Today, we take our first steps on the journey that will lead us to the feast of the Glorious Resurrection.  As we do so, we’re asked to look within the recesses of our souls to see what has been stored within its chambers during the past year.

           This can often be a difficult thing to do, because sometimes when we shed light on that which has been accumulated we might not like what we see.  Has the past year been a continuation on the path to our everlasting happiness or have we made a wrong turn or two along the way?  Chances are that we’ve all strayed from the path we should be on.  The good thing is, that this time of Great Lent can serve as a GPS for the soul and help to redirect us on the right path.

           It’s so easy for us to wander off course.  There are so many distractions along the way.  Our daily lives are filled with struggles and worries.  These factors along with so many others can lead us to make choices that aren’t always consistent with our noble status as children of God.  But there is always something we can do about it.

           This forty-day journey offers us the perfect moment to reflect on our lives.  We can take stock of our actions and our choices and see if they are really helping us to be the person we want to be or if we need a little corrective remedy.

           None of us are perfect   We all make choices that fall short of our ideal self.  The good news, however, is that we don’t have to be held bound by those choices.  God’s mercy and love is greater than any mistake that we can make and His forgiveness is boundless.  With Him we are never alone on the road and in Him we can find forgiveness and redemption.

           May our journey this Lent lead us to a greater awareness of ourselves and of the people we want to be.  May we all reach the day of the Resurrection with firm resolve to be better than we were when we began and with our sights set on the road ahead.

           With the bestowal of my archiepiscopal blessing upon you, I remain

           Sincerely in Christ,