Our Lenten journey should be deeply interwoven into the rhythms of our lives

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

“Looking Ahead” is our series of reflections on the Sunday readings, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

Week 1: We see Jesus led by the Spirit into the desert alone, hungry, thirsty, vulnerable, weak — and tempted.

We are asked by the journey of Lent to do the same. We are invited to experience and acknowledge each of these realities.

Like Jesus, we are led by the Spirit to place our trust and confidence in a loving, merciful, caring, and life-giving God who best lifts us up when we are weak and doubtful and broken by sin.

Week 2: We walk a different path up high to the mountaintop. There, the “Glory of the Lord” is revealed to us in the Transfiguration.

From a cloud casting a shadow comes a voice: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.”

From both desert and mountaintop, truth is revealed; and something is asked of us.

These journeys are not just stories to be admired, but rather journeys we must make. Nor are these onetime journeys; but rather, journeys we make over and over again.

In her wisdom, the church gives us the annual call of Lent to hear both stories because into the rhythms of our lives these journeys are deeply woven.

In weakness and strength, light and darkness, night and day, and hunger and satisfaction we find our God.

God always finds us. God always rescues. God always shows the way. But somehow, without the emptiness of the desert and the glory of the mountaintop, we get distracted, discouraged, tired or just lose our way.

Weeks 1 and 2 of Lent are teaching us.

Let us surrender. Let us be opened up to learn and follow.

Let our offering be as precious as Abraham’s as we offer up to God what is most precious to us: our control and our desire to have life only as we would want it.

Let us surrender and there find life!