GROW AS A DISCIPLE
Although we’re at the very beginning of Lent, today’s first reading from Genesis prepares us for words we will hear on the night of the Easter Vigil: “O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! 0 happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!” (Exsultet)
0 truly necessary sin?! 0 happy fault?! What could these words actually mean? I think the Exsultet is drawing us to see that sin is not the end of the story. In the mysterious working of grace, being in a state of needing God’s forgiveness (sin) opens us up to the possibility of experiencing and receiving his endless love and mercy. As we take on practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving this Lent, may we not grow discouraged when we inevitably fall short, but may we recognize that our very weakness presents us with an opportunity to rejoice in his merciful love.
GO EVANGELIZE
At the heart of evangelization is announcing the good news that our sin doesn’t have the last word. St. Paul puts it this way: While death came through Adam’s sin, “the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many.” While sin certainly wreaks havoc by bringing suffering and death into our world, the conviction of the Church is that the restoration God brings about through the death and resurrection of Jesus elevates humanity to a state far better than what we lost in the fall. What might it look like to witness to this great hope we have in Jesus in our own lives? How can we offer encouragement to those who feel they have fallen too far from grace that God’s mercy is far more powerful than any transgression they may have committed?
REFLECT
Throughout the Gospels, we hear story after story of sinners ending up closer to God than those who think themselves to be perfectly obedient (The Prodigal Son [Lk 15:11-32]; the Pharisee and the Tax Collector [Lk 18:9-14]). As you contemplate which Lenten practices to adopt in these next few weeks, keep in mind that holiness isn’t found in perfect adherence to these practices, but by humbling yourself to recognize the God who loves you even when you fall.
By The Faithful Disciple
A covenant is a formal agreement between two parties. Assuming both parties enter into the covenant of their own free will, it is a bond that cannot be broken. As time goes on, that covenant will be tested and its validity questioned by skeptics, but it will remain if it is real.
God’s covenant with his people is real. It began with a promise made to Noah and was renewed in the person of Jesus Christ. It has been tested by man through sin and by evil through Jesus’ trials in the desert. But here in 2026, it still remains as strong as ever.
This Lent, take time to rediscover and reflect on this covenant God has with us. Reclaim your baptism and make it a motivating factor in how you live your life. Take the opportunity this Lenten season provides to increase your devotion and spirituality. You will be tested and you will suffer trials, for life is not always easy. But God has always upheld his part of the agreement. Now is the time to take our part in this covenant more seriously.
©LPi