Today we encounter the words of Peter, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” Indeed Lent is good for us. The consistent practice of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving opens our hearts to the incredible outreach of the Trinity and enables us to reconcile our selfishness with the selflessness that makes God so much a part of our lives and the reason for being here.

We were reminded through Genesis today how Abraham, known as our Father in Faith was greatly loved by God. And yet, as a test of his love, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son, after everything he and Sarah had done to have child, they were now being asked to sacrifice their future inheritance with complete trust so that Abraham’s love might be found worthy to deliver the great covenant between God and His People.

We too have been asked to purify ourselves through our Lenten practice. We will also be called to purify ourselves after death before we get to heaven, a state we call purgatory. These are times when we can see more clearly our true self being loved by God and tested by Him, offer us the opportunity to heal the fissures of disobedience that we inflict on the Body of Christ when we sin.

We mark this time of Lent by professing our belief that Jesus Christ died and was raised up to save us from our sins. It is during this time that we acknowledge His gift of mercy and humbly turn to God for an outpouring of reconciling love. “How good it is for us to be here;” in this place and at this time.