By Father Rudolph Juarez
For The Catholic Messenger
My parishioners and family know that I like traveling to Mexico especially in February to get away from the Iowa cold. I like the 70° temperatures and sun. Now into the second week of Lent, while it is not quite as cold as we get closer to April and spring weather, the memory of Mexico is still with me.
This last trip I was in the colonial city of Queretaro, which is famous for its small plazas throughout the historic center. One evening I went to one of these plazas in front of the national church of the Guadalupe missionary priests and ordered an “elote” (corn on the cob), smothered in mayonnaise, crumbled cheese and chili powder and two tacos of “asada” — steak.
To my delight, out came from the church more than 100 young people who started singing hymns and dancing in the plaza in small groups. These energetic young people really impressed me, showing the world how transformational faith and joy can be. My immediate thought was, “Someone is doing great pastoral work.”
Food and joy are a wonderful combination as my nun friends reminded me during the rest of my trip to Pátzcuaro, Michoacán. During every meal, they would tell me, “Have some more Father, because Lent is coming.” Well, Lent is here and I find myself debating my relationship to food, the amount I consume and what fasting means for me. I think of it as a balance of food for the body and food for the soul — a mix of food and joy — all of which must be transformative.
In Luke’s Gospel, we learn something very transformative — of Jesus going up to the mountain to pray, at which time he revealed his glory to his disciples. He told them of the future glory that awaited him after his crucifixion and death and that awaits all the faithful when our earthly journey is finished.
So well does St. Paul speak of the transformative power of faith to the Philippians as he says, “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.” This for me means that as we strive for heaven and future glory, as we carry our souls in this earthly body, we are always in need of food for the body and food for the soul — because sometimes the journey is a challenge.
With good reason then, St. Paul says, “Stand firm in the Lord.” Standing firm in the Lord is part of my Lenten plan. As I live out the traditional pillars of Lent of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, I trust that moderation, healthy choices, gratitude and stewardship in my spiritual, physical, moral and emotional life will bring me closer to Christ.
I forgot to mention that that evening in Querétaro, along with the elote and tacos, I also drank a nice cold Modelo! It wasn’t part of the plan, but I attribute it to being overcome with joy. Whatever plan I pursue this Lent, it has to be a combination of food and joy. It has to draw me closer to Christ, and like the dancing and singing young people in Queretaro, it has to be transformational.
(Father Rudolph Juarez is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Davenport.)
