Mark 9:14-15

Jesus' ministry was very different from John's. John's was a baptism of repentance and like the Pharisees his followers fasted. Jesus also preached repentance but he reveals to us the love of God and in Jesus’ presence is joy and celebration. Jesus' first public miracle was performed at a party - the wedding at Cana, and celebration is common in his ministry.

For us today in the first week of Lent we are a bit between joy and fasting. Our Lenten journey will end in glorious celebration of Jesus' resurrection, his triumph over death, but along the way we will practice self denial in the form of fasting.

Yet, even in Lent, Jesus is present to us in the sacraments and we encounter him in the people we meet.

As we journey through Lent towards Easter it is appropriate for us to spend some time fasting and repenting, but let's never loose sight of the joy that awaits us at the end of our journey, both in Lent and in life. We pray that all of our trials and troubles will end in us coming face to face with Jesus in the great wedding feast in heaven.

Let’s not forget that Easter brings us both the sorrow of Good Friday when the bridegroom is taken from us but also the joy of Easter Sunday when he returns in glory.