Uggh!!! Give me back my time. Daylight savings time so early is so painful!!!!
Perhaps the journey through Lent may feel onerous at this time especially when we are getting up in the darkness of night once again. Three weeks of concerted efforts at sacrifice are not easy for many. Yet again we do have a gospel story that reminds us that Jesus is indeed our friend, my friend, your friend.
Yesterday evening, while out to dinner, my hosts reminded me how blessed we were with the gospel story reminder that our God is such a caring God, such a loving God regardless of our past sinfulness. Imagine if you were the government official who child was seriously, seriously ill. Surely you would ask Jesus for help because you would have known his reputation, the good that he had brought about in the lives of many. Surely the official's heart must have ached terribly. But Jesus was well aware of both the parents as well as the young son. This is a reminder to us once again: I am there for you. I am who is I am, God's only Son who comes to share with us the love of God the Father for each of us. The official trusted Jesus. He trusted with all of his heart that Jesus would help his son.
Today take time to recall moments in your life when you called upon Jesus, when you trusted he would come to your side, to assist, to ease a burden. Think back, too, to those moments which just didn't go as you wanted or needed. Here's a question: did you turn to Jesus in those moments? Did you trust that he would help you through the difficulties?
As you and I consider the healing of the young man let us never forget that Jesus is always there for us just as he was for the boy's dad. Remember, Jesus is our friend. Treat him as you would treat your closest, dearest friend.
