Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your Heavenly Father… and your Father who sees in secret will repay you”.
– Matthew 6: 1,6

       The liturgical season invites us to this new season of Lent, starting from Ash Wednesday to Holy Easter. We enter into the season of Lent, marking the sign of the cross on our forehead with ashes. This is the very sign that reminds us that we are saved by Jesus, the Son of God, who hung upon the cross to cleanse and redeem us from sin and death. It is a season that invites us to enter into a journey of conversion to be truly who we are as children of God, saved by the blood and life of Jesus. It strongly and concretely reminds us as the new catechumens are led to the same faith that we have received at our own baptism and leading us up to the Holy Week to be a new creation in God.  

       The main characteristics of this season are repentance and holiness. It is an invitation to each of our hearts to change and transform into holiness. We are helped in this season by the Church through its liturgical celebration of fasting, praying, and almsgiving, the three major characteristics of this season of Lent. The liturgies, with their readings, knock at our hearts to repent and move towards conversion and a change of self. We are invited to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, who transforms us. “If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts Psalm 95”. The Ash Wednesday readings remind us not to make this season’s calling a routine that comes and goes every year but rather make it more authentic and truthful, with sincerity of heart and without any hypocrisy. Let us move toward authentic reconciliation and charity that is not an act out of obligation or excess. Let it be a genuine purpose and realization of the need to mend our hearts and be close to God. It’s a season that invites us to be less of ourselves and more of God. John The Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” John 3:30. Thus, we become worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven with our lives here on earth, less on ourselves but more on Jesus.

       May the Holy Spirit give us the courage to be brave in our faith journey, and may Our Lady of Good counsel intercede for us.

I wish you all a fruitful Lenten season ahead.