In the holy Gospel for this week, the truth that our Lord and Saviour is God is plainly set forth. “Before Abraham was, I am.” There is with Him neither past nor future. The words “I am” express the truth of His eternal being.
Yet He laid aside His Divine glory, which He had with the Father before the world was, and humbled Himself to be made man, that He might be truly and perfectly both God and Man. As man He chose the last and the lowest place. His mother was a maiden of somewhat lowly station. He was born in the stable of an inn. He grew up as a carpenter at Nazareth. He had not anywhere to lay His head, and was among His disciples as he that serveth.
His will was not only to be tempted in all points like as we are, but also to know the fellowship of our infirmities, that He might feel the sorrows of all, and so be able to sympathize with all. His desire was to be poor that He might know by experience something of the grinding hardness of poverty. He was to labor with hard toil that, though sinless Himself, He might taste and bear the curse of sin which was partly expressed in the words, “In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread.”
He was young as many regular men, active, vigorous, and of high spirit, like myself. But He was without sin, “a Son that never did amiss,” brave and patient, but at the same time kind and gentle towards all, loving above all things the courts of His Father’s house.
Temptation assailed Him, but He conquered it. Sometimes it came from the great tempter himself, sometimes from the mistaken kindness of some dear friend, and sometimes from the cruel taunts of bitter foes. In spite of all, though He was sometimes weighed down and depressed by it all, He kept the straight path of obedience to the will of God. At last, when He had perfected His obedience in life He offered Himself in death a sacrifice for our sins.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach me truly to believe in Thee, that I may the better know Thy love, and so may the more heartily love and follow Thee all the days of my life. Amen.
From Lent for Busy People © 2017 Fr. Charles H. Nalls
The Cathedral Close 
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