Forgiveness is the only way to peace

MESSAGE FOR LENT Pope John Paul II "Love is not resentful" (1 Cor 13:5) 1. "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem" (Mk 10:33). With these words, the Lord invites the disciples to journey with him along the road that leads from Galilee to the place where he will complete his redemptive mission. The road towards Jerusalem, which the Evangelists present as the crowning point of Jesus' earthly journey, is the model for the Christian who is committed to following the Teacher on the Way of the Cross. Also the men and women of today are asked by Christ to "go up to Jerusalem". He insists on this, particularly in Lent, a propitious time for self-conversion and for finding full communion with him, intimately taking part in the mystery of his death and resurrection. Lent, therefore, represents for believers the opportune occasion for a profound re-examination of life. In the contemporary world, alongside the generous testimonies of the Gospel, there are baptized who, in the face of the demanding appeal to set out "up to Jerusalem", offer indifferent resistance and sometimes even open rebellion. There are situations in which the experience of prayer is lived in a somewhat superficial way, in a way that the word of God does not penetrate into life. Even the sacrament of Penance itself is thought by many to be insignificant and the celebration of Sunday liturgy only as a duty to be fulfilled. How is one to accept the invitation to conversion that Jesus addresses to us also in this Lenten season? How can a serious change in life come to be realized? It is necessary first of all to open the heart to the touching messages of the liturgy. The period that leads to Easter represents a providential gift of the Lord and a precious opportunity to draw closer to him, turning inward and listening to his voice within us.