What are we capable of and where do I truly stand?

Began this Lenten season well with reading the prayer and study for Lent Event on the train, and attending Mass at lunchtime. The imagery is remarkably stark as the fires in Victoria continue to smoulder and erupt, and Queensland recovers from flood. The ash on my forehead connects and yet emphasises the disconnect between the experience of so many and my unscathedness. The generous reproduction permissions granted by the Lent Event team mean I can share the commencement reflection from Peter Pereira:

Down from the Mountain.
A transfigured Jesus stands on a mountain bathed in light.
He turns and beckons us to him.
No words are spoken but the message is clear.
‘Do you dare follow?’
The light fades and the journey begins.
We plunge into the depths of the Easter journey,
to be baptised by the death of Friday,
to gasp for breath in the grief of Saturday
and to burst into the light of Sunday.
God of new life, nourish us as we travel.
May new wine burst the old wineskins.
May laughter and joy burst from our lips.

And in the study I was struck by the thought that "A tempter seeks to make a person fail and fall, whereas a tester seeks to find out what a person is capable of and where they truly stand." The challenge for me this week is to consider how my lifestyle aligns with God's promise to Noah not to destroy the earth. Am I standing with God in this, or with the principalities and powers that spew out carbon and swamp nation states into oblivion? I am enjoying the challenge of developing Lenten disciplines as a way of standing for creation. It will be amazing to see what Lent Event participants are collectively capable of.