Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi, bishop emeritus of San Cristóbal de Las Casas and head of the Doctrine of Faith at the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM), offers Exaudi readers his weekly article.

FACTS

This Wednesday, we begin Lent, forty days of preparation for the central celebration of Christianity, the death and resurrection of Jesus. Its purpose is to purify us of everything that prevents us from rising with the Lord to a new life. This implies dying for the faults and sins that each of us may have. We all want there to be a spring of peace, justice, truth, and love, in our families and communities, as well as in the whole world; but on whom does this depend? On rulers and other instances, certainly; but also on us. You and I must do our part, be sowers of hope, and not leave everything to the government, nor blame only others, but assume our responsibility for the changes we long for

The new President of the United States feels he owns the world and, with his outbursts, tries to influence everything, having in mind and heart primarily the greater economic well-being of his country. He imposes tariffs without prior dialogue with those affected; he threatens and humiliates those who do not bow down to him; he expels as many migrants as possible; is there any hope of controlling this? We all ask for an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, for peace agreements in the Middle East, for respect and social harmony in Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela; on whom does it depend for these dreams to materialize? We have denounced the extortion and insecurity suffered by our people; we have reported all this to those who are responsible for monitoring the rights of citizens; but the problems persist; is there no hope?

I have treated people with cancer and other sick people; I have listened to wives who suffer persistent machismo; I have been asked to intervene in conflicts between students at an educational institution; I have shared the pain of those who have suffered abuse in their childhood, of those who cannot find work, of those who have various problems. Is there hope? On whom does it depend to change these situations?

ENLIGHTENMENT

Pope Francis, with whom we share the concern for his health, wrote his traditional message for this Lent, which he titled Let us walk together in hope, precisely to encourage us in this virtue; but he tells us that this also depends on us.

The motto of the Jubilee, ‘Pilgrims of hope’, evokes the long journey of the people of Israel towards the promised land. We cannot remember the biblical exodus without thinking of so many brothers and sisters who today flee situations of misery and violence, seeking a better life for themselves and their loved ones. A call to conversion arises here. Each one can ask themselves: how do I allow myself to be challenged by this condition? Am I really on the journey or am I a little paralyzed, static, afraid and lacking hope; or satisfied in my comfort zone? Am I looking for paths of liberation from situations of sin and lack of dignity? It would be a good Lenten exercise to confront the concrete reality of some immigrant or pilgrim, allowing it to challenge us, to discover what God asks of us, to be better walkers towards the Father’s house. This is a good test.

Christians are called to journey together, never as solitary travelers. The Holy Spirit encourages us to go out of ourselves to go towards God and towards our brothers and sisters, and never to close ourselves off. Walking together means being artisans of unity, starting from the common dignity of children of God; it means walking side by side, without trampling on or dominating the other, without harboring envy or hypocrisy, without letting anyone be left behind or feel excluded. We are going in the same direction, towards the same goal, listening to each other with love and patience. Let us ask ourselves before the Lord if we have an attitude of welcome, with concrete gestures, towards those who come to us and towards those who are far away; if we make people feel part of the community or if we marginalize them.

We must ask ourselves: do I have the conviction that God forgives my sins, or do I behave as if I could save myself? Do I long for salvation and invoke God’s help to receive it? Do I live concretely the hope that helps me to read the events of history and impels me to commit myself to justice, fraternity and care for our common home, acting in such a way that no one is left behind?

ACTIONS

What can you do to make this Lent a spring-like journey for yourself, your family and your community? It is very good to offer some physical sacrifice, to abstain from certain foods or drinks, but also decide what to do to transform certain personal, family or community situations, and to be a builder of peace, justice and fraternity. You may say that you can do nothing to reverse national and international problems; but family and social hope also depends on you. Are you hope, or an obstacle to achieving it?