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Email a FriendPosted by Sandi on Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 5:54 PM (EDT):
I love the line: “Create spaces of silence…” A really good reminder for me. Thanks & happy Lent!
Lenten Reflections
day one of Lent
Posted by Rachel Balducci in Family on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 1:07 PM
This Lenten season, we’ll be running a daily essay from a Lenten booklet I helped compile. If you’d like more information on the project, please read here.
Ash Wednesday, February 22
An interesting phenomenon will occur the week of Mardi Gras. Parish Office phones will be ringing off the hook. “When do you give out ashes?” “When can I come and get ashes?” And this will be verified on Ash Wednesday as thousands of people come to each church for this sacred day.
What makes Ash Wednesday so popular? I think we all enjoy the idea of a journey and Ash Wednesday is the embarkation point of a 40 day journey into the desert. We join one billion other Catholics and millions of other Christians on this spiritual journey of repentance and renewal.
“Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” This is one of the formulae used to distribute ashes. I actually think we like being reminded of our mortality. Much of our society seeks to avoid the idea of moving towards an end. We seek to delay it with fashion, injections and even surgery but the reality is I am moving towards a definitive end in terms of my time on this earth. The Church reminds me my days are numbered but, being reminded of that, I am inspired to treasure these days and to live well!
“Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” This is the other formula used for ashes. Once again it is good news. I am a sinner in need of conversion. At some level we all know that we have fallen short of the glory of God. The other day I was singing a song at Mass, “Cleanse me from my sin, deep within. Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy. Set apart for you Lord…ready to do your will.” Lent is a time to go deep within and be cleansed from patterns of sin that we have developed over this year or other years.
“Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart…” How can we use these days to give God our heart? Today we imitate Our Lord who went into the desert for 40 days. How can you make these coming weeks a spiritual retreat in the midst of your busy world and ask God to fill your heart? You will continue to go to school, to work and to live your daily life but you can create an environment of the desert in your life. Create spaces of silence so the whisper of God can reach. Your Father wants to talk to you about repentance, true joy, your vocation, your plans for the semester, your plans for the summer, and your plans after school. The Father is waiting for us in the desert. Let us go and listen.
—Fr. Tim McKeown
Comments
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Posted by Mario Hargianto on Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 6:10 PM (EDT):
The Lent of year 2012 has very important meaning for me. God Father is pulling me down to “the ash-bottom”. It is not easy but it is for the truth of me. I know I have not yet been at “the ash-bottom”, but I am being pulled to be there, the ash-bottom of truth of me. Thank You, Father God.
Thank you, Fr. Tim for your reflection.
Posted by fairlady68 on Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 8:56 PM (EDT):
This is a great article…especially this part:
***The other day I was singing a song at Mass, “Cleanse me from my sin, deep within. Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy. Set apart for you Lord…ready to do your will.” Lent is a time to go deep within and be cleansed from patterns of sin that we have developed over this year or other years.***
@Mario Hargianto: May God bless you on your 2012 Lenten journey and may you find the joy of a true heart to heart connection to our Father God through His Son Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit. It’s there for you, too! Even when it seems like it never could be.
Posted by Mario hargianto on Friday, Feb 24, 2012 6:15 PM (EDT):
Thank you, Fairlady68, for your blessing and prayer. God Bless You too, always.
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