Ash Wednesday 2019

The injunctions spoken when the ashes are blessed give us couple of clues: We are told to "Repent and believe in the Gospel." The word 'repent' comes to us from the Greek word "Metanoia" which means to change your mind and change the direction you are moving in your life. So, the beginning of Lent invites us to commence a journey together that moves us from ashes to Easter, from sin to grace, hate to love, fear to faith, and death to life. The Gospel we believe in is, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, this is a time through the Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving that we are trying to live a more Christ-centered life. - Fr. William Heric, First Sunday of Lent, 2019