Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God.

And so we begin our Lenten journey.  I will be brief again today.  I have set my goals – what I intend to sacrifice, what I intend to study, how I intend to cleanse myself and prepare for our Easter celebration.  I am going to refer back to Sunday’s Gospel reading…“Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly…”  It is my hope that all that I do throughout Lent clears my eye(s) of that wooden plank.  I pray that come Easter I may see more clearly, love more dearly the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for me.  I pray that I am able to witness and feel that ultimate joy in knowing that through Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, I have been saved.  I pray that you experience the same.

Embrace your Lenten season as Christ embraced His.  Discipline yourselves for the next 6 weeks to follow what Christ asks us to do in today’s Gospel – pray, fast and give alms to the poor.

Do something great for our Lord today – pray, fast and give alms to the poor.

God’s will, not mine, be done.

Be not afraid; just have faith.

Jesus, I trust in You.

He must increase; I must decrease.

O Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of thy Divine Son for the intention that one mortal sin may be prevented this day (or this night).