Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of our preparation period. The journey begins with contrition, owning up to our sin and brokenness, and evaluating the state of our relationship with God. Ash Wednesday, by its very name, reminds us of our mortality. We are created from dust, and to dust we shall return. Therefore, when we pass on to the other side and we stand before God, we may be asked to give an account of our lives.
Ash Wednesday, March 9th, Holy Mass with the blessing and distribution of ashes will take place at 12 (noon) and 7 p.m.
Fasting and abstinence – we have to eat only one full meal and 2 small ones. Of course meals have to be meatless. (on Ash Wednesday & Good Friday and all Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent).
Lent is a season of the Christian year whose name comes from the Latin for “lengthening of days.†Lent is for preparation, a journey of preparing our souls to encounter the amazing mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Easter can never mean quite as much without the journey through Lent.
Lent compels us to return to Christian discipline and to make time for genuine spiritual care for ourselves. Lent is a time to center our thoughts on God and to remember that we are spiritual people on a physical journey. What stands in your way of a closer walk with our Lord Jesus?
During these days of Lent, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Let us support each other in our joys and sorrows, and in the challenges we face. Remembering the words of Psalm 46, “God is our refuge and strength ….a very present help in times of trouble.â€
Let us turn to the Lord, our refuge and strength. Let us walk together in peace and love.
We will be meeting at 7 p.m. on Friday nights during Lent for a special Lenten Devotion – The way of the Cross. (Droga Krzyzowa). All are invited, so please join us.