FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT - MARCH 6, 2022

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

God is present with us at all times. We must understand, especially in moments when we are afraid, in doubt, or angry at God, that He uses others to express His presence and His goodness. We can only recognize this if we seek after Him when we need Him most...

READ THIS SUNDAY'S MESSAGE

Jesus’ time in the wilderness for 40 days is a way in which we can understand exactly how God is not only present with us at all times, but actively lives in solidarity with us. God is not an authoritarian ruler who forces us to follow His will and to do His work while He sits back and does nothing. Instead, He practices divine and perfect leadership - He does what He wants us to do, but He does it first and He does it perfectly. Lent can be difficult. Giving up things, intentionally dedicating more of our precious time to pray, and giving up more in order to give to others is not easy, and we have promised to do it for 40 days. But God, in the person of Jesus Christ, had done exactly this by going into the wilderness for 40 days, praying and fasting. He also did this in a perfect way; he did not cheat, cut corners, or take days off between those 40 days. But if we are going to follow God and do what He wants us to do, it is appropriate to ask ourselves why He wants us to do this. Why do we participate in Lent? Why did Christ also do this? Just as we are called to be during Lent, every action in Christ’s life was intentional and had a purpose. During his own 40 days, Christ was not alone. It was time He was spending alone with his Father, receiving the plan for the next 3 years of his life in which he would set out for his public ministry. During our 40 days, we use the intentional prayer, fasting, and charity we undergo to recognize God’s present and to better understand what He is calling us to do.

FAMILIES, ACTIVATE!

Family activity to do at home: As we begin Lent, now is the time for the youth in the Church to begin learning about this solemn season: how it is structured, what are the liturgical practices within Lent, and why Lent is necessary for our spiritual faith life. Follow this guide to teach your children about Lent through the lens of a kaleidoscope - varied, beautiful forms and patterns of liturgy that exist within the season of Lent.