The Ferris Wheel of Life

2ND SUNDAY OF LENT

[ Matthew 17: 1-9 ]

   Life is like a Ferris wheel ride.

Most of us have the experience of sitting on a Ferris wheel. It is an amusement ride of an upright rotating wheel with multiple cabins. As the wheel turns, the cabins will ascend and descend in an upright circular motion. Yes, our human life too is like a Ferris wheel: sometimes we are up there at the top, sometimes we are in the middle, and sometimes we are down there at the bottom. No matter which point we are at: what goes up will come down; and what comes down will go up again.

This season of Lent is a great time for us to reflect on our spiritual state and our interior movements. Like the Ferris-wheel ride: are we moving upward to right faith, firm hope and genuine love of God, self and others? Or are we moving downward to doubt, fear, anger, hatred and sin?

   Spiritual consolation and spiritual desolation.

St Ignatius of Loyola calls these interior movements as ‘spiritual consolation’ and ‘spiritual desolation’.

   (1) By ‘spiritual consolation’, St Ignatius means ‘at peace with God, self and others’, ‘increase in faith, hope and love’, ‘submitting to God and cooperation with God’s grace’, and ‘moving toward God’s active presence in the world’.

   (2) By ‘spiritual desolation’, St Ignatius means ‘at war with God, self and others’, ‘increase of doubt, fear, anger, hatred and sin’, ‘rejecting God and resisting God’s grace’, and ‘moving away from God’s active presence in the world’.

Whatever spiritual state we are in and whatever interior movements working within us, St Ignatius tells us that when we are in spiritual consolation, we must always prepare for (upcoming) spiritual desolation; and when we are in spiritual desolation, we must always remember our (past) spiritual consolation.

   (1) When we are close to God and when we feel His active presence in our life, it is important to know that it is not through our own merits, but rather it is by God’s grace, mercy and love that we are experiencing spiritual consolation. In our fragility, we can easily fall away from God.

   (2) When we are far from God and when we cannot feel His presence in our life, it is important to remember our past concrete experiences of God. These profound experiences of God could be our RCIA journey, our baptism day, our prayer experiences, our quiet moments before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament etc... These profound experiences of God, real and vivid in our mind and heart, will enlighten us, empower us and encourage us to soldier on.

   The Transfiguration experience.

In the Gospel reading this 2nd Sunday of Lent, we hear of the Transfiguration of our Lord. Matthew the Evangelist narrates that Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John up to Mount Tabor. In their presence, Jesus was transfigured. Elijah and Moses appeared to them and they were talking to Jesus. Buoyed by euphoria, Peter wanted to pitch tents and stay up there, if possible, forever.

Like the Ferris wheel ride and like the Mount Tabor experience, what goes up must come down. Let us seek not the consolations of God, but rather let us seek the God of consolations. Our spiritual experiences (both consolations and desolations) must help us grow closer to God. Ultimately, the moving cabins of the Ferris wheel (our spiritual state and interior movements) point us to our need for God and our dependence on Him. At all times, at all places, and in all circumstances, let us always look to our Lord Jesus and ‘listen to Him’. He alone is the CENTRE of the Ferris wheel who holds our life together. He alone is the ANCHOR of our life in the tempest sea. And He alone is the SAVIOUR of the world.

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Lord Jesus Christ, come and be the centre of my life.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.