Dear Friends in Christ,
There is a verse in Psalm 16 that says, “He has put into my heart a marvelous love for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.” I often think that those words are an apt description of a priest’s heart. When I look out at Mass each Sunday and see you, your families, your joys, your sorrows, your burdens, your trials, your example, your fidelity, your desires etc., my heart is filled with a marvelous love for you. This marvelous love is a gift from the Lord.
Today we stand at the threshold of Holy Lent. We step forward together into the desert in order to be purified and to grow in virtue. Just like the Hebrew People were led by the Lord from slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land, so too, we begin our Lenten pilgrimage. In this time and in this place, the Lord desires to lead all of us–together–into a deeper relationship with Him.
It is always good to begin Ash Wednesday with a plan in place. Each of us is in need of purification and each of us is in need of a deeper union with Christ. Lent is an opportunity for all of us to join together in pursuing a greater conformity with Christ. The purpose of Lent is not merely to “give something up,” but to become more like Christ. Some things we give up because they are bad for us. Other things we give up as a way of disciplining ourselves.
Is there some vice in your life that you know you should give up? Gossip, complaining, harboring resentments, pornography, attention-seeking, wasting time, spiritual laziness, spending too much time on empty entertainment, stinginess etc.? Lent is a good time to pick one of them and really dig deep in order to eliminate that vice from your life permanently.
There are other things we give up just for the season of Lent. These can be good or neutral things that we voluntarily curtail in order to discipline ourselves to build up spiritual muscle to give up the more difficult attachments we have to sin. So, for example, maybe we give up a few minutes of sleep each day during Lent. We wake up ten minutes earlier each day and use that time for prayer. That sacrifice can strengthen us to fight the more difficult battles of giving up sins that have a hold upon us.
It’s not about doing things just to do them. It’s about growing in virtue, especially in the virtue of charity. When I was a kid, my parish offered four daily Masses on weekdays during Lent, and they were all packed! There is nothing that can help us grow in charity more than worthy participation in Holy Mass. St. Patrick Parish will offer a 6pm Mass each weekday during Lent in addition to our daily Noon Mass. I hope that you will consider taking advantage of this gift.
There are millions of things we can add for Lent. Increase your charitable giving. Pick one person each day and offer all your prayers and sacrifices that day for them. Write a note to one person each day during Lent telling them that you are praying for them. Visit the sick or the lonely. Instead of being negative or complaining, encourage people.
These are all just random ideas. Each of us has to examine ourselves and figure out what our Lenten plan should be. Be careful to avoid certain pitfalls! For instance, one failure doesn’t mean we quit altogether. If we fail in our Lenten discipline, we get up and carry on. Do not come up with a plan that is bound to fail. Better to pick one or two things and actually do them than to pick a hundred things and never do any of them. Also, don’t make your Lenten penance everybody else’s penance. If giving up coffee is going to make everyone else in your life miserable, don’t give up coffee!
If you don’t already, add frequent confession to your Lenten plan.
I really hope that this Lent is a season of extraordinary grace for all of us. We are in it together. As I write this, I think of all of you and where you sit at Mass. I can see you there in your spot. And, my heart is filled with that marvelous love. I look forward to living this Lent together. As we set out together, let’s pray for one another and encourage one another. Before us is a great opportunity. Together, and by God’s grace, may we become truly holy.
Your Brother in Christ,
Fr. David Barnes
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