Memento Mori: Reflections on the First Sunday in Lent

A parishioner asked me last weekend for an explanation of the picture of a human skull on the front cover of our bulletin, and I told her it was to remind us of our mortality. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday when we receive ashes on our foreheads and we are reminded that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. This symbol of the human skull is to call our attention to this very truth - Memento Mori, Remember you must die. We must never let this be lost on us that we are only on earth for a brief moment. No matter how long one lives on earth, one must surely return home. Lent is that season the Church gives us to refocus our attention on the most essential thing, which is our relationship with the Lord.

A common way we think about Lent is in terms of abstinence, giving up something. Very often we talk about giving up chocolate or TV, or losing weight or giving up coffee or coca-cola products. Yes, these are great ideas. But, are they the best you can come up with? Have you thought of Lent as a time to deepen your relationship with the Lord, in addition to the things you plan to give up? Have you thought of repenting from past sins and resolving not to go back to them? Have you thought of Lent as a time to spend more time in prayer or learn to pray not just about your own needs but for the needs of others? Have you thought about doing more charity? Have you thought of Lent as a time to work on getting rid of that old, unhealthy habit? Have you thought of Lent as a time to acquire a new virtue?

Let us approach Lent as a season to discipline ourselves through prayer and penance in order to give the best of ourselves (CCC. 1803). The prevalent theme in Lent is Baptism. And this points to our integration into the life of God through the waters of rebirth. During Lent, we must truly repent from our sins as they hinder us from attaining to the virtuous life toward which we strive. Whereas the goal of the virtuous life is to make us more like God, sin, on the other hand, pulls us away from this goal. Sin is a turning away from God, and a turning toward whatever is not God - self, created things, power, pleasure, wealth, the list goes on. When we sin, we demonstrate our poor taste, we reject God, who is the source of our happiness, and we pursue happiness in the wrong places. In the words of the prophet Jeremiah, we forget God, the source of living water, and we dig for ourselves cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). My prayer is that this season of Lent would help us choose God over any earthly joys.

Some suggestions to help you this season of Lent
1. Commit to going to Mass daily.
2. Spend at least one hour weekly before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
3. Go to confession frequently
4. Participate in The Rescue Project at our parish
5. Read a good spiritual book. Some of the ones I am re-reading, which I recommend, include: The Imitation of Christ - Thomas Á Kempis; Confessions - St. Augustine; Interior Castle - St. Teresa of Avila

Finally, we would like to hear from you on how we can best nourish your faith and help you to follow Jesus in a deeper and more fruitful way. We want to know how we are living up to our parish mission to make Jesus known and loved, and to be his embodied presence to our brothers and sisters in need. Please take the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) survey to provide your feedback on life and ministry at our parish. You will find the link here. Paper copies of the survey would be provided for parishioners who prefer that option. May Jesus bless you and may our Lenten journey bear fruits of true repentance and renewal.