“Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!” The prophet Isaiah tells us clearly – This is not a request; this is a Proclamation!

We may not be ready, but Lent is ready for us! Thoughts of Penance, Sin, Ashes, extra Prayer, etc. may be far from our spontaneous thoughts, but the prophet tells us get started somewhere, anywhere. Let’s be humble enough to tell the Lord “I’m only good for a grade six, a nine or ten would be over my head.” The big three of Lent: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving come into play. You can be creative here: Fast from Gossip! Pray with a child, help a challenged person complete a task. 

Lent is not about struggling, but about growing in a relationship with Jesus who is a lot more excited about growing closer to us. Finally, check in about your Lent with another person who is passionate about Lent. We can all – young and old – help each other in the challenges of the holy unconventional but blessed season!

Are you a “back slider”? Remember that phrase from the old western movies? It means someone who has tried to reform their bad habits but has fallen back to their ways of handling food and drink, substance abuse, and other things – of course, personal shortcomings. Lent gives us a new starting point! Let’s not allow it to slip by. Check this bulletin for the times of our Lenten mission, Stations of the Cross, and other Spiritual Events coming up during Lent. See upcoming dates:

Stations of the Cross: All Fridays in Lent
Feb 24-28 – “Connect with Heaven” with Michael Grogan, Lenten Mission
March 2 – Catholic Underground/Catholic Revival Adoration and Community Fellowship in New York City

*** SPECIAL NOTICE ***
Last week at the 8:00am Sunday Mass, someone mistakenly took our football collection bowls that were left on a table in the main lobby. We use these bowls every year for the Souper Bowl collection – they are 25 years old! We would greatly appreciate if the bowls were returned to us. You can leave them in the sacristy, bring them to the rectory, or leave them in the lower church (on the shelf outside of the Religious Ed office). Thank you for your cooperation.

Something is going on here with the Catholic young adults. No, it’s not negative the way so much church news is these days. Yes, it’s still small in comparison with big trends but it’s definitely there. I’m talking about a genuine interest in their Catholic faith on the part of young adults in their 20’s and 30’s. They are searching for meaning through having an identity; in the case I mentioned above, they were looking around and, as I see it, the Holy Spirit showed up. The young adults have found their Catholic faith waiting for them there. Many had left the church; some had listed themselves as belonging to “none” when checking the box marked ‘Religion.’ I visited Catholic Underground last week – what an amazing experience! There were about 1,000 young people there, filling every seat in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. First came a Eucharistic Holy Hour, then modern songs with absolute silence from the crowd of 1,000. A social hour followed downstairs, with finger foods and donuts. Extreme joy was everywhere, with fellowship as part of their program as much as the Adoration – “where two or three are gathered in My name.”

Part of the young adult’s dilemma in our culture is loneliness, and this program truly fills the bill. The Underground is under the guidance of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, a good example of the presence of the renewal themselves as the gift of the Redeemer in revival takes hold. Tell the young adults in your life about it, and you yourself of course are most welcome. I certainly intend to start with our Starfish Coffee House crowd! The bishops were definitely on target when they called for a Eucharistic revival and 1,000 young adults responded! Let’s share the good news of revival far and wide. We can’t do all God’s work but He can, and
the Lord is proving it at the Catholic Underground. It’s all God’s work, and when God starts a movement,
we should join in.