Lent a pilgrimage to the victorious cross!

Lent is a pilgrimage!  A couple weeks ago I took a hike with the World Youth Day pilgrims from our parish.  We carried 40 lb. backpacks, or their equivalents, and hiked the bike path to simulate what we will experience in Spain this coming August.  We shared an inspiring talk by Tyler and a "yucky" lunch together.  I spoke to them about Lent and how we as a Church are constantly moving toward the Second Coming of Jesus!  The liturgical year has as its highpoint the great season of Easter when we renew our baptismal promises and experience the new life of the children of God!  The season of Lent is characterized by discipline: acts of penance, self denial, and service: "This rather is the fasting I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.  Then your light shall break forth like the dawn..."  This discipline ought to become for us a new way of life.  We are not to return to the slavery to sin from which Jesus liberates us during this grace filled time!

Last night I had the privilege of blessing the girls basketball team on their "last supper" prior to leaving for State tournament.  It occurred to me that the seating arrangement for the dinner looked very much like a triclinium, the table at which Jesus ate his last supper before going to His glorious victory on the cross. 

I think that sports can be a really healthy image of Lent.  Sports like basketball require us to play as a team.  In order for this to happen we have to learn to be selfless and to be attentive to those who play with us and who's efforts are necessary for victory.  This takes lots of practice, lots of sacrifice, hard work, study, and a commitment forged in the fires of desire.  The same is true for Catholics.  We in baptism are made part of God's people:  we too are called to daily prayer, liturgical prayer with our parish family, we have to make sure that what we do on Saturday and Sunday corresponds to the way we live the rest of our lives.  Discipleship as a Catholic is a lifelong team effort!

Discipleship as Catholics takes good coaching!  Just like our boys and girls who would never have qualified for state without the wisdom, guidance, discipline, and encouragement of their coaches so we too must rely on God (this pic aptly captures a team of three kinda like the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the Pope, our Bishop and our pastor.  We need each other too.  We have to be ready, young and old, to lead by example as we journey together toward Easter joy.

This is my first Lent with you as a Pastor!  I am conscious of this in a powerful way.  Hard to believe that I did not know any of you 9 months ago, let alone last Lent!  I believe that God brought us together for a reason.  I am not completely clear what that reason is but I know that God is forming us as a parish family.  In just the 8 months that I have been here as your Pastor, I have seen such amazing examples of faith and community.  I eagerly look forward to the fruits that our Lenten penance, prayer, and service will yield!

As you may have noticed we have a new floor and a new paint job in the entryway of the church!  It was such joy to see the faces and to hear the surprise in so many people's eyes.  I need to credit my committee that picked the tile and paint color!  Plus a good Samaritan who did the painting and McKinnon flooring who worked so hard to get this done from Sunday to Tuesday!  Also the flooring in the Rectory entryway is also complete!  I see in this a metaphor for Lent as well!  Just as there is a floor in the new entryway to our public worship and parish office so too do we as a parish family have to make these days of Lent an opportunity to re floor and repaint our interior entryway for Christ and others!  St. Leo the Great, Pope  wrote: "Initially, men are made new by the rebirth of baptism.  Yet there is still required a daily renewal to repair the shortcomings of our mortal nature, and whatever degree of progress has been made there is no one who should not be more advanced.  All must strive to ensure that on the day of redemption no one may be found in the sins of his former life.  Dear friends, what the Christian should be doing at all times should be done now with greater care and devotion, so that the Lenten fast enjoined by the apostles may be fulfilled, not simply by abstinence from food but above all by the renunciation of sin."  

May this Lent be a true pilgrimage for all of us!  Know of my prayers for you and your love ones as we continue this journey toward holiness and the joy of Easter!