Lent offers us a spiritual springtime: a journey to renew our souls, nurture hope, and embrace new life. In particular, this Jubilee Year invites us to become Pilgrims of Hope who reflect deeply on the transformation that comes from embracing hope.

In the middle of Lent, Jesus shares the parable of a fig tree—a seemingly lifeless tree that the gardener refuses to give up on, nurturing it with the hope that it might thrive once more. It’s not hard to see the similarities between the fig tree and our world, our country, and even our church. This parable is paired with the powerful image of the burning bush from the First Reading, where God tells Moses that he has heard the cries of His people. God assures them that they should not despair, for he will lead them out of the desert and into new life in a land flowing with milk and honey.

We, too, can feel stuck in the desert like the Israelites, or lifeless like the fig tree. Yet this Lent, God patiently waits to revive us with a hope that not only prevails but inspires us to go forth as missionary disciples, bringing new life to a hurting world.

To accompany you on the journey, we have all new free resources below.  We offer you our weekly Reflection Guides, Discover Your Neighbor lesson plans for youth, online formation workshops and more.  Sign up now to get the Reflection Guide delivered each week.