Father Maassen's Message - 02/25/2024

Opportunity is knocking. Now, why would I use that phrase for a Lenten letter? Notice I have changed the wording from “opportunity only knocks once.” When I was younger, Lent was a time to be endured, a season in the Church that I did not see as an opportunity but rather a season of burden and constrain. Now I realize that Lent is a season of opportunity. Opportunity for what, you ask? Only a chance to experience and/or grow in some things we hold most dear in life, i.e., love, peace and joy.
 
Lent is an opportunity for these things and more. It is a time to look at our prayer life and ask how we can increase it or change it to deepen our communion with The Father. Communion with The Father, in turn, can increase love, peace, and joy in our everyday life. Our prayer life is an integral part of being joyful and peaceful.
 
Lent is a time to give of ourselves, whether alms or our time and talents. Giving is not only the way to love others, but it often brings us happiness. It is a time to walk away from sin and into our Father’s loving arms, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The less we sin, the more peaceful and happier we are. It is a time to focus on what is essential in our lives and let go of things that cause anxiety.
 
It is a time to experience the benefits of fasting, which among other things, helps us have more control over our sinful actions. We then feel good about ourselves and feel peaceful. Most important, it is a time to grow in our awareness of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’s love for us.