A new springtime awaits Christians as they embark on a fresh journey. Travellers taking the journey will not measure the distance in steps, miles or kilometres. During lockdown, travel restrictions are limited to 5 km.\u00a0 These restrictions present huge challenges for individuals and family life. \u00a0Consequently, people feel lonely, isolated, angry, sad, and disappointed. In spite of these feelings, deep in their hearts they have faith, hope and a spirit of love which will help them travel the Lenten journey, beginning today Ash Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Normally, Ash Wednesday begins with the distribution of ashes. This year because of Covid-19 and maintaining social distance, parishes will distribute ashes in a variety of ways. In whatever way we receive ashes God calls each one to a greater love in their lives.<\/p>\n
In the reading proclaimed at Mass today (Joel 2:12-18), God speaks to each person, through the prophet Joel. God invites him\/ her to \u2018come back to me [God] with all your heart.\u2019 Why does God call them to do that? \u00a0Because God wants everyone to know and experience that, he is all \u2018tenderness and compassion\u2026slow to anger and ready to relent.\u2019<\/p>\n
As we receive the ashes each year, we hear the priest say, \u2018turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.\u2019 Today, we hear these same words but due to social distancing, we imagine the priest or the extraordinary minister of the Eucharist marking our own foreheads with the cross. We pray silently as we feel the print of the cross, \u2018turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.\u2019<\/p>\n
We turn away from sin and grow in faithfulness to the Gospel by doing what Jesus taught us. He instructs us to pray, fast and to give alms. We cannot do this alone but Jesus will help us. In response to Jesus\u2019 call, we commit ourselves in a new way to God.<\/p>\n
We pray to God by giving time to say thanks, to ask for help and say sorry; we fast by giving up selfishness and being generous, by giving up unkind words and speaking kind words; we give alms by sharing our money with Tr\u00f3caire, the Society of St Vincent de Paul or some other charity. All these activities take lots of effort, not just for one day but forty days. We seek our help \u2018one day at a time\u2019 as we trust God.<\/p>\n
God blesses our journey as we follow Jesus with all our heart, our soul and mind. The Gospel (Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18) calls us to travel the journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in a calm and gentle manner as God \u2018who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.\u2019<\/p>\n
Enjoy the journey and know you are not alone. The Word of God spurs us on every day.<\/p>\n
VERITAS publications offers free access to the Lenten resources in the Grow in<\/em> Love\/I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/em> Lessons from Junior Infants to Sixth Class; available on the Grow in Love <\/em>\/ I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/em> website. This includes the Children\u2019s Grow in Love \/I nGr\u00e1 D\u00e9<\/em> e book.<\/p>\n