God of hope, You journey with us through the desert. You challenge us to become more like Christ. During this Lenten season, may our prayers, fasting and almsgiving give us the courage to go forth from these 40 days in the desert to share our gifts with the world. May our encounter with you allow us to bring your hope to all of our human family. Amen. (CRS Rice Bowl)
LEARN!
Love is Patient...
"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrong-doing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Many of us are very familiar with the Scripture passage above. In fact, it is read at many weddings. Here is a beautiful story of a married couple who lived out these words for 60 years, including the many years the husband cared for the wife as she lived with Alzheimer's.
Called to Holiness
At our February Parish Faith Formation sessions, we explored the call we all receive at Baptism -- to use our gifts to live holy lives of service. ALL are called to holiness, not just those called to priesthood or religious life. Here is an article that explains this universal call to holiness for all of us, but also gives information about several religious orders.
DO!
Try Something New for Lent
This year, the season of Lent extends from Ash Wednesday, March 6, to the evening of Holy Thursday, April 18. Most years, I have very good intentions of making this Lent "the best Lent ever!" (I think there's even on on-line resource with that title). But it seems that winter weather, or cold and flu season, or the realities of parish and family life -- or all of the above -- insert themselves. I end up with the same minimal observance. I don't break the rules, but I don't do much more.
This Lent, I think I will try a different approach. Instead of attempting to make it a super Lent, I am challenging myself to try one new thing. Just one. If you are inclined to try one new thing, here are some suggestions:
CRS Rice Bowl's website has a resource, "How to Practice Lent," which offers several good ideas.
Pick up a "Little Black Book" or one of the other Lenten resources that will be in the gathering space and use it each day
Watch our bulletin and parish website for information about parish Lenten activities and try a new one
Receive daily e-mail Lenten reflections from Loyola Press by subscribing to "Living Lent Daily"