Letter from the Pastor
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February 17, 2021Today is the First Sunday of Lent. We have now entered into the season of penitential practices, but these practices can take on many different forms. Traditionally the practices are three: prayer, fasting, almsgiving. The point of these practices is to cleanse and prepare us to receive the gift of salvation. What our souls need when Lent arrives changes each year. It is important to be honest with ourselves when assessing our spiritual needs, and the state of our soul.
Lent forces us to look at our attachments and priorities in life. Where does God and our spiritual life lie?
Even in difficult times, there can be things we need to remove to better focus on the Lord. Certainly many of you have had a year of penance and giving up things that you loved to do. But, if the thought of Lent weighs heavier than usual this year, we can offer up our sufferings and recognize our need for Christ.
For those who want to experience this transformation but have already been through great trials or endured great sacrifices in the past few months, a gentler approach to this season could be the perfect way to lean on Christ and grow closer to Him.
Here are a few suggestions for observing the traditional prayer, fasting and almsgiving in a way that feeds and heals the already burdened soul:
Prayer:- Attend a weekday Mass.
- Make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament during the day.
- Read a passage of Sacred Scripture each day.
- Read a spiritual book written by a saint.
- Commit to a decade of the Rosary every day and offer up your worries with each bead.
- Think of one person you can pray for the entire day.
- Pick a saint to learn more about throughout Lent.
Fasting:- Swap out secular music for religious music.
- Spend the first ten minutes of your day in silence. Silence can reveal our worries and/or temptations and help us better know the areas we need to ask God’s guidance.
- Do a social media fast. Give up for one day per week Facebook etc or, set a timer on social apps.
- Instead of giving up one major food all of Lent, pick a small food sacrifice each day. Examples: having water instead of soda, having black coffee, not adding salt or condiments, not having dessert, not having seconds, giving up dairy for a day, eliminate alcohol.
- Cursing or vulgar language.
- Giving up going out to dinner.
- No snooze button! Get out of bed immediately.
Almsgiving:- Clean out the house and donate excess or unused clothes, toys and other items to a charity that helps the less fortunate. Donate baby items to pregnancy centers or other local moms in need.
- Call a family member or friend who could use some company.
- Participate in the Cardinal’s Annual Appeal as is possible, either through donations, prayers or both.
- Buy fast-food gift cards to give to the needy on street corners and hand them out when stopped (if it is safe to do so).
Pick one thing from above and just start the season with it. If it is challenging, keep going!
Remember, we have control over our bodily needs and desires; it doesn’t control us.
Have a Blessed Lent; don’t waste the days or the pain.
