Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
The Lord has given us a sacred time of 6 weeks
before Easter for the renewing and purifying of our hearts and for learning how
to live and serve in this passing world with a love which is fixed on eternity
with God and all the saints.Because we live in a very complex and confusing
world even our religious ideas and spiritual attitudes can become complicated
and confusing and cause us to behave in ways that contradict the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.
We need help to become more focused and true to our
calling in Jesus Christ.It is the Word of God revealed in the Sacred Scriptures
throughout the period of Lent that draws us to the essentials concerning our
faith and way of life in Christ. With the help of the Sacred Scriptures we can
examine our own lives and with God’s grace we are able to prune those things in
our lives that contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ.The Daily Missal is
very useful for a clear programme of Lenten Scripture readings.With the help of
the Holy Sacraments – especially the Sacrament of Penance and the Holy
Eucharist – we are able to deepen our personal love for Jesus Christ who loves
us first and thus we can follow His way with a genuine hope and joy which his
Holy Spirit inspires within us.
Lent is particularly important for the renewal of
marriage and family life in Christ.If parents commit themselves with their
children to pray and reflect on their faith together as a family at least once
a week,God will surely bless the whole family with a deep communion and joy
which the worldly cannot enjoy.Praying the way of the Cross,the Rosary and
other community prayers for the many
needs which we are aware of is important
for a fruitful Lent.The SACBC booklet “Lenten Reflections 2014: Belonging to
Christ,Committed for Mission,” is a useful booklet for families or groups to be
able to reflect together and build one another’s spiritual life.
Lent urges us to be outward-looking. In particular
we are called to recognise and serve Christ in the poor and needy who are often
marginalised and neglected. We are called to offer the needy practical help and
make this a priority during Lent.This includes visiting people who are confined
within institutions because of illness or other reasons such as those in
prison.Supporting financially the Catholic Church’s Lenten Appeal and other
charitable projects in our diocese is a very practical way of expressing our
solidarity with Christ in uplifting the poor and needy of our country.
In general however the best way to follow the spirit
of Lent is to continue doing all the good that we are already doing in the
duties of our daily life but to do it with greater compassion and with more
honesty and personal integrity. And only the Lord can teach us and help us to
do that. “Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing
that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are
serving the Lord Jesus.” (Colossians 3, 23-24).
God bless you with the peace and joy of Christ
Bishop Joao Rodrigues
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