Greetings in Christ, all!
I simply can’t believe I am typing these words, but Lent is upon us! This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of our Lenten Season.
Every year we tend to choose a theme for our preaching during Lent and this year is no different. After prayer and discussion, we felt called to focus on an older tradition of preaching “The Last Seven Words of Christ.”
I’d like to break that down a little for you.
Our four Gospel accounts of Jesus have him saying seven different statements while on the cross, thus the phrase “The Seven Last Words of Christ.”
During Lent we have a schedule of which phrase we will preach on. This is what it will look like:
Feb 18 – “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Feb 25 – “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
March 3 – “Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother!”
March 10 – “I Thirst”
March 17 – “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!”
March 24 – “It is finished”
Each homily will look at what Jesus said and what challenge, blessing or insights those words offer us.
During this Lenten Season, make sure we are “upping our game” and giving God our all, challenging ourselves to never be content with where we are in our relationship with Jesus. Let’s ask for the grace to pray and sacrifice like never before, entering into the suffering and death of Jesus, so that we can enter His resurrection with Him.
I look forward to God blessing us all deeply in this wonderful season!
Thank you for the joy of being your priest.
Fjk
