RICHARD A. SOKERKA
Yesterday, on Ash Wednesday, the holy season of Lent, our 40-day journey in which we find ways to enhance our spiritual lives, began.
To focus more on our spiritual lives and less on our secular lives, we look for opportunities to keep our focus on what Lent is about and how it can change our lives as we prepare for Holy Week and Easter.
In Pope Francis’ annual Lenten message, he recommended that Lent be a time where we put down our obsession with our smartphones and encounter those in need face-to-face.
“Let us not grow tired of fighting against concupiscence, that weakness which induces to selfishness and all evil, and finds in the course of history a variety of ways to lure men and women into sin,” Pope Francis wrote.
“One of these is addiction to the digital media, which impoverishes human relationships. Lent is a propitious time to resist these temptations and to cultivate instead a more integral form of human communication made up of ‘authentic encounters,’ face-to-face and in person.
“Lent is a favorable time to seek out — and not to avoid — those in need; to reach out — and not to ignore — those who need a sympathetic ear and a good word; to visit — and not to abandon — those who are lonely. Let us put into practice our call to do good to all, and take time to love the poor and needy, those abandoned and rejected, those discriminated against and marginalized.
“While it is true that we have our entire life to sow goodness, let us take special advantage of this Lenten season to care for those close to us and to reach out to our brothers and sisters who lie wounded along the path of life,” he said.
“The Lenten season calls us to place our faith and hope in the Lord (cf. 1 Pet 1:21), since only if we fix our gaze on the risen Christ (cf. Heb 12:2) will we be able to respond to the Apostle’s appeal: ‘Let us never grow tired of doing good’ (Gal 6:9),” Pope Francis wrote.
May the words of our Holy Father ring true in our spiritual lives this Lent.