Lent 2017

Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. Jn.17:17

Lent is a time to allow God’s grace to enter into our lives through reconciliation with God, others and ourselves. It is allowing God to move towards us as we try to imitate His goodness and transform ourselves into daughters and sons of God. This “moving towards” is a process of ongoing conversion and is not accomplished overnight; thus, in a very special way the Church sets apart these 40 days of Lent for the necessary interior work.   

During Lent we open our entire life to the Lord, acknowledging our inner confusion, negative feelings, hurts and failures of life. We acknowledge the imperfections of our relationships with God, neighbors and ourselves. Lent gives us an opportunity to become aware of the need for change, through the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit.  Let us reflect on the words of Pope Francis: “The Word is a gift and other persons are gifts”.

Let us embrace this opportunity to renew ourselves according to the Gospel, through fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Creatively listening to the Word of God and putting it into practice, is the basis of everything.  May the grace of God permeate this holy season and our lives.