The Season of Lent is a Matter of the Heart-Lent is a call to remember that it is our hearts, our spirits, that really matter and make us what we are. For the spiritual heart to be made anew it first needs to be broken. Then it can be resurrected in a new way and with a new life. To refresh and cleanse our hearts we need to break them open before the Lord and pour out to Him our sins and failings so that He can heal and strengthen our spirits. The first exhortation of Lent is to repent. We are to look into our hearts, honestly admit our sins to the Lord, and trust in His healing mercy and forgiveness. The Sacrament of Reconciliation especially gives us the opportunity to allow the Lord to cleanse and refresh our hearts. The heart needs not only to be healed, but strengthened. Almsgiving, prayer and self-denial are the means by which the heart is made strong. Lent calls for a renewed commitment to our love for God, ourselves and others through prayer, charity and self-discipline. This commitment to renewal of the heart should be our guide for the Lenten Season as we seek practical means of making these three virtues part of our daily lives.
Fr. C. Fitzgerald
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