Dear Brothers and Sisters:  

“Lent is a good time to recover the joy and hope that make us feel like beloved sons and daughters of the Father. The Father who waits for us in order to cast off our garments of exhaustion, of apathy, of mistrust, and so clothe us with the dignity which only a true father or mother knows how to give their children, with the garments born of tenderness and love.” (Pope Francis, Homily, February 14, 2016)

We have entered into our Lenten journey towards the celebration of the Paschal Mystery at Easter time. For most of my life growing up, I recall that Lent was painted as a time of sacrifice and suffering. It was a time of denial by eating cod fish cakes every Friday. It was a time of giving up sweets for those forty days. It seemed as if daily living was one of embracing the cross of sacrifice which was the only way to reach the glory of Easter.

Pope Francis’ quote from 2016 puts a different spin on our Lenten journey. While extra prayer, fasting and almsgiving are part of our Catholic tradition, Pope Francis’ quote tells us Lent is a time to recover joy and hope. Instead of casting off a few pounds by fasting, it is a time for us to cast off what stops us from living as sons and daughters of God. We should not come to Easter Sunday tired and worn out from all our sacrifices, but we should come to that glorious day as a newly born individual, one who is renewed and energized by our Lenten journey instead of reaching a finish line beaten down.

These forty days of Lent are a time for us to recapture the glory of who we are – beloved sons and daughters of an awesome God. Pope Francis’ quote recalls the story of the Prodigal Son (cf. Luke 15:11–32). The younger son returns realizing he has nowhere else to go except to return to the Father.  When he returns, he is restored to his former position within the family, not as one who hangs his head in shame but one who is given the dignity of being a child of the Father. He is given a ring on his finger, dressed in the finest robe, and given a new pair of sandals. He is a person given back the joy of being a child of God.

I pray that this Lent may be a time for all of us to journey closer to our Redeemer and emerge after our time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving with that same renewed dignity of the younger son in the parable. May we celebrate and prepare well this Lent so that on Easter Sunday we may hear the words of our Father to each one of us: “My child, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. Welcome home!  Welcome home!”

In the Spirit of the Redeemer,

Paul J. Borowski, C.Ss.R.