The blessings upon which we meditate today are undeserved gifts from God. They were not earned. The graciousness of God transforms us in such a way as to effect new beginnings. It can be seen in the promises made to Abram. He leaves the past behind and moves into a new future. It can be seen in the psalm response. The Lord delivers us from death and inspires us to look to the future. It can be seen in the reading from 2 Timothy. Through Christ Jesus we are called to a new life of holiness; we escape the fetters of death and are brought into the freedom of the resurrection. We see it in the gospel, a glimpse into the future glory of Jesus which, through grace, we will be able to share. Lent is a time of new beginnings which find their origin in the abundant blessings of God.
The ultimate blessing of God is Jesus himself. As Abram was called to be the source of blessing for all others, as Peter, James and John were chosen to witness the transfiguration of Jesus, so today we too are invited to look to Jesus for inspiration during this holy season. Paul speaks of the salvation that Jesus brings as having come, not because of any works of righteousness that we might have performed, but because of the grace of God. Once again the Lenten readings focus on the merciful action of God in our lives, and in the end they point to Jesus.
© Dianne Bergant CSA, https://www.liturgyhelp.com/calendar/date/2026Mar01/0/RefDiBer