Dear Neighbor,
When Ash Wednesday comes around again, we bring another year of lived experiences. This year is no different, and arguably, there is more than the usual chaos, uncertainty, and darkness surrounding us.
I recommend we consider Lent 2025 an even more important 40-day gift from God to help us direct ourselves and our relationships in a way that is more life-giving for ourselves and others. This focusing is so important given the cacophonous noises that bombard and threaten to overwhelm us from politics, social and other media, celebrities, and scandals.
The traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving remain effective tools. I suggest we not get overly fancy, but stick to the basics, and do so seriously and consistently.
Pick a particular practice in each area that you will do this Lent. Let me provide a few ideas:
Prayer – Choose one of the four Gospels and read for five minutes a day. You’ll probably get through most of the Gospel.
Fasting – This doesn’t have to be food. Shut off a mobile device for three hours a week. Pick your own three hours, but, please, not in the middle of the night.
Almsgiving/Charity/Service – Donate each week the cost of one take-out meal to a charity that is helping children or feeding our hungry neighbors.
These are just suggestions, choose your own.
I note in 2025 Lent overlaps, perhaps providentially, with both Ramadan and Passover. Ramadan began a few days before Ash Wednesday and extends for more than half of Lent. Passover coincides with Holy Week. Allow me to hope and pray that the billions of we faithful of these religions across the globe take seriously Ramadan, Lent, and Passover this year. If we were to do so, much of the darkness of our world would dissipate.
When we do our small part, we can trust that God will augment our feeble efforts with his awesome power, grace, and mercy. Our Lent practices will lead us to be able to proclaim an even more glorious Easter Alleluia!
With gratitude,
Msgr. Kevin Sullivan
Executive Director
