It is 9th April 2019. The readings are from Numbers 21:4-9; and the Gospel from John 8:21-30. Somehow sometime, we all either have the encounter with the serpent or bitten by it. If we have not bitten by it yet, we might have some familiarity with those who have been harmed by it. The episode of the encounter of the evil occurred in everyone’s life. When we continue to be in the slavery of sin, we seem to like it and get used to and eventually we have no reason to get rid of it. Satan hires and employs some of us at times to spit the venom of the evil, hatred, and unforgiving arrogance to the others. coming out of a perennially sinful situation needs our effort in looking up to the One who can heal us. There is a wound of sin or scar in our soul. In desperation we go to the very ones who hurt us instead of repenting and returning to the Lord. Penance, prayers and paragon of our behaviours alone can heal the wounds and purge the venom of evil from our souls. Lent is the time of grace and it is the time to look up to the Lord for our forgiveness and inner healing. In the first reading the people of Israel who grumbled against God and worshiping false gods were punished by God. In the place of Moses, the Church lifts up the Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist everyday so that we who were bitten by the poisonous serpent look up and confess our unworthiness and be healed. It is not the sign that healed them but what the sign denoted and stood for is the saviour. “For the one who turned towards it was saved, not by the thing that was beheld, but by you, the Saviour of all.” (Wis.16:7). The responsorial Psalm praises, “O Lord, listen to my prayer and let my cry for help reach you.” (Ps.101:2). The Gospel invites us to lift up Jesus in our lives in order to know the Father and all that would please God. “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of myself.” (Jn.8:28). In every Holy Mass we attend, we are invited by the Church to lift up our heart to God. Lifting up means elevate above the surface and influence of sinful environment and relationships. It means to consecrate ourselves to God and participate in gazing upon the Lamb of God. Lift up our hearts means confessing our sins to God. We all have to trust Jesus in order to be healed integrally. Lent is the most special time to draw our attention to Jesus and expose our wounds to Him to be healed. May we come closer to the Cross of our Saviour Jesus and look up to Him. May we have the courage to look up to lift our souls to God. May you have a good day. God bless you.