At the start of our Lenten journey, we are encouraged to draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
This is a time to reflect on our faith and to re-access our priorities.
This Lent Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison is encouraging the faithful of the diocese to journey with him and be “Witnesses to Hope” to others and the world.
There is no mistake that during this Jubilee year, our aim should be to inspire all people to see what comes with being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
So many people in our current world are struggling with suffering and sin and are in need of a witness to the Hope that surpasses all understanding.
In being a witness to hope, one has to consider two important things.
First, during Lent, all people are called to look inward and examine their own hearts and lives. Inherently, Catholics are aware that Lent has a spirit of repentance and self-reflection.
The Church sees a huge influx of people who return to Mass on Ash Wednesday as well as increased numbers for Confession and other Lenten prayer opportunities during Lent.
The readings for the First Sunday of Lent emphasize the importance of wholeheartedly surrendering ourselves to God.
Moses instructs offering our best to the Lord, the psalm sings of deliverance, Paul urges us to follow Jesus with both heart and mind, and the Gospel portrays Jesus resisting temptation in the desert, trusting in God.
The themes encompass giving ourselves to God, preparing for our mission, and facing and overcoming temptation.
In the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent we read, “Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, One does not live on bread alone.’ Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, ‘I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘It is written you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.’ Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’ When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.” (Luke 4:1-13)
In his time in the desert, Christ is tempted by the Devil to the temptations of the flesh: Food; power and fame, or glory.
We all face the same temptations in our world today.
In order to remain strong against the powers of evil in the world we must fast, pray, and immerse ourselves in the Word of God.
These are the first steps in looking inward and purifying our own hearts.
The Spirit will be with us, as He was with Christ in the desert, during our own Lenten journey which we are called to live.
Just our surrender to the Lord offers hope to our broken world.
The second aspect of being a “Witness to Hope” involves an intentional response to God’s call to accompany others on their journey this Lent to encounter Christ and grow in relationship with Him and His Church.
The “Walk with One” initiative by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which was developed as a fruit of the National Eucharistic Congress last year, invited Catholics to accompany someone on their journey toward a relationship with Jesus and His Church.
This Lent, Bishop Hying ,inspired by this invitation, is encouraging all of the faithful to experience a personal deepening of faith and allow that to then in turn be a hopeful witness to others.
This call to personal evangelization can happen in four simple steps: Identifying the person to walk with, interceding in prayer for them, accompanying them, and inviting them to grow in faith.
This Lent we will take the time to unpack each step as we journey to Calvary and ultimately, the Resurrection at Easter.
As we ponder Christ’s passion and death this Lent, we should ask the Lord in prayer who He wants us to be an instrument of invitation for to experience His redemptive love.
Michelle Nilsson is the director of evangelization and catechesis, and adult Confirmation, for the Diocese of Madison.