Abraham’s true identity was not rooted in lineage but in faith and obedience to God. While his descendants took pride in their heritage, they failed to recognize the Messiah standing before them. Abraham, however, looked forward in faith to the coming of Christ, rejoicing in the promise of salvation fulfilled through Him. As we enter Passiontide, we are called to reflect on Christ’s perfect obedience and sacrificial love, embracing His suffering so that we may fully rejoice in His resurrection.

On the Third Sunday in Lent, Jesus casts out a demon and reveals a spiritual truth: the human heart cannot remain empty. We will be filled—either with the Holy Spirit or with the influence of evil. Christ, the stronger one, has come to overthrow the power of Satan and set people free. Yet freedom requires more than the removal of evil; the heart must be filled with obedience to God’s Word. Lent calls us to move beyond merely hearing the Gospel to living it—repenting of sin, walking in love, and feasting on the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

On the Second Sunday in Lent, the story of the Canaanite woman reveals the power of humble and persistent faith. Echoing Solomon’s prayer that God would hear even the “stranger” who seeks Him, this Gospel shows that in Christ the true Temple has come among us. Though considered an outsider, the woman presses forward in humility and faith, trusting in the mercy and abundance of God. Her persistence is rewarded as Jesus praises her great faith and grants her request. During Lent, we are invited to approach the Lord with the same humility—turning from anxiety and sin, praying toward Christ our true Temple, and trusting that God hears and answers those who call upon Him in faith.