When I was 12 years of age, I was bucked off a cantering horse because I had put my legs into it’s flanks which wasn’t a wise thing to do.
As I fell to the ground, one of the horses legs connected with the lower part of my leg and I was in plaster for over 6 weeks due to a fracture. I was in a lot of pain during the night and Mum got up to me over a dozen times. There was a lot of nerve pain causing my leg to spasm.
Mum and I would often talk about that night. Such is the sacrifice of a mother’s love.
Years later in what turned out to Mum’s final year of life, I was able to support her in her hour of need with my time, support and care for several months which I was exceedingly grateful for as she was.
We learn today in the Lord’s hour of need when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness that angels came to look after him. Mum was an angel to me so many times over and I was able to be an angel to her too. We all encounter throughout our lives wilderness or desert experiences, and we are blessed to have the support and care of other people who encourage, inspire, and enable us to face the challenges we are having to deal with. We are not alone. Maybe we can allow those people to come to mind and lift our hearts in grateful prayer for who they are and have been for us.
Sometimes though when we are faced with the pain, the struggle, the loneliness, the loss of freedom and the many failures and disappointments we experience, we can allow our sadness, our anger and pride to overwhelm us and turn our hearts from God and one another.
With the strength of the gift of faith, the greatest support, solidarity and understanding we have is from Jesus himself who faced his inner and outer demons in the desert but did not allow them to take control or deter him from what his Father had sent him to do, to announce that the kingdom of God is close at hand and for all of us to repent and believe the Good News.
He lived and breathed the Good News, he personified it and despite all that was placed in his path to prevent him from fulfilling God’s plan he remained firm and resolute. He wants that for us.
This Season of Lent is inviting us once again into that space to reexamine our lives because we need it and through prayer and fasting from all those things that simply result in empty promises and through acts of love and kindness keep our eyes fixed on Jesus who leads the way.
With that in mind, you may like to listen and reflect on the song 'Only Jesus, track 2 on 'Words of love.'
Blessings on your week.
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