Dear Friend, 

Reflection by Carlos Penagos

Beauty and Tragedy at Masada

Before our Holy Land Pilgrimage, I had no knowledge of Masada, and so everything I saw and learned was new and amazing. There was so much to consider about this huge fortress overlooking the Dead Sea in the Southern part of Israel.

I learned of the tragedy that happened to the Jewish people in approximately the year 73 when the Roman army laid siege to the fortress. Knowing that the army was going to defeat them and likely make them slaves, the Jewish men at Masada decided to take their own lives. 

How tragic that they committed suicide.  How tragic that slavery had been a real possibility for them.

Masada became a place of deep reflection for me on the chains that enslave us, as I considered not only what happened in 73, but also the reality of slavery in today’s world, even in subtle forms that we at times don’t even notice.  Sometimes we don’t put up a fight because we don’t realize that we are at risk of becoming slaves, indeed, we may already be enslaved. Consider how so many of us have become slaves to social media.  Some courageous people have come to realize its damaging effects and have given it up, only at times to be mocked or rejected by society for their radical stance.

I have been pondering how important is the Good News of the Gospel for those who are enslaved, and also for those who are rejected by society.  Jesus truly is the hope for those who are trapped and rejected. Jesus is the one who came to free us from the slavery of sin through his death and resurrection.

This Lent, let ask our Lord to release us from the chains that enslave us, and to help us to live in the freedom that He desires for us. 

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Carlos Penagos is a Second Theology seminarian for the Diocese of Paterson.