Monday is Presidents' Day and a legal holiday in the middle of the shortest month of the year. It is a day with its "holiday sales" and reflections on past leadership in our country.

As Christians it may be good for us to spend the day in some reflection on the approaching time of grace, namely the season of Lent which will begin a week from this Wednesday. It is a time when God wants to work in our lives. I have some friends who remind me of their excitement about Lent each year. The tradition of this unique season is filled with the basic call for conversion and return to the basics of the faith.

Growing up in the Polish parish where I was raised there I was looking forward to the special doughnuts before Lent started. I still look forward to them today! Once Lent started there was serving for Stations of the Cross and Gorzkie Zale [a devotion on the sufferings of Christ]. Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sunday afternoon were days of extra prayer. Each year during the season of Lent there was a parish mission when an older priest came, or at least seemed older, and preached for what seemed to be forever!

The fast and abstinence on Friday brought out different kinds of foods that seemed to taste better during Lent. There was to be less music and the giving up of different things that one would really like to drink or eat or whatever. Much of that seems to have changed but does it have to change? One sacred author talks about fasting from sin! What a wonderful idea to put into practice.

Just some thoughts about Lent to think about.

Fr Ted Marsza