We are just about to head into Lent and it is a good time to notice what obscures the person of Jesus in our daily lives. We are called to be people who fast, give alms and pray. This is central to understanding Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life. As we enter into the time it is important to recognise that we can become what we consume. Thus Fasting is not just about the food that we eat even though we recognise Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as formal days of fasting and abstinence. Rather it looks at how we take into ourselves both bodily and spiritually things which do not build up the Body of Christ. This is why we are not called to fast on our own but in solidarity with each other. We fast from something for someone. This is at the heart of almsgiving and is the logical extension of why we fast. It calls us to recognise those in need who might be able to share the things we take for granted. It calls for our hearts to be open to the possibility that our actions can transform the life of another by a simple act of generosity. Lastly, we are called to be people who are prayerfully aware of how God leads us each day to give thanks with our lives. Our prayer is not just a matter of our personal relationship with God. It is always deeply communal in joining us to the heart of God and each other. As we journey through Lent may we can discover how we can be drawn closer to Christ by listening to His Word and sharing our lives with Him in Eucharist.
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