Happy Lent?

Lay Director

Happy Lent!

Our friend Sister Edna Michel introduced me to the phrase, “Happy Lent”. It certainly took me by surprise the first time I heard that! Lent, to me, was a time for fasting, abstaining, making sacrifices, finding more time to spend in prayer, looking at myself more critically for the ways that I fall short in my journey with Jesus. Not exactly what I’d call a joy-filled time with lots of reasons to be happy!

But, brothers and sisters in Christ, we all know that the closer we follow Jesus and the more we amend our lives to what the Savior has called us to be, the happier we are! Winter is a hard time for many of us. Less sun, more time indoors, limitations on our activities due to the weather and other factors. Lent gives me an opportunity to jump start my faith life, to go from stagnant to refreshed! Over time, I have come to appreciate and embrace a Happy Lent! What could be better than finding myself loving the Lord more, experiencing the presence of Jesus more, becoming more at peace with myself and others?

What an opportunity we have this Lent with the men’s and women’s Cursillos!! Along with what Lent’s practices can do for our own faith journey, we can lift our prayers and sacrifices for those attending these weekends as well. I’m thankful to be a part of the team for the women’s weekend. As a result, I’ve started some practices that are helping me to find more time to pray (deleting games off my phone!) and not putting sugar in my hot tea (also helping me to pray when I taste the tea!).

I encourage you to find your own individual path to a more fruitful Lent. In addition, I also ask that you share the gift of yourself with these Cursillos through the offering of palanca and attending the Holy Hours and Closings. I am so thankful that we have candidates (and sponsors) for these Cursillos! Let’s support these candidates as they live their Cursillo weekend and enter into their 4th Day!!

De Colores! May the peace of Christ always disturb your life!

John Lyons lyons5876@gmail.com

Kathy Otermat kotermat04@gmail.com