Lenten Reflections

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By Isabelle Gross ’26

The readings today trace this wonderful promise that God made to Abraham and David his descendant. One of David’s descendants would bless all people and repair the relationship between God and humanity that was broken by sin. This promise reached its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ dying and then rising on the third day, events through which all humanity can come to communion with God, that is, blessedness. We will soon celebrate the Resurrection at Easter.

Today, however, we celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph. He plays an important role in the story of our salvation and the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. He also shows us how to wait during Lent.

While we need wait only forty days for Easter, God’s people waited hundreds of years for the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. Many people played a role in this story, some unwillingly. But Saint Joseph cooperated with God’s plan. He chose to marry Mary after the angel came to him. He did not know how God would become man- after all, the incarnation is a mystery. St. Joseph did not understand why he was chosen, or how his obedience would affect his life, yet he had faith. Because of that faith he was obedient and waited to see what God willed, ready to go to Egypt or Nazareth as he was commanded. Under Joseph’s protection the Son of God came into the world; through Joseph God’s promises were fulfilled and the Messiah descended from David came to save all humanity.

During Lent we are in a season of waiting. But our waiting for Easter should not be passive. We do not simply wait for Christ’s resurrection, we pray, fast, and give as preparation for the celebration of the Resurrection. We do these acts in obedience, because God has told us to constantly pray, to deny ourselves, to love others, to repent, to listen, and wait patiently for him. We ought to have faith and be obedient as we wait for the fulfillment of God's promise, as we wait for Easter and for the second coming as well, trusting that God is working for good even when we don’t understand how. Like St. Joseph, we can wait in obedience, having faith that God will fulfill his promise.