Thursday of the First Week of Lent
Remember when Jesus was hungry and alone in the desert, subject to temptation by the devil? That is the same Jesus who today affirms the love of his Father who only gives good gifts to his children. Sometimes we forget that Jesus’ teachings, like those of any truly wise man, come from a great deal of experience. They are not simply the words of a God who is speaking from on high but of one who, in every way, has experienced what we have experienced. When he employs persuasive rhetoric—as he does today—in an earnest attempt to convince us that we are beloved, we should understand that he is trying to share with us something that he has experienced, that fullness of life he came to bring. We do well to trust his word and obey it. What would happen if we persistently laid aside all that suggests that prayer is futile, meaningless, or not worth my time? Probably we would become like Jesus: free, loving, and full of joy.