Pastoral Message – February 11, 2024
On Wednesday, February 14, a large number of people will come to church throughout our country and throughout the world. Some will be regular churchgoers and others will not. All will be coming because it is Ash Wednesday. They will receive blessed ashes on their forehead and hear the words, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk. 1:15) Although the ashes will be the most prominent feature of the service, the words are by far the most important thing. They are part of the inaugural message of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark.
Given those words of the Lord, the ritual of receiving ashes implies that we have something to repent of. The season of Lent calls us to identify what habitual ways of thinking, speaking, and acting we must change if we are truly to be followers of Christ. None of us are perfect, so if we are honest with ourselves, we will be able to identify how the Lord is calling us to change. In making this change, we are strengthened and helped by the three classic practices of Lent, as described by Jesus in Mt. 6:1-18. They are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Prayer during Lent might mean taking the Scriptures in hand more regularly and thoughtfully, listening to what God is saying to us and responding wholeheartedly. It might include participating in Mass on weekdays. There are any number of other devotions, readings, and spiritual practices that can lift our minds and hearts to the Lord in prayer.
Fasting during Lent is what people mean when they talk about “giving something up” for Lent. It could be giving up some type of food, or it could be cutting back on the use of social media and our screen time, or doing without something else that we like, as a means of strengthening our discipline and focusing more attention on the Lord.
Almsgiving during Lent turns us out of ourselves and calls on us to give to others generously. There are many outreach activities in the parish that can help us channel our resources to others in need. There are also, undoubtedly, people in our lives who are in need of our kindness—whether it be a smile, a listening ear, or a little help in one way or another.
Let’s remember that whatever we do during Lent is meant to bring us closer to the Lord, and to help us live out his Gospel message. The depth of our joy at Easter will be determined by our closeness to the Lord during Lent. Let’s make the most of this season of grace!
