ASH WEDNESDAY
Meghan Sprankle C ‘14

Lenten Resolution
"Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart…
Return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is He,
slow to anger, rich in kindness…” Joel 2: 12-13

Okay, so the New Year’s Resolutions you made back in January may have not quite worked out the way you planned … but what about your Lenten Resolutions? Today marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a time of reflection on what is really important and of preparation for the remembrance of Jesus’ death and Resurrection at Easter. It is a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, just as the Gospel today mentions. But what does that all mean? I’ve heard this period of 40 days explained as a way to grow closer in our relationship with God, others, and ourselves. Whether that means more meaningful prayer time, doing acts of service to those around us, or giving up something that keeps us from becoming closer to God and those around us (instead of Facebook for an hour, try taking a walk with a friend!). In the First Reading from the prophet Joel, the Lord is calling us to return to Him with our whole hearts. This is echoed in the Second Reading from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians: “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” This is our time to change; to get back on the path to which God is calling each of us. It is the time to grow deeper in your relationship with God through whatever means you see fit! It is the time to return to Christ and experience the awesome love and many graces He gives. It is time.

Lord, during this Lenten season, lead me back to You. I want to return to You
with my whole heart. Help me to see You in those around me
and to grow closer to You in all that I do. Amen.

J1 2: 12-18, Ps 51: 3a-6b,12-14, 17, 2 Cor 5: 20-6:2

Editor’s Note:

It has been an honor to be the editor of the annual Lenten Reflection Book this year. Reading your insights into this beautiful season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving has been a spiritually fruitful experience for me as I’m sure it will be for the entire Mount community this Lent. It is my prayer that supplementing exploration of the daily scriptural readings with this prayer book might help each of you to become more nourished by the Sacred Word of God.

The daily reflections featured here coincide with the daily Mass readings which can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings.

I would like to thank each of the writers of this Lenten Reflection Book for their immense contribution. Many thanks to Fr. Brian Nolan and Dr. William Collinge, for their expertise, guidance, and support. May God bless all of you with a Lenten season filled with the love and peace of Christ.

Pax Christi,
Maria Marinelli, '14

University Chaplain Note:

This is the fifth edition of the Mount St. Mary’s University Lenten Reflection Book. These reflections are a fruit of prayer and meditation on the Scriptures of the days throughout Lent. I am grateful for all the hard work, perseverance and attention that our Mount students, faculty, administration and staff put into these reflections. I’m thankful for Maria Marinelli and her efforts and contribution as the editor of this booklet. When you see the abbreviation CCC it refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the paragraph number for your reference.

May this blog and meditations on the Scriptural readings for the day throughout the 40 days of Lent help us draw closer to the One who gave His life that we may have life in abundance in Him.

Peace,
Fr. Brian Nolan