Welcome to the first Sunday of Lent. Many highlight the penitential aspect of Lent, which is true. Yet that is a means and not the final objective of the season. Our end goal should be to love God and neighbor more freely and generously and are willing to lay down our lives through service.
We are in the middle of the Eucharistic Revival and preparing as a diocese for an amazing rally in June called “The Answer” because at the heart of all things Jesus is the answer. This is a great time to look at our relationship with our Eucharistic Lord. If you have not already made adoration a part of your schedule, I encourage you to do so, even if it is a short period of time, a simple visit.
The saints help us in our journey of faith. Recently a short presentation on St. John Bosco was given to our young people in Religious Education. I share with you his 5 steps to Holiness. 1. Holiness of Ordinary Life(be kind and gentle with yourself and others). 2. The Joy and Optimism of Holiness(Joy participates in the life of God & optimism sees light that illumes the darkness). 3. The Holy Eucharist(Do you want our Lord to give you many graces?Visit him often). 4. Centrality of Confession(It is how we repair and maintain our relationship with God). 5. Love of Mary(It’s through Mary that we can learn to love Jesus perfectly).
Being open to God’s will also helps us. So let us continue with the Surrender Novena Day 7. “I perform miracles in proportion to your full surrender to Me and to your not thinking of yourselves. I sow treasure troves of graces when you are in the deepest poverty. No person of reason, no thinker, has ever performed miracles, not even among the saints. He does divine works whosoever surrenders to God. So don’t think about it any more, because your mind is acute and for you it is very hard to see evil and to trust in Me and to not think of yourself. Do this for all your needs; do this all of you and you will see great continual silent miracles. I will take care of things, I promise this to you.” (After that prayer say 10 times) O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!