When I think about Jesus’ life lessons as a master teacher, I recognize his keen ability to teach the important things. His words and actions distilled undeniable and sagacious truth. What the Pharisees and scribes thought was his arrant dismissal of the Torah was Jesus’ uncanny ability to point to what mattered.

Allow this Lenten poem to lead you from ashes to the cross, from the ground of our being to the love and mercy of God, to transformation as we return to God.

God’s mercy is always available to us but how often do we ask for it or receive it? I may not think I need it, or maybe I’m not a sinner after all. I may not feel worthy of God’s forgiveness. Through the parable of the Prodigal Son and the movie, “The Mission,” we explore God’s mercy and what makes it so important to living a full life.

A golden retriever can teach us a lot about magnanimity: having a loftiness of spirit that enables one to bear trouble calmly and with a noble generosity. Like Jesus, we can face “fruitful, creative tension” with a willingness to listen and learn from one another.