The Three Paths to Easter

"The Church has set out for Easter. It is a journey of penitence, or of deep review of our life. We are called to examine our practical acceptance of the Gospel... To help us in this effort, the Church points out to us a path that can be summarized in three words: prayer, fasting, almsgiving.

Prayer can have many expressions, personal and communal. But we must above all live its essence, listening to God who speaks to us... In addition to being an external practice, fasting, which consists in the moderation of food and life-style, is a sincere effort to remove from our hearts all that is the result of sin and inclines us to evil. Almsgiving, far from being reduced to an occasional offering of money, means assuming an attitude of sharing and acceptance. We need only to open our eyes to see beside us so many brothers and sisters who are suffering materially and spiritually. Thus Lent is a forceful invitation to solidarity."
John Paul II, 16 February 1997 Angelus, http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP970216.HTM

posted by Holly at 5:40 PM 1 comments