For What It's Worth by Erin

What are you doing for Lent?

First, let’s remember Ash Wednesday, a PUBLIC fast. “Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning…proclaim a fast, call an assembly”. Our foreheads were marked with ashes reminding us that “we are dust, and to dust we shall return”. Now, we continue to do our Lenten things in private, and we pray, fast, and give alms in secret, choosing things that we hope will lead us to holiness.

So I go back to my first question, what are you doing for Lent? Pray, fast, and give alms. The church allows us to choose. What did Jesus say to his disciples? (Look at Ash Wednesday’s gospel (MT 6:1-6, 16-18)). Jesus said, “When you give alms, when you pray, when you fast…”. Notice He didn’t say IF! Remember what Fr. Hans said, to allow any “no’s” we say to ourselves to lead to a greater yes to God. Ask Jesus to help us choose.

May we Pray, Fast, and Give Alms with a generous heart as we wait in joyful hope for the glorious Easter to come! +