Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Readings of the Day

I’ve always believed that every Gospel somehow prepares us for the challenges we face as Jesus’ followers today. This one is no different.  Today’s readings remind us that it’s not easy to be a follower of Christ. Indeed, we are being tested by the turbulent waters of the world today.

At this moment people everywhere are facing the fears, anxieties and uncertainties of the COVID-19 outbreak. As world leaders in government, culture and business call upon people to comply with unprecedented restrictions, there are alarming signs of terror, panic and greed. While we naturally turn to these leaders in times of trouble, many resemble the Pharisees of this Gospel, failing to acknowledge our Lord even as he walks among them. Some openly disregard religion as somehow unsound, disparage its associated morality, and ask us to put our faith in more temporal things.  Here in our own country, we regularly witness elected officials tout their faith when convenient, only to later demean and diminish the true foundational values of our Church. 

As part of this year’s Lenten journey, those of us blessed with faith must now balance these messages while always keeping Christ at our center. Do we trust our Lord during this unnerving crisis, or are we focused on more worldly things?  Even as we do our part to contain the outbreak, do we truly believe that God is with us and on our side? Are we falling victim to our own selfish needs and unnecessarily hoarding what ought to be shared with our neighbors? Are we able to surrender what is beyond our control and see the bounty that still surrounds us? Are we caving in to the pressure of our secular world and turning away from Christ in this moment? How can we avoid that?   

We need look only to today’s psalm for an answer: “O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge. A shield before me is God, who saves the upright of heart.” When we are beset by the pressures and anxieties of the world, our Lord himself gave us the remedy: take shelter in Him. So let’s do that. If your faith is shaken, repeat the responsorial psalm over and over: “In you I take refuge.”    

Laura A. Cassell is CEO of Catholic Charities of Long Island.

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