Mosaiek Church Lent 2025: Jesus' Questions in Sufferingනියැදිය

And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.'

-Luke 24:46-48 (NLT)

The desire for financial stability is a struggle that many of us face, and it can sometimes lead us to choices that we later regret. Judas may have justified his actions by telling himself that his betrayal was for the greater good, or that it was necessary to achieve the goals he believed in.

While I do not condone Judas’ actions, I think it is important to acknowledge the complex mix of emotions, desires, and fears that may have contributed to his eventual betrayal of Jesus. Judas had to grapple with his beliefs, desires, and challenging realities.

We may think that we would never betray the Lord in such a way, yet each of us finds ourselves in a place where we forget the Lord or ignore His calling on our lives. We are not spies, secretly trying to derail Jesus’ mission. However, we sometimes become incognito followers when we face challenges. Today, there is an invitation to apologise for the small acts and ways in which we turn against the Lord. Repentance means to turn back to the Lord, and it is both a daily decision and a lifelong journey.

Repentance is one of the greatest words in the Bible. We read in the Old Testament that the prophets constantly called people to return to God and repent of the evil they had done. When Jesus brings his first message in the New Testament, repentance is one of His first words. He says that the kingdom of God is near - repent and believe the Good News.

The Greek word used for this is metanoia. It means to rethink our lives, the complete reversal of our thinking, our outlook on life, and a new willingness to make God the focus of our lives. We turn away from the idea that we are in control of our own lives. And this is an ongoing process, because every day you and I are confronted by the fact that there are areas in our lives that are not turned to God, and then we start again. We surrender, we confess, we repent.

Reflection: What is keeping me from returning to God? Are there areas that are easier for me to turn to God than others? Talk to God about it.

Prayer: I ask for the grace to become aware of my shortcomings and receive Your forgiveness for them.