Pope Francis on his message during Angelus on Ash Wednesday says: “LENT, is a forty-day-long penitential itinerary that calls us to the conversion of the heart and leads us to the joy of Easter. Let us commit ourselves to making it a time of purification and spiritual renewal, a path of growth in faith, hope and charity.”

YES, Lent is a forty-day-long pilgrimage of the heart that invites us to renewal and transformation; it is a sacred journey—It is a time when we are called to step away from all the distractions of the world and walk a penitential path that leads us ever closer to Christ.

A Time of Conversion
To convert means to turn away from sin and return to God with a sincere heart. Lent gives us this opportunity through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, helping us to strip away everything that hinders our relationship with God. True conversion is not just about external acts of penance; it is an interior transformation that allows God’s grace to reshape our hearts.

A Path Marked by Sacrifice and Grace
The forty days of Lent mirror Jesus’ own forty days in the desert, where He fasted, prayed, and overcame temptation. Like Him, we are invited into a deeper reliance on the Father. Our sacrifices—whether big or small—become acts of love when offered with a willing heart. Through them, we empty ourselves so that God may fill us with His presence.

From Penitence to Easter Joy
Lent is not an end in itself; it prepares us for the fullness of joy that comes with the Resurrection. The journey may be marked by struggle, but it will lead us to new life, renewed hope, and a heart transformed by God’s mercy and love. The joy of Easter is not merely a passing emotion; it is real, it is the deep, abiding joy of knowing that Christ has conquered sin and death, and that we, too, are called to share in His victory.

As we walk this Lenten path, may we allow God to reshape our hearts, deepen our faith, and lead us toward the radiant joy of Easter morning…where Mary Magdalene rejoicing saying: I have seen the LORD!

Deo Gratias!

srmags,pddm