Getting Ready For Lent

Lent means Springtime. Are you ready for Spring? We have had a taste of Spring with the nice weather lately. But just because Lent begins this Wednesday does not mean that every day to Easter will be warm and sunny. Such is life. 

The seasons of the Church year embrace the ups and downs of life and imbue them with hope and purpose. So once again this Spring, the Church invites us to meet Jesus on the way of our struggles, to take His yoke upon us (cf. Matthew 11:29) as we journey through the dying and rising experiences of life. We do so with hope as we offer Him our sins and receive His mercy to be reborn to the new life of Easter.

This year IHM is offering some new opportunities to journey with Jesus through Lent. (See details in this bulletin.) 

• Walk With Mary to Jerusalem: We encourage you to read this book from our Gift Shop and learn to see Jesus’ Passion through the heart and eyes of Mary. You can also join a small group to discuss the book on Thursday evenings or Saturday mornings.
• Men’s Small Group Faith Study: Join a small group of men to encounter Jesus more personally through a simple but challenging look at the Gospel message for your Lenten journey. (No homework!)
• Pilgrims of Hope: A Lenten Day of Reflection on March 8:         Fr. Tadeusz will give a talk after the 9 am Mass followed by a Pot-Luck Lunch and faith sharing. (Sponsored by the Families of Nazareth Movement.)

As in previous years, we will also host the Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings followed by the Knights of Columbus Fish Fry. 

And there’s one more invitation for you to consider. Intentionally spend some time in prayer this Lent. This weekend we introduce Stewardship of Prayer and next weekend we will challenge you to respond to the Lord’s invitation to spend time with Him in prayer.
I must admit that I have always had a somewhat negative feeling regarding the word “stewardship.” It seemed like a concept that was trying to extract something out of me: more of my time, talent or treasure. And if I did not give more, I felt guilty. No one likes to feel guilty. So why do we have stewardship? But recently I have begun to understand stewardship in a much more positive light.

Who was the first steward? Adam. Genesis 2 tells us that God created the man, then created a garden filled with plants and fruit bearing trees for food. “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it” (2: 15). 

Insight #1: God created the man. Our lives are a gift from God. 

Insight #2: God created the garden and gave it to the man for food. All the good things we have are gifts from God. 

Insight #3: God placed the man in the garden to till it and keep it. God gives us a certain responsibility for the things He has entrusted to us. If we take care of the garden it continues to bring forth good produce. It is for our own good that we “till and keep” the garden. God gives us the privilege and blessing to cooperate with His life-giving power and love.

So think of stewardship of prayer in this way: God has created you for a loving relationship with Him. He has given you the Holy Spirit who prays within you. And He is inviting you “till and keep” your relationship with Him through prayer. If you don’t do so in an intentional way, the garden of your soul can become overrun with weeds and produce less fruit. Eventually you will drift away from the source of your life and wither. Your stewardship of prayer keeps the river of life flowing between God and you. It’s not meant to make you feel guilty, but loved.