Lent! What is it?

Lent is a penitential pilgrimage along the road to Easter.

      It is a death march — death to self each day.

      It is walking along His way, being heartsick for Him.

     It is yearning to show Him we care and that we are repentant and that we do love Him.

      It is wanting to die for Him — die to sin and to our weak human nature.

      It is wanting to stand at the foot of His cross — to look up into the agony in His eyes — to yearn to throw our arms about His bleeding knees and clasp Him to our hearts and to weep with Mary.

      And then …

      It is to rejoice with Mary on Easter morning, the end of the pilgrimage.

      But no, it is not the end, just a new beginning — each day a new beginning — each day a new pilgrimage.

      It is to walk along His way, until the time when we can say with St. Paul, "I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”[1]

   That is when we come in sight of our own Easter morning …