If you’ve ever felt that you weren’t living your life the way that
you thought you should or the way that you know God would want you to live it, then this is the perfect time for you to change
that. Lent started yesterday with Ash Wednesday.
Our first thought upon the mention of Lent is “What can I give up?”
One of the reasons we give something up is to remind us of the 40 days our Lord spent in the desert. Forty days of fasting and temptation. Another reason I see
for giving something up is a reminder of ridding ourselves of unnecessary things. Things
that get in the way of me seeing why God created me. Things that get in the way
of me seeing God and what His will is for me in my life.
Lent is a time of self renewal and a time of penitence. When you start something fresh, you wipe the slate clean. Going
to Confession is how we wipe our souls clean. We can hand over our old way of
life to God and start anew.
Life is full of hidden blessings, we
only need to open the eyes of our heart to see them. I was given one of those
hidden blessings yesterday. Upon getting to church yesterday the usher was looking
for someone to bring up the gifts for the offertory. Of course my son volunteered
us. I really didn’t mind. Then
during the Homily at Mass yesterday our priest talked about handing our sins over to Christ.
I wish I could remember his exact words but they touched me deeply. I
have known for a while that there are changes I needed to make in my life and I realized this is the time to start. I just knew that this was the time to do it. Then
it came time to bring the gifts up. As I am walking down the isle it occurred
to me that there could not be a more perfect time for me to hand over my sins and old way of life to Christ. Reaching the alter my hands passed over the cruet containing the holy water, and my heart passed over all
that was keeping me from my Lord. I had tears in my eyes. I can’t begin to tell you how that made me feel. It
was not a coincidence that we got chosen to bring the gifts up that night. It
was God’s way of opening the door for me and me taking that step.
God is opening the door for you too.
You just need to find it and take that first step.
I pray for each of you a blessed Lenten season.
God bless~
