Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent
A theme in our readings today is stubbornness, obstinacy, a troubling resistance. In the first reading, it is Moses who faces it in the people; in the Gospel, it is Jesus who faces it in the Jewish leaders. The evangelist sees it in this statement: you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent (38).
For most of us, it is quite difficult to come to an actual awareness of our resistance to grace, to the divine call. We may admit it intellectually, but it’s hidden. We begin to confront it only in those little, day-to-day manifestations that jump out at us before we know what is going on. But these surprises are not the problem. They are opportunities if we allow ourselves to be taught our resistance— then grace can really work in us.
Jesus, the new Moses, intercedes for us. It is Jesus who offers us many practical opportunities to be humbled. Then, when we feel egg on our face, we are in a good position to touch salvation. Obstinacy is not the problem, resistance to being formed by them is!
The real formation takes place in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, which St. Seraphim of Sarov says is the goal of the Christian life. Our obstinacy then becomes another “place” in our lives where this holy formation takes place.
Dom Augustine Baker put it this way:
The search for God consists in learning to recognize and respond to these promptings of grace with the freedom of a loving heart.
O wonderful Work of God – come, do your marvelous work in us!
Reflection by Fr. Xavier Nacke, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources