18 March 2021
Thursday in the Fourth Week of Lent
We sometimes think of salvation as a “pop quiz.” God comes suddenly and without warning to see what we know. But what Jesus gives us here is a different picture. The words He is saying and the actions He is doing should be no surprise, because Moses wrote about Christ. (cf. Jn. 5:46). For centuries before Jesus came, the words of Moses were there, telling people what they could expect. God took the time to prepare us to meet Him.
What does this mean as we come to the home stretch of Lent? That even as we begin to feel the weight of our penances, and wish for Easter to come, we are not alone. The whole point of Lent is a preparation for eternity. We cast off our sins and we grow in charity and almsgiving as a way of becoming ready to meet the Lord when He comes in glory to give us life. As we do so, God is with us, making us ready. God is not a trickster out to get us. If we are attentive to His Word, when He returns, we will be ready.