Do you remember the three pillars
of Lent? I will quickly refresh
our minds and then offer some thoughts as we walk through this season.
The
first pillar is alms (or
almsgiving). These are gifts to
serve the poor. Last weekend I
wrote about loving our neighbor and please offer up for the Operation Rice
Bowl, food for the hungry and a co-op missionary. Keep praying for any other needs!
The
second pillar is prayer. Continue to grow deeper in a
relationship—a conversation—with Jesus Christ. We will have several ways to grow in prayer: Stations of the
Cross (Tuesdays at 6:00pm), 40 Hours of Adoration (March 31st-April
2nd), daily Mass and personal prayers.
The
third pillar is fasting. Remember we will give up meat on Fridays. I would also challenge you to discern
other ways to fast. I mean, our
country has the most food in our world!
We can all sacrifice for our brothers and sisters who are hungry through
fasting and prayer.
Finally, there is a powerful
passage to focus our love for our neighbors during this season. It also shows how important alms,
prayer and fasting to do so quietly, humbling and softly: “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by
men. Truly, I say to you, they
have received their reward. But
when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.”
God Bless!
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