Lent Gives Us a Chance To Be Renewed
Friends,
It seems that we just finished celebrating Christmas, and now we are in the sacred season of Lent. The Church knows that we need a lot of help to prepare for the Holy Week, when Jesus celebrated the Eucharist with his friends, and then the next day was betrayed, suffered, died and was buried. The fantastic miracle of Jesus rising from the dead on Easter morning is the culmination of Lent and Holy Week. We all need help in remembering these wonderful events of our salvation, and that is why we have the season of Lent. Here at St. John’s, we will start our Lenten observance with our old friend Mark Price. Mark will bring Judas Iscariot to life at all the weekend Masses on the First Sunday of Lent. And then on the next Monday at 7:30, Mark will re-create the image of St. Joseph. I think this is a great way to begin Lent. Come and be renewed by Mark Price.
Also during Lent we will have two daily Masses: our usual 8 a.m. Mass and an evening Mass at 7 p.m. When we attend Mass, we are participating in the real presence of Jesus. That might be something you could do as your personal Lenten observance.
Traditionally, some of us make sacrifices during Lent. We give up candy or something else. We pick up our Bibles and do some extra reflections and prayers. We give some alms or money to the poor. The key is TO DO SOMETHING. God has blessed us abundantly. Lent is a time to say thanks by using this sacred time to improve our spiritual life.
Peace,
Fr. John
