My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you. The joyful season of Lent is fast approaching. It is a sacred time given to us Christians by the Church for renewal, conversion, and hope. On Ash Wednesday, we begin in sobriety and honesty. We hear the ancient words imposed on our foreheads with ashes: “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” or “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” These challenging words are not meant to discourage us, but to free us. They're meant to remind us that God is not finished with us yet. Lent is a journey of returning to the Lord. 

But how do I do that?

Lent invites us to examine our lives, and, little by little or sometimes in dramatic ways, to allow our hearts to be reshaped and conformed more closely to that of Christ. We walk with Him through the Sundays and the weekdays of Lent. We fast. We abstain. We simplify our lives. We change our diets -not only food, but of habits, distractions, and attitudes that weigh us down and keep us from loving fully and completely.

We also pray more ardently. We linger with the Stations of the Cross, standing beside Jesus, in His suffering, discovering how deeply we are loved. We gather with family and friends at Friday fish fries, strengthening community, even as we practice sacrifice. In all of this, we look for concrete ways to make room, more room, for the Lord in our daily lives.

You see, Lent is not an end in itself. Our journey carries us from the ashes of repentance to the palms of Holy Week, to the upper room, to Calvary, and, ultimately, to an empty tomb. When all seemed lost, when darkness appeared to have the final word, something amazing occurred. Christ turned up alive again.

The stone was rolled away. Death was defeated. Hope was restored, and that is what we are moving toward. And we want to be ready to welcome Christ in all His glory, into our struggles, our wounds, our hurts. We know that only Christ. Has the power to heal us totally and completely, particularly during the season in the sacrament Penance available all throughout our diocese, in all our parishes. And that is what gives meaning to every sacrifice, every prayer, every quiet act of generosity this season invites. It is as though Lent is a moment of makeover. We might even call it extreme makeover, so why not take advantage of the graces offered during this powerful season of knowing God's love for each of us.

As we begin this holy time together, I urge you to not be afraid of Lent. Embrace it. Walk with confidence. Christ is here with us, and let the Lord do His work in you. Trust that even small steps of faith can lead to profound renewal. Indeed, make this Lent draw us closer to Christ, closer to one another, closer to the joy of His resurrection. 

So, my brothers and sisters, I wish you a happy Lent, a joyful Lent because we know what is at the end. May God bless you abundantly on this sacred journey to experience the resurrection of Jesus with even greater joy. I'll be praying for this gift for each of you, and I ask that you join me in praying for it also, and I invite you to also pray for me. I, too, desire to grow even more in the Lord's love during this Lenten season. May God bless you.