Believe it or not, Lent will begin in just a little over one week.  Ash Wednesday is a time for us to recommit ourselves to following Jesus more closely.  We are marked with the sign of the cross in ashes, a sign not only of our humanity, but also as a reminder that we belong to Christ.

Lent is a time for us examine our hearts and to reassess the direction in which we are moving.  Are we on the right road?  Could we do better?  Are we giving God enough room in our lives? We are invited to repent by doing three things – praying, fasting, and the doing of good works.  The word repentance simply means changing ourselves for the better, turning around and moving forward. 

All too often I hear people say that they don’t know how to pray.  Prayer is simply spending time with God, making room for God in our busy lives.  We don’t have to recite long prayers or special formulas; prayer is about sitting with God in quiet; spending quality time with God.

In addition to prayer, we are encouraged to fast or deny ourselves something pleasurable, not to punish ourselves, but to remind us to focus on what is truly important – our relationship with God.  Fasting is a way to keep us focused on God.  Every time we crave what we’ve given up, it’s an opportunity for us to realize why we are fasting – our love for God.
 
The third invitation is the doing of good works.  Giving alms does not simply mean donating money, but more importantly, it means getting our hands dirty for the Lord.  It means taking time to lighten the load for another person, to make a difference in the life of another person without an expectation of receiving anything in return. We don’t have to do great and astonishing things; we simply need to love – to be caring and compassionate. 

Now is the time for us to begin planning our Lenten journey.  May this coming Lenten season help you renew your faith in new and exciting ways so that when we celebrate the joy of Easter, we celebrate it with pure and clean hearts on fire with God’s love. 

May God bless you and your loved ones today, tomorrow, and forevermore.

Fr. Harry