It always begins with God’s initiative. God inserts himself into our story, inviting us to start anew. We are called to embark upon a journey of faith. Moses sees the burning bush and intrigued, says to himself, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight.’ This turning aside is no mere detour; rather, it is the beginning of a new chapter, not only in the life of Moses but in God’s plan of salvation for the world. It is the beginning of the Exodus saga, the journey of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the freedom of the ‘Promised Land’.

Jesus also calls us to ‘turn aside’. He is God’s ultimate intervention, the definitive way in which God inserts himself into our story. As we approach the halfway mark of our Lenten journey, we are called to ‘repent’ which is to say, we must ‘start anew’.

Perhaps our initial fervour for this Lenten pilgrimage has waned a little. Let us start anew, renounce the sense of apathy that can creep in, and renew our fervour. Let us strive anew to benefit from our Lenten disciplines and embrace the grace of this season.

We are likewise summoned to the renewal of sincere repentance.

Jesus, in today’s Gospel, addresses the people, assuring them that God does not seek to punish nor act with vindictiveness. Jesus uses the example of some unfortunate people killed by Pilate. They are no more sinners than anyone else. Yet, even as he speaks these words of assurance, he speaks words of challenge as well:

‘Unless you repent, you will die in your sin.’

We sometimes shy away from the sting of the Gospel; we should not. Jesus’ words are a warning about the malignancy of sin, which, if left unchecked, corrupts everything. It is not enough to simply try to avoid sin; it takes a definitive decision to turn aside from it. Thus, we are called to repent and embrace the new life offered by Christ.

Yet, Christ’s call for every person to repent should not be heard as something negative or harsh. Rather, it is the action of grace. God, in Christ, intervenes, not content to let sin have its way. We are summoned on our own Exodus journey, from slavery to sin to the glory of being God’s own chosen people. We are called to ‘turn aside’ from darkness and open our eyes to the wonderful light of God. This light emanates from the fire of God’s love, a fire which burns so brightly and yet is never consumed.

Let us hear these words and respond. Let us turn aside from our wandering and embark on the pilgrim’s path. Let us start anew in Christ.

by Fr Michael Grace