"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and good to all". Many people like to distinguish between the God of the Old Testament, and the God revealed to us by Jesus.

In reality, we must be careful to put aside our misconceptions and learn to recognise God's total picture presented in the Bible.

Especially, in reading the Old Testament, we must correct our notion of the militaristic God who kills Israel's enemies and learn to appreciate the God of kindness and grace revealed to us in the spirituality of the Psalms.

In today's responsorial Psalm, God is seen as much closer to the picture presented by Jesus and the best of Christian theology and spirituality.

The whole thrust of John's Gospel is the closeness of the Father to the Son Jesus. And Jesus in turn sends us in the same way (John 20:21) so that we too can be as close to the Father as He is (John 14:3). Jesus calls us to live in the same dependence on the Father.

As Lent is starting to turn towards its close, let us hunger for this unity with the Father in a caring and generous following of Christ. Let us not yearn for the foods and satisfactions of this world but fast from them so that the Spirit might fill us with what nourishes us and lifts us up to the Father's embrace.

Let us turn in prayer seeking not only a more in-depth understanding but also a closer union with the Father which Jesus calls us to.