Along
with Jesus, and by the power of his fidelity to the Father, the whole Kingdom
of heaven comes to earth. Because the Incarnate Word plainly refuses obeisance
to anyone but the Father who utters him incessantly, Jesus himself receives the
worshipful heavenly service that Satan had tried to wrest for himself from him,
the humble Son. And we ourselves experience God’s marvelous generosity with us
when, after we have struggled to serve only the Lord steadfastly come hell or
high water, he then overwhelms us with the very things we thought we had
renounced forever, only now raised to an infinitely higher potency of truth,
durability, and delight. In a small, intimate way we experience Paradise restored!
Let us,
then, embrace the freedom given us by the power of the words of this
Gospel and by the grace of this Holy Eucharist. Let us choose with
a joyful heart to follow Christ more intimately step by step wherever he may
lead us during this particular Lententide. Together with him and side by side
with one another, we are in the best of company.
Meditation by Father Simeon.
