Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, a time to contemplate our spiritual life and look within at the areas we need to work on. Let us spend these 40 days in prayer and penance, purifying our inner selves and drawing closer to Jesus. Lent is a time to renew our minds and hearts. It is more than giving up things. It is making Jesus the center of our lives. Lent is a time of "dying to self" and growing in love and virtue.
We are in the special season of Lent. The word Lent comes from the “lengthening” of daylight hours as we progress from the darkness of winter to the new light of spring. It is the season of the forty days.
We do penance for forty days because Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness. Noah built the Ark and watched the rain fall for 40 days and forty nights. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and received the 10 commandments. The Israelites wandered around the desert for 40 years. All these “forties” are a necessary prelude for something new. In Noah’s case, it’s the rebirth of a sinful world that had been cleansed by raging flood waters. In Moses’ case, it was the birth of the people of the covenant. For the nomadic Israelites, it was the start of a new, settled existence in the Promised land. It is forty weeks that a woman carries her developing baby before a new life can come forth from the womb. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness so that we could be liberated from sin, reconciled to God.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood, says Saint Paul. Fasting breaks undue attachments to material blessings and stimulates our spiritual appetite. Humble service breaks the stranglehold of pride. Reverent worship leads us to authentic faith. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, the secret weapon that slashes through the enemy’s lies.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must. Ephesians 6:11-20
Let us use our forty days as a time to break the strongholds through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and humble service. Let us make little sacrifices each day for all the names we have received and all the names we will receive through this prayer ministry Let us seek the heavenly bread of the Eucharist and the Word of God. In this way, we enter into greater freedom. Darkness gives way to increasing light. Something new and wonderful can be born in us.
"Behold, I make all things new." Then he said, "Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true." He said to me, "They are accomplished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water." Revelation 21:5-6
What will you do for Jesus these 40 days of Lent?
Let us turn away from sin, follow the Commandments, keep our fixed eyes on Christ, attend Mass and receive the Eucharist and Sacrament of Reconciliation as often as possible. Let us pray and fast and ask our Mother Mary to make our hearts like hers and to show us what we can do for Jesus during these 40 days. Let us ask Mary to accompany us to confession and help us grow in virtue.
How to make a Good Confession and Grow in Virtue:
Good Confession + Growing in Virtue
We do penance for forty days because Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness. Noah built the Ark and watched the rain fall for 40 days and forty nights. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and received the 10 commandments. The Israelites wandered around the desert for 40 years. All these “forties” are a necessary prelude for something new. In Noah’s case, it’s the rebirth of a sinful world that had been cleansed by raging flood waters. In Moses’ case, it was the birth of the people of the covenant. For the nomadic Israelites, it was the start of a new, settled existence in the Promised land. It is forty weeks that a woman carries her developing baby before a new life can come forth from the womb. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness so that we could be liberated from sin, reconciled to God.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood, says Saint Paul. Fasting breaks undue attachments to material blessings and stimulates our spiritual appetite. Humble service breaks the stranglehold of pride. Reverent worship leads us to authentic faith. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, the secret weapon that slashes through the enemy’s lies.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must. Ephesians 6:11-20
Let us use our forty days as a time to break the strongholds through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and humble service. Let us make little sacrifices each day for all the names we have received and all the names we will receive through this prayer ministry Let us seek the heavenly bread of the Eucharist and the Word of God. In this way, we enter into greater freedom. Darkness gives way to increasing light. Something new and wonderful can be born in us.
"Behold, I make all things new." Then he said, "Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true." He said to me, "They are accomplished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water." Revelation 21:5-6
What will you do for Jesus these 40 days of Lent?
Let us turn away from sin, follow the Commandments, keep our fixed eyes on Christ, attend Mass and receive the Eucharist and Sacrament of Reconciliation as often as possible. Let us pray and fast and ask our Mother Mary to make our hearts like hers and to show us what we can do for Jesus during these 40 days. Let us ask Mary to accompany us to confession and help us grow in virtue.
How to make a Good Confession and Grow in Virtue:
Good Confession + Growing in Virtue
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