Living our Catholic faith requires “practicing” it all the time. Even when we fall down or otherwise do not let live it well, there is always an invitation from God to get back up, brush ourselves off, and start again. So it is especially during these Lenten days!
This pilgrimage through the Lenten desert, a time set aside to engage in penance and renewal, offers us moments of triumph and moments of testing, it offers us the joy of “rising again” and the pain of embracing closely the Cross. Is it possible that all of our good intentions back on Ash Wednesday are still waiting to be fulfilled? Are we praying like we hoped we would be praying? Are we being as generous with others as we had hoped? Are we falling short of the respect we wanted to show others, or are we often finding ourselves gossiping or criticizing? As we near the halfway point of this holy time, let’s be sure to continue to get up, dust ourselves off, and prepare to begin again. Let’s remember that we are “in this for the long haul!” The Lenten “plan” for conversion is not a short-term matter. Let’s renew our Lenten “wish list” and get back to living in God’s loving presence, all the time and everywhere. God’s grace will always direct us back to the road to renewal and a change of heart – let’s not miss the chance!
Let us pray. “Lord God, help us forgive others as we would like to be forgiven. Help us forgive ourselves and begin anew the road to a genuine conversion of both heart and way of life. Keep us in your grace and gather us close to your own loving Heart. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
