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Today, is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. Lent is the 40-day period of intensified prayer, fasting, and the reading of God's Word so as to prepare ourselves for Easter. Today, as we begin this penitential season, we hear these words from the Lord, ". . . come back to Me . . .". Whoever we are . . . wherever we are . . . whatever it is . . . today, we can "return to the Lord". In life, sometimes, there may be no return. What we may have, may be - shut doors, brokenness and silence. No welcome, no invitation, no second chance. Estranged, separated, out in the cold, there seemed to be no way to return. But today, we can return to God "with all our heart", we can return to God with "fasting, weeping, mourning". We can return because God has spoken, "Come back to Me". We can return because Christ Jesus, in the sinless One, our sins became His sins; His goodness, our goodness. As we receive the imposition of the ashes today, let us receive it as an experiential symbol of our repentance and reconciliation. Let us receive it as our "return" to God. Let us let God create for us "a pure heart" and put within us "a steadfast spirit" this Lent. Give me, Lord, a pure heart that I may see You in all things. |
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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
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That Catholic hospitals may be outstanding examples in the struggle against suffering and may play a leading role in proclaiming the Gospel of life and respect for the human person.
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Suffering in any form has a supernatural value. It becomes an efficacious moment for our own and other people's sanctification. This has been the teaching of the Church throughout history bearing in mind the grace of Redemption obtained for us by the Lord on the Cross in Calvary. The Lord's missionary mandate to preach the gospel includes the dual concept "evangelisation and care for the sick". Convinced of this missionary goal and called on to be visible signs of the mercy and charity of Jesus, Catholic Hospitals are urged to give special evangelical witness by loving works and actions, the Church's solicitude for those who suffer. Hence, Catholic Hospitals are to promote initiatives and actions in favour of life and that the entire hospital health care system be imbued with the culture of enhancing life through generous love and dedicated service. An essential characteristic of Catholic Hospitals is that its treatment of physical suffering must reflect the mark of the Holy Spirit which is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, understanding of others, fidelity, gentleness and self-control" (Gal 5:22). | |
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