Lent
is intended to be a time for self-reflection and repentance before the
celebration of Christ’s resurrection – a spring cleaning, if you will, before
the joy of Easter. This time of preparation and purification has Biblical roots
– In the synoptic Gospels, we hear about Jesus’ solitary journey to the desert
for a period of forty days before entering his public ministry.
Our
own forty-day journey to Easter can be an opportunity for us to reflect on our
call to serve as public witnesses of God’s love for every one of our brothers
and sisters, particularly those on the margins of society. Our holy father,
Pope Francis, reflects on our role as missionaries of charity and justice in
his message for Lent: “What does this invitation to poverty, a life of
evangelical poverty, mean for us today?”
This
notion of “evangelical poverty” may sound strange, but Pope Francis goes on to
explain that we are invited to partake in a life of radical simplicity and
humility to better serve those suffering from material and spiritual poverty.
By emptying ourselves of our attachment to the things of this world, we are
able to meet others in their need with open hearts and understanding. A spirit
of evangelical poverty enables us to go into the world and see the dignity and
worth of everyone we come in contact with, especially those with no one else to
turn to.
There
is no better time in the year than Lent to undertake a period of
self-reflection, to examine our own attachments and what is preventing
us from more deeply being servants bringing the message of hope and love
to all of God’s children. In these forty days, we have the opportunity to
strengthen our resolve to innovating, education, and acting to bring about a
society that provides opportunity for everyone to achieve their full potential.
As our Holy Father says:
“The
Church offers her help, her diakonia [servant ministry], in
meeting these needs and binding these wounds which disfigure the face of
humanity. In the poor and outcast we see Christ’s face; by loving and helping
the poor, we love and serve Christ.”
As
Catholic Charities agencies, we are the tangible expression of this commitment
to bind wounds and alleviate injustice. Let us use this Lenten season as an
opportunity to let go of whatever prevents us from fully following our Lord’s
call, and, with both arms free, fully embrace what it means to love and serve
the poor and marginalized in our community.
Father
Larry Snyder
President
of Catholic Charities USA
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