Dear friend of the Southwest Missions,

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22 this year. It is a day of public recognition of our human weakness and frailty, as we go to the church to have ashes placed on our foreheads. 

Ashes were used even before Christian times as a symbol of our mortality, of mourning, and of penance. The word ashes is found in the Old Testament a total of 48 times and in the New Testament four times. Using ashes as a symbol of penance is very much a part of our Catholic Christian tradition. It is an outward reminder that we need to spend some quality time daily to do some inner soul-searching about our past, our present and our future. Do I think that I am where I am today without the graces and blessings of God? Ashes can be a reminder that the only certainty in life is death. Everything else is given to us by our loving God. 

Lent is more than a time for us to do penance. It’s also a time to look at our Catholic Christian lives to see if anything needs to be “fine-tuned.” It is a time perhaps for us to show appreciation and to give thanks for all the graces and blessings we have received throughout the past year. Do I really believe that God loves me and that He loves everyone the same way—even if they are another color, religion, economic status, or political party? If there are areas that need a little bit of “tweaking” then Lent is the perfect time to do so. 

What are your plans for Lent? Instead of focusing on the “nots,” I would suggest doing “more of something,” such as reading more Scripture or spending time in quiet meditation. Visiting ailing parents or friends in person may not always be possible, but a phone call can offer a sign of concern and love. Consider doing something special for someone as an act of unsolicited love. The people that you reach out to will be surprised and so will you, as you experience the joy of helping someone in their time of need. 

If during the course of your Lenten journey, you discover that simplifying your life—one less beverage each day, fewer movies, nine holes of golf instead of 18, or a quarter each time you have a negative thought about someone—leaves you with some extra funds, you can be sure that our Southwest Franciscan Missions would be most accepting and appreciative of them. 

May God be with you and your loved ones in all ways. Let us continue to pray for each other. Please stay safe and remember to practice social distancing and wear your mask. You are protecting yourself and others by doing so.

I wish you peace and all good!

Brother Bruce Michalek, O.F.M. 
Provincial Director of Development, Our Lady of Guadalupe Province
https://swfranciscans.org 
 
P.S. We have a limited number of “Little Black Book” Lenten Meditations available if you are interested. It contains a six-minute daily meditation for every day of Lent and it is published by the Diocese of Saginaw, MI. We will gladly send one to you while our supply lasts. 
 
SOUTHWEST FRANCISCAN MISSIONS 
P.O. BOX 12395, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO 87195 PHONE: (505) 877-8006