DAY 20: Monday of the Third Week of Lent - SPIRITUAL JOURNEY FROM LENT TOWARDS EASTER

Fr. Budge Orara comments on the first reading from the Book of Kings (2 Kgs 5: 1-15ab). Because of lack of faith, only few miracles were performed in the land of Israel. During the time of the Prophet Elisha only the pagan Syrian general was healed of leprosy, although there are many lepers in Israel during that time. Likewise, on the Gospel reading according to Luke, the Lord Jesus declared before the people in a synagogue in Nazareth that during the Prophet Elijah's time before, he was sent only to the widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon when there was a great famine in the land. Short of telling the listeners that they are a faithless and/or ungodly people because in their midst is the Holy One of Israel that they failed to recognize. Today, amidst the din of the post-modern world every individual is bombarded by a lot of distractions and information overload. What we need, specially in this season of Lent is to go to our "inner room," be still and be silent to take stock of our inner self. Only in moment of solitude and silence will we encounter at the core - the God within us.