ASH WEDNESDAY - OPENING LENT IN THE YEAR OF FAITH.............

The Catholic-Christian Season of Lent, the Springtime of the Church which since the 4th Century A.D., has been a pronounced period of 40 Days of penitential preparation for Easter, begins today Ash Wednesday.  In Communities of Believers around the globe persons will gather and receive the imposition of ashes on their foreheads as an outward sign of the interior conversion we commit ourselves to undergoing during the next six weeks.  The journey of Lenten repentance we make focused on Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving, is our answer to the Call to Continuing Conversion God and the Church invites us to embrace.  For some Lent is traditionally about giving something up; for others it has emerged since Vatican II, as an opportunity to do something more in charity and justice for others.  In this 'Year Of Faith', may each of us dedicate ourselves to observing Lent by making and taking the time to Pray more everyday reading the Sacred Scriptures and Spiritual writings.  Fasting not only from food and drink, snacks and sweets, but from other personal pleasures.  Giving Alms, donating what you can to charitable works, be it a local soup kitchen, / food pantry, or volunteering to help someone or an outreach organization providing for a particular need.  Lent is a renewed opportunity to rediscover and more effectively carry out our Discipleship in Jesus Christ.  What will you do during the next 40 Days to prepare to be Easter People of Living Faith, renewed, refreshed, reformed, in the Truth of striving to, "Tirm away from sin and be Faithful to the Gospel", not only today, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday; but everyday, in every way we can and will.............Fr.  Troy