The past Sunday we were instructed concerning the Lord’s Transfiguration which imparts the virtue of hope to us.
On this 3rd Sunday of Lent we heard from the Gospel of Saint Luke and were told, “Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation.”
The devil desires that we be divided. In this world there is a lot of division. Sadly, even within the Church we see division. We can look to Germany and see scandals of faith as some make an attempt to make new dogma in their own image. There is division that claims us when it pertains to the Ancient Form of the Holy Mass and it’s future. There is division among people in the pews when it pertains to the most basic matters of faith.
Our Blessed Lord looked to Saint Peter and said, “And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
These same words must bring comfort to our heart. They must ground us in what is truly important. Despite the divisions that give rise around us comfort springs forth from these words. The comfort is that this is Christ’s Church and He is the one who is in charge. Despite scandals that are brought on even within the Church we must place our sight upon Christ and place our trust in Him.
On the 1st Sunday of Lent we were told of the Lord who went into the desert in order to fast and pray. While there He came to be tempted by the devil who attempted to bring division by twisting truth. Likewise, the devil wishes to divide us in our faith. Instead of giving into his lies we must hold fast “solid in our faith.”
As Saint Paul told us in our Epistle, “Be ye followers of God.” Whenever we are a follower of God we will choose to follow all that He commands of us. When the devil attempts to lead us astray we will remain firm in our faith. Likewise, when division is stirred up around us we will not lose the virtue of hope, but stay centered upon Christ and the Church that He has established for us.
In all things let us continue to educate ourself and our families on matters of faith. Let us not give into the pursuit of the devil who desires that we become divided and leave the Church behind. If we leave the Church behind we leave Christ behind and we want nothing to do with Him and the gift of God’s grace. Let us always remain firm in our practice of faith no matter what those voices around us may make us believe. These voices are not truth for truth is found in Christ alone.
