Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
We’re setting off on a journey through Lent. The ashes marking our foreheads today remind us that earthly life is temporary, a pilgrimage to eternity. Death is not the end; for the faithful, it’s a transformation to everlasting life with the Lord.
The Lenten season teaches us to prepare for meeting the Lord, either at our passing or when He comes again. Practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help conform us to God’s love, making us more ready to receive His grace and live as His children. As we hear in today’s Mass readings, our heavenly Father is offering His mercy, if we would only open ourselves to it.
Think about how you might allow God to shape your heart in a greater way this Lent.
- Consider opportunities to receive the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist more frequently
- Explore the Church’s traditions to encounter a new devotional prayer.
- Set aside a creature comfort or two, and when you want it, ask the Lord to turn your desire to Him
- Look for ways to help meet the needs of others
In whatever way you choose to observe Lent, it’s our prayer that the Lord blesses you with an abundance of His grace.
Through these 40 days, we at Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of St. Louis will share weekly reflections to enrich your experience on the road to Easter. In our ministry, we often remind ourselves that “we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). While we wait, we prepare. We’re privileged to share this journey with you.
