Lenten Journey 2014: The Monday of the fourth week of Lent

Good evening, internet. Today began the Lenten struggle yet again. But today, it felt different. It was a struggle that I embraced wholeheartedly. Realizing that there is no magic formula, no brownie point you get for fasting, but simply spending extra time with the One who built the earth's foundation, is reward enough for me. As Holy Week draws closer and closer, so does the cross. The cross, which has become a universal sign for the Christian faith, didn't start out that way. But Jesus redefined the cross. And am I glad that He did. 

God bless,

Manny Tovar

Lenten Journey 2014: The Sunday in the fourth week of Lent

Good evening, internet. Today was a wonderful day, indeed. Spent some time with my parents, and ate some empanadas for dinner. That constitutes a great end for any day, in my opinion. This is fixing to be a great week, and I can't wait to see what the Lord has to teach me this week. Please pray for me, dear reader, for continued perseverance. 

God bless,

Manny Tovar

Lenten Journey 2014: The Saturday of the fourth week of Lent

As I lay here writing this, I find myself reflecting on my Lenten journey thus far. Having reached the halfway point of this season, I realize the work God has done so far and will continue to do in this penitential season. With three weeks remaining until the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, I find myself being more and more directed toward the cross of Christ and finding relief and comfort in this cross. This cross, in a sense, becomes the new tree of life, and those who partake of its Fruit receive eternal life. These beautiful anti types are truly one of the most beautiful images in scripture. The fruit that Adam and Eve partook of brought death and sin to all, so the Fruit on the cross offer life and salvation to all. And with this I shall leave you tonight. 

God bless,

Manny Tovar

Lenten Journey 2014: The Friday of the fourth week of Lent

Good afternoon, Internet. Today marks 4 weeks until the end of my spring semester. It is so exciting, yet bittersweet. I have made many friends here and three and a half months away from them seems impossible for me to handle at the moment. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say. Today also marks two weeks until Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday on April 13th. That will be quite a week for me, one that I am anticipating with utmost joy. This post will be short, but my thoughts today are short indeed.

In Christ,
Manny Tovar

Lenten Journey 2014: The Thursday of the fourth week of Lent

Good evening, Internet. Today has been a marvelous day. I wanted to share with you all a quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a great man of God. "Suffering must be borne, so that it will pass. Either the world must bear it and go down because of it, or it falls on Christ and is overcome in Him. So Christ suffers vicariously for the world. The Son of God bore our flesh, and for that reason He bore the cross; He bore all our sins and through His bearing achieved reconciliation. So too are disciples called to be bearers. Being a Christian consists in bearing." Christ has experienced suffering. This is something that brings nothing but hope to my life. When I stumble and experience temptation, Christ understands. Whenever I feel betrayed by a close friend, Christ understands. When I lose a loved one, Christ understands. Christ understands what makes humans human. And I'm sure He saw the fallen side of humanity during His sojourn here on this earth. He must have seen how brother can betray brother and friend defraud friend. He saw the absolute evil in people. But what blows my mind is that Christ, on the cross, took that evil He saw and placed it upon Himself. He died for those who didn't even give Him a second look. If you're a sinner like me, then do I have good news for you. You are exactly the person that Christ died for.

" For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19, ESV)


God Bless,

Manny Tovar

Lenten Journey 2014: The Wednesday of the fourth week of Lent

Good evening, internet. Today was a wonderful day all around. I learned some interesting things in my New Testament Survey class. I went to a midday Lent service and got to hear one of my pastor friends preach, so that was pretty sweet. And now I am in bed, ready to shut my eyes and sleep, thankful for all the Lord has given to me today. 

God bless,

Manny Tovar

Lenten Journey 2014: The Tuesday of the third week of Lent

Good evening, internet. Please forgive me for not updating you all these past three days. This weekend was extremely busy as well as yesterday. But I'm back now, and I am here to catch you all up. Saturday was a glorious day. I did absolutely nothing school-related, and hung out at the pool with some friends and then hung out with some more friends in the evening. Sunday was equally glorious, in which I went to church, heard a very good sermon, then hung out with my parents almost all afternoon since they came to visit me. Yesterday began the torture yet again as classes began with a boom. I've been meditating on Christ's temptation lately, and how He was able to resist it. Christ is the example for how humanity originally was supposed to be. It helps to have an example, but what's more is that Jesus understands me at all! In my theology class, we are discussing the various misunderstandings about the natures of Jesus. The fact that Jesus is both divine and human takes a huge burden off my shoulder. I don't have to do anything. Jesus has done it all for me. That, my friends, is good news indeed.

In Christ,
Manny Tovar