Although spring doesn’t come officially until 20 March, Lent – which means “spring” – begins this Wednesday, 2 March, with Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, we are again made aware of our sinfulness and our need for salvation. We are called to choose to accompany Jesus as he offers his life to save us. On Ash Wednesday, we receive ashes as both a sign of repentance and a call to choose to prepare for our eternal salvation. This is why there are two formulas – “Repent and believe in the Gospel,” and “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return” – used at the imposition of ashes. As we return to a more normal way of life despite the coronavirus, ashes will be imposed on the foreheads in the traditional manner in accordance with our archdiocese’s most recent directives.
As we begin the Lenten Season, I would like to offer you copies of the popular Lenten Black Book; you will find them at the church entrances. Please take one home for your personal use and feel free to take others to give to members of your family as well as friends or neighbors. This booklet offers brief, thought-provoking reflections for every day of Lent based on very fitting scriptural passages as well as interesting quotes, information and timely thoughts. We will also celebrate the Stations of the Cross throughout Lent at 7:00pm every Friday evening; our school students will present their inspirational Living Stations of the Cross at 7:00pm on Friday, 8 April.
I also encourage you to take advantage of the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation, which is scheduled every Saturday 4:00 – 4:45pm, except on Holy Saturday (16 April). And, we will again host a regional Lenten Penance Service on Wednesday, 6 April, beginning at 7:00pm.
On Wednesday, 23 March, we will host our Lenten Evening of Reflection. Fr. Michael Hughes, O.S.A., from St. Thomas of Villanova Parish, Rosemont, has accepted our invitation to speak at this Evening of Reflection which will begin with its traditional Poor Man’s Supper beginning at 6:15pm and end with the Celebration of the Eucharist. Further details will be made available as the date approaches but please mark your calendar and plan to attend!
Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, will also be the official inauguration of our new pipe organ; you will learn more about that in upcoming weeks. And, in addition to the beautiful Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00pm on Holy Thursday, 14 April, and the Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion at 3:00pm on Good Friday, we’re privileged to have the VoxAmaDeus Ensemble perform Mozart’s Requiem and Rossini’s Stabat Mater, beginning at 7:00pm that same evening. All of these events will offer us very powerful occasions to close this most Holy Week of the year.
Another essential aspect of the Lenten Season is almsgiving. As we become aware of the great sacrifice our Lord, Jesus, made for us on the cross, we are called to share in his sacrifice by sharing the abundance of God’s gifts with those in need around the world. Operation Rice Bowl is an excellent way to do just that. Rice Bowls are at the church entrances for your use. As you will read on the Rice Bowl, more than 140 million people around the world benefit from this annual Lenten program. Over the past few years, the Rice Bowl program has become more interesting, with reflections on a variety of areas in the world that Catholic Relief Services supports through your donations. This year, the places are Guatemala, Bangladesh and Rwanda. You can meet your global family and find a wide variety of interesting resources at crsricebowl.org.
Yes, this is a very important time for us Christians. Let us take the opportunity, once again, to join together in turning back to God and to each other as we prepare to celebrate the new life we have received in the Risen Lord at Easter!