Showing all posts by Elija

In yesterday’s meditation, we began a short series on the theme of the conversion of the heart. I thought it appropriate to address this topic within the framework of our Lenten journey for two reasons. First, because, in imitation of Christ, it is always necessary to deepen our conversion so that our lives may be as fruitful as possible in the service of our beloved Father and so that we may never cease on the path of following His Son. Second, because the deepest conversion of our hearts is a spiritual weapon in the fight against discord and war. Later, I will explain this aspect in more detail, because in this way we can confront the “evil spirits in the air” (Eph 6:12), who are always ready to take advantage of humanity’s evil inclinations for their wicked plans.

In this spirit, let us continue today with the theme of the conversion of our hearts.

With the willingness to perceive one’s depths before the loving Lord, a double realism arises: one recognises both the dark side in oneself and at the same time encounters the mercy of God. One understands that God does not reject and punish because of the impurity that comes from the heart, but that His love has set out to bring light into the darkness.

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As I mentioned at the end of the last meditation, I would like to include in our Lenten itinerary a short series on the transformation of the heart. On the one hand, it is a theme that appears again and again in the biblical texts of Lent, which describe how the human heart turns away from God and clearly point out the abysses that exist within it. On the other hand, it is also fitting to delve more deeply into this theme in light of the wars taking place in the world and which, unfortunately, are once again affecting the people of the Middle East. The war that has just broken out has a very significant impact on Israel, the land where Jesus accomplished the work of Redemption.

In the context of our “Lenten retreat,” I do not consider it my task to explain in detail the political, social, and religious background of the conflict between Israel and Iran. Rather, I am moved by the question of what we, as disciples of the Lord, can do to contribute to the true peace that comes from God.

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Today’s readings confront us very concretely with the depths of the human heart and with the evil deeds that spring from it. First, we hear part of the story of Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37:6–22). Joseph’s brothers realized that their father, Jacob, loved Joseph the most. Joseph was the one who told their father about the evil things they did while grazing the sheep and goats. Therefore, “they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him” (v. 4).

Their hearts grew darker and darker, and when Joseph innocently shared with them two prophetic dreams indicating that one day they would bow down before him, this increased their jealousy even more. When a favorable opportunity presented itself, they decided to kill him. Only one of the brothers, Reuben, wanted to save him from their hands and bring him back to their father. He persuaded them to throw him into a cistern in the wilderness and not to shed his blood (cf. v. 22).

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Today, on the sixteenth day of our “Lenten retreat,” the prophet Jeremiah reminds us unequivocally in whom we should trust and in whom we should not: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord.’” (Jer 17:5). This is a similar exhortation to that found in another valuable saying from the Psalms: “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help.” (Ps 148:3).

Indeed, it is foolish to seek in people the security that only God can give us. It is a sign that faith has not yet taken root deeply enough in us. That is why we continue to seek false securities that ultimately place a heavy burden on our lives and, in a way, keep us captive. The prophet Jeremiah expresses this reality in strong terms and goes so far as to say that the man who acts in this way is “cursed,” since he turns his heart away from the Lord. In fact, it can become a kind of curse, because, on the one hand, we will never obtain the security we seek in people, and on the other hand, we do not turn to the Lord and thus deprive ourselves of His help in overcoming threatening situations. It will remain so as long as we do not recognize it and set out on the path to God.

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On the fifteenth day of our Lenten journey, I find myself in Jerusalem writing this meditation under the shadow of military action between the United States, Israel, and Iran. On the morning of February 28, 2026, a bombing campaign against Iran began under the name “Operation Roaring Lion.” Iran responded with missile launches announced by sirens throughout much of Israel, including Jerusalem.

Today’s reading, taken from the Book of Esther (13:8–11, 15–17), attests to God’s omnipotence, and the Gospel (Matthew 20:17–28) speaks of Christ’s reign.

The context of the reading is that the Persian king Ahasuerus, influenced by Haman, his second‑in‑command, was about to carry out the extermination of all the Jews in his kingdom. In his great distress, Mordecai, an illustrious Jew who served in the palace, raised this plea to God:

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