This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday so I thought that it would be good to reflect upon that Gospel. ~~Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18.

A LENTEN REFLECTION ON ASH WEDNESDAY from Bishop Barron.

Lent is about doing things, things that involve the body as much as the mind, that involves the exterior of your life as much as the interior.

In today’s Gospel, the Lord prescribes prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as our Lenten disciplines.

The Church traditionally says there are three things we “ought” to do during Lent and I put an emphasis on do. In recent years we’ve emphasized the interior dimensions a little too much— that Lent is primarily about attitudes, about ideas, and intentions.

In the traditional practice of the Church, Lent is about doing things, things that involve the body as much as the mind, that involves the exterior of your life as much as the interior.

The three great practices of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—are three things you do. This is going to sound a little bit strange, but my recommendation for this Lent is, in a certain way to forget about your spiritual life—by which I mean forget looking inside at how you’re progressing spiritually. Follow the Church’s recommendations and do three things: pray, fast, and give alms. And as you do, pray to draw closer to the Lord as the center of your life—and the reason you do everything.

Reflect: — How do you think the practices of Lent, especially prayer, almsgiving, and fasting can lead us to a deeper relationship with Christ?

I will be praying that all of us have a Fruitful— Lenten journey…

~~Fr. Steve