The season of Lent calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is a time for growth and discipline. It is a time of repentance and renewal. Recently, I read something that really struck me. It said Lent is a time to become recognizable. We should be recognizable as people who have spent time with Jesus. Do others recognize us as people who have spent time with Jesus?
There are different ways we can aim to become more like Jesus. Spending time reading scripture, especially the Gospels, allowing the words to permeate our minds and allowing Jesus to speak to us is essential. Diving into scripture allows us to learn who Jesus is, and to understand and know what He would do, so that we can strive to do the same. Today’s gospel passage from Matthew tells us that we need to serve Him in the people we encounter and that we will be judged based on this. Matthew 25:40 says “And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Serving others is one way we become recognizable as someone who follows Christ.
Sitting in Jesus’ presence and going to mass are other ways to spend time with Him. Letting Jesus speak to our hearts in prayer, and receiving graces from mass, receiving Him in the eucharist allow us to become more like Jesus. We cannot know Jesus or become more like Him if we do not spend time encountering Him in the eucharist.
Whatever we are choosing to do this Lent, we must remember to continue to learn how to be more like Christ. And this is not just the goal of Lent, but the goal of our whole lives. My prayer for each of us today is that we would become recognizable as people who know and love Jesus.
Faith and The Good Stuff 