Florida Catholic | Bishop Dewane's Column

Lent: A time to recognize needs of others

Published: 02.29.08

During Lent, we are called to pray for and to serve others in the name of Christ, and to reflect upon the many graces God has bestowed and continues to bestow upon each one of us.”

Dear Faithful:

My prayers are with each of you during this Lenten season, a journey in which we are to unite ourselves spiritually with Jesus Christ and his passion, death and resurrection. Lent is a season of interior spiritual reflection and growth.

The church reminds us that this special season is a propitious time for penance, prayer and almsgiving.

During this Lenten season, we should strive to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves, bearing in mind that Christ told us that “whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me” (Mt 25:31-46).

Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI reminds us in his Lenten message titled, “Christ Made Himself Poor for You,” that the Lenten season is a time for prayer, for abstaining from material things and for service to others.

Our activities need not be limited to a financial contribution (almsgiving) to the poor. Each of us has a responsibility to also pray for those who are in need and to be concerned for all those who may be in spiritual need.

Is Lent not an opportune time to encourage Catholics who have been away to return to the sacraments and to life within the church? In addition to prayer, penance and almsgiving, I encourage each of you to seek out those who are disillusioned, confused and marginalized, and to speak to them about Christ, his church, his love and his forgiveness.

During Lent, we are called to pray for and to serve others in the name of Christ, and to reflect upon the many graces God has bestowed and continues to bestow upon each one of us.

Be assured of my prayers during this Lenten season as we together prepare to celebrate and enter into Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, calling to mind that each of us is called to take up his or her own “cross” and to follow Christ (Mt 16:24).

Sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Frank J. Dewane
Bishop of Venice in Florida

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Lent: A time to recognize needs of others

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