Lent

As I visit twenty patients for pastoral care everyday at the hospital, I find that most people do not have a strong support system. Most of them have family or friends but their relationship is not very strong for them to respond to their needs.

I met a lady in her 70’s. She was under a lot of distress because she was in the hospital and there was no one to take care of her dog. I asked if she had some friends and she replied that she had some but not to the point of trusting them or asking them a favor. I asked about relatives, she did not want to talk about it. I asked about neighbors, she did know them. Finally, I asked about church friends hoping that she would give me a positive answer but she was not a part of a community of faith either. It was sad to see her old and alone, with no one to turn to.

There is a quote from Robert MacAfee Brown that states: “How does one keep from “growing old inside”? Surely only in community. The only way to make friends with time is to stay friends with people… Taking community seriously not only gives us the companionship we need, it also relieves us of the notion that we are indispensable.” So many people have been to the hospital in the last few weeks, like Billy, Scott, Michelle and Joyce Ruble. It was so nice to see people visiting and praying for each other.

As we begin this Lent season, we must renew our commitment to God and to each other. We must grow old together; we must protect and nurture each other. This season is a time we have to figure out how we get closer to God: by changing our old ways of thinking and taking the mind of Christ by worshiping God with fervor and sacrificing for the sake of the God’s kingdom, and by “picking up our cross and following Him.” This is a time in which we must love and take care of each other.

As you know, Lent is one of my favorite liturgical seasons. This season is full of mystery, newness, changes, colors, etc. I remember that as child I visited a town deep into the mountains in Mexico. The family that I stayed with cooked a fresh meal for the people who were in jail. It really impacted my life as we visited the people in jail and we gave them food and clean clothing. I asked why they did that, and their response was “It is Lent”. Lent is a time in which we are reminded that we need to take care of others as Christ takes care of us. So, stay close to the community of faith. It is the best way to stay young at heart, and connected to the world around us. As together we celebrate Lent, we will be surprised by God as we get closer and more dependent on Him. We will then be amazed of how much we need each other.

Your pastor,
Job