“Lent gives us a new opportunity to be more serious about our personal conversion to Christ, more serious about becoming the people that God wants us to be.”

Archbishop Gomez

Follow the Link below to begin the journey through Lent. Fr. Sam Ward, pastor of St. Raymond Catholic Community, Downey, shares insights into the theme “Draw Me in , Lord”.

You will also find a link to resources for you and your family.

https://archla.flocknote.com/note/25158060/video/540303601

“The Best Kind of Fasting”

“At our February Executive Board Meeting, Paula Mayfield, Spiritual Development Officer, shared an article by Fr. Miguel Marie Soeherman, MFVA titled “The Best Kind of Fasting.”

Therea are various ways to fast. I know a man who fast every Wednesday and Friday from using TV or Internet! Sometimes as a form of fasting, people carry out external penance by offering additional prayers. Perhaps, they pray an extra rosary or pray the Stations of the Cross.

St. John of the Cross said about mortification (cf. The Complete Works of St. John of the Cross): We are like the stone which must be chiseled and fashioned before being used in the building. The people God surrounds us with are like craftsmen placed there by Him to mortify us by working and chiseling at us.

He said: Some will chisel with words-telling us what we would rather not hear.

Other chisel us by deed(s)- doing against us what we rather not endure.

Others by their temperament-being who they are…being in their person and in their actions a bother and annoyance to us.

St. John of the Cross goes on by saying: And others by their thoughts-neither esteeming nor feeling love for us.

He said: In these situations, we ought to suffer these mortifications and annoyances with inner patience.

I believe that this is the best kind-the kind which the Lord sen(t) us. Whatever He sends us or whatever He allows us to experience may be very light. Or it may be very difficult or very painful. But the Lord knows our strenghts. He knows our capabilities. He knows our limitations. And He will not let us deal with more that we can handle.

What is required for growth is an attitude of acceptance and openness to the will of God.

Striving to eliminate all self-will, to accept God’s will revealed in the circumstances of daily life, is the surest way to achieve growth in conformity to the will of God. It will provide more than enough virtue to be practiced, suffering to be sustained, pain to be borne; more important still, it will make us fit instruments to achieve his designs, not only for our own salvation but for others as well.

Fasting or penance ought to be done with the intention of deeper union of will with the Lord! They ought to be done with the intention to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord!”

May the Lord guide us and may Our Lady lead us to accept generously whatever God sends us to purify us.