Not so many years ago, we celebrated the Lenten Season with utmost solemnity. We gather with our family to pray and we, children, behave because we were taught that our LORD JESUS is dead during this time.We also spent time in retreats and personal spiritual reflections.But today, we seem to lose the solemnity of this celebration. Although we know that JESUS has already risen from the dead and does not have to die every Lenten Season, let us spend time remembering what HE did for us as we celebrate this season.

It is because of OUR sins why He died on the cross. Romans 3:23 says that all of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.  There is no one here on earth who has not sinned.  That is why; we need a Savior to rescue us from the penalty of sin.

Romans 6:23 tells us that the penalty of sin is death. It is us who sinned; therefore, we should be the ones who should be put to death for the things that we have done that are not pleasing to God. But because of God’s great love for us, He gave His only Son to die for our sake. Such is the love of God for all of us.  He loves us with an eternal and permanent love and He continually draws us to Himself.

Jesus so loves us that He endured what He suffered on the cross. His death was a painful one…it was torture in its truest sense. His hands and feet were nailed on the cross; He was lashed 39 times on His back until it was torn open. Epidemiologists have agreed that there are 39 major classes of sicknesses in this world.  It means that for every single sickness that we have, Christ has already suffered for it; so now, we can claim our healing by the wounds of Jesus! Isaiah 53:5 gives us this truth that ‘By the stripes of Jesus, we are healed!’ Claim your healing now and believe that Jesus has healed you!

He was also crowned with thorns of which wounded his head that caused another bleeding; not to mention all the beating and spitting that he experienced. The king of the whole universe and the Creator of all things was insulted, mocked and tortured by the very people He created.
All these Jesus sustained for one incredible reason…He wants to save you and me from the judgment of sin and death and to restore us to the Father.  He laid down His life because He loves us.  He loves you and He loves me. Jesus Himself said, ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for a friend’ (John 15:13).

By His death, He has now reconciled us to the Father and we can now have forgiveness of sins.  Even if how vast and numerous our sins are, if we confess them to the Lord, He will forgive us and make us clean.  He has saved us from the penalty of sins. Jesus bought us with the highest price; He bought us with no less than His blood that was shed on Palestinian ground.
My brothers and sisters, this Lenten season let us remember what Jesus had done for us. He is the reason for this Lenten season.