News from Fr. Seth about Ash Wednesday & Our Lenten Journey

 

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of our Lenten journey.  Ash Wednesday Masses will be at 8 AM and 6 PM at St. John’s.  There will not be a Mass at St. Joseph’s.  In preparation for the Distribution of Ashes our Diocesan Liturgy Department shared with us that the United States is one of the few place in the world that distributes ashes by making the sign of the cross on foreheads.  Most places in the world simply sprinkle ashes on the top of the heads of the faithful.  With this in mind, this is how we will be distributing ashes this year.  I will bless the ashes and say once, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” and then we will line up as we do for Communion to receive ashes from Deacon Walt and me as we simply sprinkle them on the top of your heads.  Stations of the Cross are a staple of Lenten devotions.  We will have Stations of the Cross offered at St. Joseph’s twice during Lent.  They will be at 6 PM on both Wednesday, February 24^th and Wednesday, March 10^th.  
At St. John’s Stations of the Cross will be at 6:30 PM on all Fridays of Lent with the exception of Good Friday.  Immediately prior to the Stations at St. John’s I will have a teaching on the Mass.  This teaching will begin at 6 PM and will go until 6:20/6:25 PM.  Everyone is welcome to come for just the teaching at 6, just the stations at 6:30, or for both.  The dates and topics for the teaching will be as follows:

 2/19: What we do before Mass
2/26: Meaning/Symbolism of Priest Vestments
 3/5: Part 1 of the Mass – Introductory Rites
 3/12: Part 2 of the Mass – Liturgy of the Word
 3/19: Part 3 of the Mass – Liturgy of the Eucharist
 3/26: Part 4 of the Mass – Concluding Rites.
 
I hope many will join.  I will broadcast the teaching on our Facebook page, but the Stations of the Cross will only be in person.  Lastly, in case you have not chosen what to do for Lent, or maybe if you need to rethink it, I’d like to say a few words about Lenten sacrifices.  Before I give some advice, if you haven’t read the column from the laity last week, which talks directly about Lenten sacrifices, go back and read it – it’s filled with great ideas.  Remember that making sacrifices that only last for 40 days don’t really help us that much in our spiritual life.  Giving things up for Lent can be a beautiful spiritual practice but should be done with more than just an “I will go without it” attitude.  For example, if you decide you are going to give up going to Caribou Coffee (or someplace like it) during Lent, perhaps you could then give the money that you are saving to the church or another charity. If you decide to go without eating in between meals, when you feel the hunger pains offer up those pains for someone who has been away from the church or for a sick family member.

I would also say that doing something extra in your spiritual life is a great thing to do for Lent, because Lent is all about growing deeper in our relationship with Christ.  Perhaps you will add daily Mass to your week, and then keep it up even after Lent.  Perhaps you could make a commitment to go to confession every two weeks, and then keep it up after Lent. Perhaps you will read the Bible for 10 minutes every day, and then continue after Lent. 

Make a plan, and stick with it. Let’s make this a great Lent.  God Bless. – Fr. Seth