Lent 2009

Dearest Ones,

Each year 40 days, called Lent, are set aside when we have an opportunity to get closer to Jesus. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 25 and ends with Easter, April 12. The Church asks us to abstain from eating meat on ALL Fridays during Lent and to fast and abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It seems like such a small thing to ask, when we think of what Jesus did for us. I like the season of Lent because it keeps me focused on heaven, my home. God has many special graces for us during Lent. "Unless you deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me, you cannot be my disciple." (Matt 16: 24-27) These words of Jesus offer no options; if we refuse to follow Him, we are refusing heaven. If we don't follow Jesus, it means we go on ahead of Him. I don't want to go ahead of Jesus - I'm afraid I'd take wrong turns for sure and end up getting lost. What does it mean to follow Him? It means to be willing to serve, to take the last place, to make someone else's life brighter than my own, to forgive, etc. These powerful words of Jesus, are meant to bring us closer to Him. This doesn't mean in following Jesus, we can't have fun any more. Not at all! Rather, it means we'll be far happier following Jesus, than following worldly values, where money becomes a false god. "What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?" Sometimes, when we think of Lent, we may think of penance, the cross, giving up, suffering, and other hard things. Is God mean in wanting us to suffer? Penance, the cross and hard things to give up are all means to bring us closer and closer to the heart of Jesus. Jesus knows we will not be happy until we are connected to Him, so He shows us the way. The devil knows better than we do, what will bring us closer to Jesus; that's why he hates Lent. He will do everything he can to convince us that Lent is no big deal, that it is just like every other time of the year, so why do anything different? Don't let him have his way. Be smart and don't side with him. Evil is very real - just listen to the news. The devil works in many situations all over the world. But he works especially in families, trying to tear them apart. Sometimes, he tempts us to do nothing. He enjoys finding people so convinced they are right and others are wrong, they refuse to do anything. For example, giving up sweets or soda pop; how could this possibly bring us closer to Jesus? The reason it may bring us nearer to Christ is because in saying "No" in a little thing like sweets, we are strengthening our will power, which will lead us to say "No" to bigger things, such as, laziness, lying, pride and selfishness. If we give up something for the love of Jesus, He will reward us a hundred times more than what we give up. We will be more closely united with Him. I pray each morning that I will do whatever it takes to stay united to Him all day long. With Him I want to go to work, with Him I want to visit with friends, with Him I want to suffer. I am never alone, because He is my constant companion. He is present to me at every minute. He is with each one of you, too. Never forget that, even though the demons will try in every way possible to discourage you and tempt you to lose your faith, the Holy Spirit is stronger and more powerful. Open your hearts to the Spirit - he will strengthen you. Let Jesus love you. How He longs to have his children desire Him, even though we can't "feel" Him or "hear" Him - that doesn't mean He is not there. Jesus longs for our love. One would think He wouldn't need our love because he has everything, but He does. He came to live with us, not just because he wanted to find out what it was like to be a man on this earth. Rather, He came so we would know how much He loves us. He proved it by dying on the cross. It's something we can never understand but we don't have to understand, only believe. That is why faith is so important. We need to pray for faith every day because it is so fragile and can be easily be destroyed. Each of us has to do our own soul-searching to find what it is that will deepen our faith this Lent. It may be different for each person. Perhaps the Holy Spirit may be nudging you to forgive someone and to let them know you forgive them. You may be called to do something positive - like volunteering for some good cause, so as to make life better for some other person or God may be asking you to lovingly accept and embrace all that life sends you each day. He may ask you to share your faith with someone who is lost or searching. He is so pleased with our slightest efforts.

Your reward will be great for whatever you do! Never forget God's tremendous love for you!

Sister Francelle