Lent is often described as a journey. Jesus was sent by his Father on a journey, into our world. In Lent we join Him on the way to Calvary and beyond. The great modern Welsh poet R.S.Thomas sets the scene…

And God held in his hand
A small globe. Look, he said. The son looked. Far off,
As through water, he saw
A scorched land of fierce Colour. The light burned There; crusted buildings Cast their shadows: a bright Serpent, a river
Uncoiled itself, radiant
With slime.

On a bare
Hill a bare tree saddened
The Sky. Many people
Held out their thin arms
To it, as though waiting
For a vanished April
To return to its crossed Boughs. The son watched Them. Let me go there, he said.

“The Coming” R.S.Thomas 1913-2000

There was once a bridge across a canal. Most of the day it stayed parallel to the river, allowing ships to pass through, but when a train would come along, the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing the train to cross it. A switchman sat in a hut on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed.

One evening as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he caught sight of the train lights. He turned the bridge into position, but, to his horror, he found the locking control did not work. If the bridge was not securely in position, it would cause the train full of passengers to jump the track and go crashing into the river. He left the bridge turned across the river and hurried across the bridge to the other side, where there was a lever switch he could hold to operate the lock manually. He took hold and leaned backward to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge.

Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a voice, “Daddy, where are you?” His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out, “Run! Run!” But the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man realized that he could not get back to the lever in time if he saved his son. Either many people on the train or his own son – must die.

The train sped safely and swiftly on its way, and no one aboard was even aware of the tiny broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the on rushing train.

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We use this prayer at Mass this Sunday. You could use it during the week too…

Lord Jesus Christ,
 you came into the world - and you left it -
 in simplicity and vulnerability.
 You came not to condemn the world but to save it.
 Speak deeply to me today of your profound and eternal love for all humanity. Let me allow your love to come into my life so that I can be changed.
 Let it penetrate all my thoughts, words, deeds and attitudes.
And may your Spirit help me to respond to your love;

 to be prepared to reflect your light and love in my everyday life; and to serve others, today and every day.
 Amen