The Hope That Leads Us
by Bro.Mark
Hermits of St. Giles

Lent is a time to gather our strength once again to face the trials that have been given us. To carry our own unique crosses. For it is through our sufferings that we will find the inner peace we long for in our life. It is important to note that when we embrace the anguish we experience we are not ever left alone. Our desert experiences are shared by Christ Jesus Himself, for He walked before us and now walks along the side of us. Often times He carries us, much like described in the poem Footprints In The Sand. In His own body He dies, He rises again, and He ascends into Heaven. We hope to follow where He has gone. We remember in the Scriptures that He was tempted by Satan himself. We too find ourselves tempted by the forces of darkness. We feel alone, but we truly are not alone. Christ is our shield. Christ Jesus, by His own power, gained salvation. He suffered death and we too suffer the power of death, yet it is through His power of life we also gain life. Lent, then, is a reminder to us that life always overcomes death. When we find ourselves focusing on only His temptations and not on His victory we can lose hope for our own path. Therefore, let us focus on victory over our own trials, allowing Christ to be our guide. Hope will lead us to the goal of a Heavenly home. Let this Lenten Season become a time to gather the strength that God so generously provides us, the mercy that He provides us, so that we may face the trials that will inevitably be there. It is through our sufferings we will find our peace, our joy, our happiness promised to us by Christ Jesus Himself. It is hope that leads us.
Have a blessed day.
Your brother in Christ,
Mark
Hermits of St. Giles