The Lent of Love.

Lent is different this year.  This past year, we have been living a life where sacrifice is the new normal. For our good, and the good of our neighbor, we have abstained from social events and strapped on masks for any and every outing. We have skipped vacations.  We have endured mental, emotional, and spiritual fatigue that comes with months of uncertainty and anxiety. Emotionally, the pandemic has taken a toll on each one of us in ways we might not even realize. 

Lent this year is a time to reflect on how we responded to the challenges we faced throughout the year?  Do we need to ask anyone for forgiveness? Is there a change we need to make from what we learned about ourselves?

Maybe this year, Lent should be different. This year during Lent, let us all take time to think about how we should live as a community, protect each other from illness, finding new and better ways of taking care of each other in the years to come.  Rather than give something up this year, let's seek out neighbors or fellow parishioners who have genuinely suffered this past year and bring some love and joy to them.  This Lent, let us pray and fast, but let's also reach out and love someone.  Let's make this Lent a time of healing not only our bodies but also our souls.  This Lent let's find someone who needs our love, and love them back to health and hope.  

Let's make 2021 the Lent of Love.