Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Ash Wednesday Starts the Lenten Journey

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season of preparation for the glorious celebration of Easter. Pope Benedict XVI calls Lent a time for conversion.
Beginning his Ash Wednesday observance with the general audience, the pope told an estimated 6,500 visitors that Lent, in the words of St. Paul, reminds people "not to accept the grace of God in vain," but to recognize that God is calling everyone to penance and spiritual renewal every day.

When life seems exhausting and fraught with difficulties and failure, and when one is tempted to abandon the faith, it is a call to "open ourselves up to God's love in Christ and to live according to his logic of justice and love," he said.

Some ideas for Lent are posted by the St. Michael Society.

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