FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK……

SUNDAY,  FEBRUARY 13, 2005


Dear Fellow Parishioners,

As of February 9th, the Season of Lent has begun. The Liturgy of the Word and the Church remind us of the importance of this special season. I would like to cite Pope John Paul II's homily of February 17, 1999:

"Lent reminds us of the tragic events at Golgotha. It does it exclusively to prepare us deeply for a special event, the celebration of Easter, which is the joyful light of the Resurrection."
In this way we can understand the church's invitation today, which asks from the faithful during the imposition of ashes: "Convert and believe in the Gospel" (Mc 1: 15). What is the significance then of believing in the Gospel? It means to accept the Resurrection with all its implications. Since the very first day of Lent, we enter the perspective of salvation saying with the psalmist: "Oh God, create in me a pure heart, renew my soul and give me a strong spirit...Lord open my lips and my mouth will praise you" (Sal 50: 12, 17).

Lent is a time of intense prayer and intense praise; it is a time of fasting and penance. But even besides prayer and fasting, the Liturgy invites us to fulfill our journey with deeds of charity. This is what God wants from us. As we pass through Lent, we must realize that this is the proper time to think. We all should do that. We must follow a Lenten program, practice our charity and fast; these events give a new dimension to the meaning of community and society giving us an opportunity to "convert" the model of development so we all can have a better distribution of the goods, to live with dignity and protect God's creation. But all this begins with a deep change in thinking and more radically, with a conversion of our hearts. It is urgent then to pray: "Oh God, create in me a pure heart, renew my soul and give me a strong spirit." Yes Father, create in us a pure heart, renew us with a strong spirit so the 'penitential austerity of these days help us in the Christian fight against evil.

Now that we have read the Pope's message regarding Lent, let us reflect in a constructive way on how we are going to fast and abstain because we don't frequently abstain with an Evangelical ideal in mind; many times we fast and abstain due to tradition, but not to become better Christians. During this Lent, let us have a new plan in our lives that can lead us to become better Christians to serve like Christ, not be served.


    Sincerely yours in Christ,


    Fr.Raymond J. Tintle, OFM
                 Pastor