By Bishop James Conley
In his message for Lent 2021, Pope Francis writes, “During this season of conversion, let us renew our faith, draw from the ‘living water’ of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God, who makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Conversion, repentance and renewal are part of the daily diet of the Christian disciple. We must never grow lax or presumptuous in our spiritual lives. To find greater fulfillment, we seek greater intimacy with Jesus, striving to become more like him. We do this to gain friendship with God here in this world and for all eternity.
While conversion and repentance should be a part of our everyday lives, Lent is truly “a season of conversion” as Pope Francis describes it. The Church gives us these 40 days of Lent as a great blessing and opportunity to focus upon greater conversion of heart.
We begin the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 17. In all honesty, we might not always see Lent as a blessing. In fact, we might enter into it unenthusiastically because we know that it is a penitential season. It’s a penitential season, but for a purpose.
Lent is a time where we as Catholics meditate upon the Passion of Christ, meditating more intentionally about the pain and suffering that our Lord endured to win our salvation. This alone is for our spiritual benefit. We don’t think enough about what our Lord did to draw us closer to himself and to win our salvation.
As part of entering into the Passion of Christ, we incorporate into our lives the three traditional acts of the season of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. And we do all of these things for greater conversion, repentance and renewal in our lives.
The holy season of Lent is rich in mystery. It is the season when we enter more deeply into the mystery of Jesus Christ through liturgical worship, prayer and penance.
We all know very well that we in our local communities, our state, our country, and our world remain hindered by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has kept many from their local parish communities and the sacraments.
As the bishop of Lincoln, I am sensitive to the fears and anxieties of the faithful at this time. These are uncertain and unprecedented times, even as the COVID vaccines are becoming available. There is a great fear in contracting this sometimes fatal virus. Thus, many are fearful about coming together in a community and attending Mass.
To be candid, I ask everyone to take an honest look at themselves in light of this pandemic. A dispensation from the obligation of attendance of Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation remains in effect for all Catholics in the Diocese of Lincoln. However, this obligation should not be abused.
It’s important to note that our parishes have done an excellent job in keeping people safe by carrying out many precautions as they adopt common sense protocols during this pandemic. Our churches are safe places, and we have taken every precaution to make them safe.
And so I ask Catholics to look at their lives at this moment. Are you meeting with groups of people, perhaps attending sporting events and participating in other forms of entertainment, but not attending Mass? The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, but are we making other things a priority in our lives at this time? Are we making this dispensation an excuse?
As a diocesan family, I am asking that we focus on the gift of the sacraments this Lent. I invite you to deepen your friendship with Jesus Christ and with your brothers and sisters by making a good, heartfelt sacramental confession during this holy season.
In the sacrament of penance, we will encounter Jesus himself and his merciful love. This Lent, I urge you to attend Mass and adoration more frequently, to turn off the noise of the media and entertainment, and to hear the Word of God.
I ask you to invite at least one other person who has not been attending Mass regularly to come with you. Join your pastor and fellow parishioners in discerning ways that your parish can grow in providing a warm welcome to returning and new members.
This Lent, I ask you to practice charity in a more intentional way. The source of your charity flows from your intimate relationship with God. Take everything to him in your daily prayer—everything—your joys, sorrows, victories, challenges, gratitude, and frustrations, and let him speak his works of truth, compassion, hope, and love into your heart.
Pray with your families, spouses, and friends. Once you have opened your heart to receive God’s love in the sacraments and prayer, then take what you have received to the poor and needy—especially those who, in the words of Pope Francis “suffer or feel abandoned and fearful because of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
In the season of Lent, let us become his disciples through deeper conversion of heart, participation in the sacraments, a deeper friendship with Christ, and an abiding love for our families, friends, fellow parishioners, and all whom we encounter.
I hope and pray that the season of Lent is a time of conversion, repentance, and deepening of your relationship with Jesus.
