Lent ends on a note of wonder. In the face of all the mighty works that God has already performed for the people, God promises something even more magnificent. The first reading proclaims that something new is about to appear. In the gospel, this new thing unfolds before our eyes. Here we see Jesus neither rejecting the law nor changing it. Instead, he shows that the law, as good as it might be, serves something higher. He shows that the mercy and compassion of God exceed the authority of the law. Once again we see that the readings of Lent are less concerned with mortification and penance than they are with divine graciousness and our response of joy and thanksgiving. Life with Christ transforms us from people who are caught in sin to women and men who have been forgiven. Life in Christ is the new thing that God has fashioned for us. God is the one who creates something new; we are the ones who are re-created.