"Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me."
Psalm 138:3
One week down, five to go! How is your Lenten journey treating you so far? I’m sure some of you good folks out there are absolutely thriving, in which case…keep it up! But if you are anything like me, you may have encountered some bumps in the road already. In years past, by the end of the first week I had already forgotten what I was planning to do for Lent, or hadn’t even started! Many of us struggle through Lent…and that’s kind of the point! Just like Jesus in the desert, our fasting can bring about temptations to take care of things ourselves, or to back out when things get difficult. But these struggles and temptations also introduce another possibility – they give us to opportunity to turn to God our Father for help! The readings today make that clear. Esther, the psalmist, and Christ Himself all encourage us: in our times of trial, all we have to do is turn to our Father. He isn’t waiting to scold us on our failures, or to roll His eyes at our neediness. He is simply waiting as a loving Father, to help us complete the journey we have begun.
How could I use the Father's help on my Lenten journey?
Lord Jesus, help us to trust in our Father, and turn towards Him to ask for help!
Today’s Reflection is by:
Fr. Lou Turcotte
Did you know...
Fr. Lou Turcotte grew up in Clearwater, attending Light of Christ Catholic Church with his parents and two sisters. He is an alumnus of St. Cecelia Interparochial School, Clearwater High, and the University of Florida, where he graduated with a degree in Marketing. Inspired by many priestly role models, he felt the LORD pulling him to discern the priesthood, and after an exciting, challenging, and transformative 7 years of seminary education, he was ordained a priest in 2018. After serving at St. Timothy in Lutz for two years, he now enjoys the beautiful waters of St. Raphael in St. Petersburg. His passions include national parks, aquariums, Chick-fil-A, Liverpool Football Club, and encountering Jesus alongside the faithful here in the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
