{"id":2645,"date":"2017-02-25T15:32:13","date_gmt":"2017-02-25T04:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stbridgetsgreythorn.org.au\/?p=2645"},"modified":"2017-02-25T15:32:13","modified_gmt":"2017-02-25T04:32:13","slug":"archbishops-message-for-lent-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/archbishops-message-for-lent-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Archbishop\u2019s Message For Lent 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Archbishop<\/a>
Archbishop Denis Hart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat are you giving up?\u201d<\/p>\n

We all know Lent is approaching when we start to hear this question!<\/p>\n

This Lent let us all remember that Jesus challenges us personally in three special areas; prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This Lent I recommend we all make some simple commitments.<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong>:\u00a0 This Lent how can each of us strengthen our relationship with Christ?\u00a0 What will help us get to know the Lord better?\u201d<\/p>\n

One simple suggestion is to spend an extra 15 minutes at night slowly reading, praying and reflecting on the daily Gospel.\u00a0\u00a0 It isn\u2019t a great sacrifice but it really helps.\u00a0 Pope Francis reminds us that The Word is a gift\u201d \u2013 he stresses prayer, fasting and almsgiving.<\/p>\n

Another simple practice is for each of us to seek forgiveness<\/strong> in the Sacrament of Penance.\u00a0 I encourage you all to make a good confession before Easter, even if it has been a long time.\u00a0 Rightly, the Pope says:\u00a0 \u201cSin blinds us.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the early Church, they called confession the ‘second conversion in tears.’\u00a0 Saint Peter wept in sorrow after denying Jesus, and in his mercy Christ spoke to him the tender words of his pardon and peace.\u00a0 In the sacrament, we too can hear these words of compassion for our sins.<\/p>\n

And then there is fasting<\/strong>.\u00a0 As we make our small acts of fasting and as we \u2018give up\u2019 food, drink or whatever, let us never forget it isn\u2019t all about what we do individually. Giving something up for Lent is not an end in itself.\u00a0 It should readily redirect our attention from ourselves toward others.<\/p>\n

Saint Augustine commenting on fasting and mortification once said:\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t believe that fasting suffices.\u00a0 Fasting punishes you, but it does not restore your brother.\u00a0 How many poor people could be nourished by the meal you did not take today?\u201d\u00a0 Saint Augustine reflects the words Isaiah wrote centuries earlier:\u00a0 \u201cIs not this the sort of fasting that pleases me – to share your bread with the hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n

Self-denial frees our mind and our resources.\u00a0 What money or time we do not spend on ourselves, we need to spend for the benefit of others.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Almsgiving<\/strong>:\u00a0 And that is the heart of the issue \u2013 giving something up during Lent requires us not only to think about the needs of others, but to do something to meet those needs. While both prayer and fasting could be seen as being all about us, almsgiving is oriented toward the good of others.\u00a0 Who can you help this Lent?<\/p>\n

Pope Francis constantly emphasises this connection between self-denial and charitable outreach.\u00a0 Lent rescues us from ourselves and frees us to think about others \u2013 particularly those who suffer from poverty.\u00a0 Supporting the wonderful work of Caritas by contributing to Project Compassion is one great way.<\/p>\n

Another small act of \u2018almsgiving\u2019 could be giving people some of our valuable \u2018time\u2019<\/strong>. .\u00a0 Pope Francis says:\u00a0 \u201cThe other person is a gift; urging us to welcome and love life, especially when it is weak and vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why not consider visiting and spending some real quality time with people who are sick or elderly in your parish?\u00a0 Or reach out to some recently arrived refugees in your area by your welcoming presence with them.<\/p>\n

Our increasingly fearful, polarised and selfish world desperately needs to see the witness of Catholics who welcome the ‘stranger.\u2019\u00a0 This Lent 2017 I pray and hope that your Lenten season is filled with many spiritual gifts.<\/p>\n

May all of us here in the Archdiocese of Melbourne; pray, fast and give alms.\u00a0 May we never forget to ask ourselves:\u00a0 \u201cHow can I share with my neighbours in need?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

+ Denis J. Hart,<\/p>\n

Archbishop of Melbourne.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat are you giving up?\u201d We all know Lent is approaching when we start to hear this question! This Lent let us all remember that Jesus challenges us personally in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-notices","category-pastoral-messages"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2645"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646,"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2645\/revisions\/2646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/kmgit.com\/testbuzz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}