JOURNEYING WITH JESUS THROUGH LENT

Last February 28 – March 1, the FCJ Christian Life Centre hosted a two-part spiritual journey led by Fr. Julian Studden entitled Journeying with Jesus Through Lent (February 28) and Living the Paschal Mystery (March 1) at the FCJ Retreat and Conference Centre. 

The two events drew a combined 119 participants who were eager to listen and deepen their faith through this meaningful experience. 

In Fr. Julian’s Friday evening talk, he highlighted how Jesus was an example of how fasting teaches us to be closer into union with God. This action was then followed by His faithful disciples during the 40 days of Lent. In today’s world Fr. Julian pointed out that we are prone to succumbed to the temptations of self-indulgence, pride, seeking popularity, power or control, or some type of idolatry where we elevate our own will and desires over what Jesus wants of us.  

Fr. Julian then deepened the talk in emphasizing that during Lent we are invited to think deeply about this. This practice is not meant as a personal challenge or a deprivation of our self, however this is a spiritual journey to clear our hearts and minds and to align our lives to be more like Jesus by journeying with Jesus during Lent. To walk with Jesus, we must first know our hearts as places of love, trust, and encounter with God. We must guard them against distractions and sin, and allow Christ to transform them through metanoia—a true change of heart. 

During the talk, Fr. Julian posed questions about how to prepare ourselves for Ash Wednesday and begin Lent:  

• What is your current greatest desire when it comes to your faith life? 

• What aspects of your life are you willing to abandon entirely to His grace? 

• Are there any activities or habits you would like to surrender to focus on Jesus to become more like Him in this Holy Season of conversion and union with Him? 

In Saturday’s sessions the participants went deeper into the four events in Jesus’s life: His Passion, Death (his suffering and crucifixion), Resurrection, and Ascension. 

Fr. Julian reiterated that the Paschal Mystery is at the heart of the Catholic faith. It is about what Jesus did to save us. The word “Paschal” comes from the Jewish feast of Passover. In the same way that God saved His people in the Old Testament, Jesus saves us in the New Testament. 

The Paschal Mystery is also reflected in our everyday lives as Jesus, through His suffering, death, and rising from the dead. This reminds us that death is not the end. The cross is a profound symbol of love, humility, and redemption. This paved the way for us to have a new life. Fr. Julian encouraged us to recognize that the Paschal Mystery is not just a story from that past the we would just visit during Lent but a story that is constantly unfolding in our way of life. Each of us carries a cross, but we do not carry it alone. In times of suffering, we should seek prayer to our friends and family and not suffer in isolation, trust in God's grace, and offer our struggles to Jesus, knowing that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  

They also remind us that suffering and death are not the end. Because of the Paschal Mystery, we have hope of eternal life with God. This is the center of our faith and why we follow Jesus. #