Christ Our Light Catholic Church - Loudonville, NY

Lent 2020

Our Lenten Theme:  “Love is …”

As Jesus was bidding farewell to his disciples on the night of the Last Supper, he said:  “I give you a new commandment:  love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you.”  (Jn13:34)

Our Lenten theme this year accentuates how each of us (and all of us as church) will respond to Jesus’ teaching.  It’s important to note that Jesus says “you must love one another…”  Not to do so is simply not an option in Jesus’ eyes!  He commands us to love all people indiscriminately just as he does!  Like Jesus, we are not to pick and choose … or take sides … or wait for the right time. We are to BE love always!

Our Lenten theme, “Love is…” invites us to put love into action in a world where it is too scarce. In other words, I invite us to fill in that blank each day.  What’s love going to look like in your life this Lent?

St. Paul helps us to put a face on that love:

Love is patient and kind … never jealous, boastful, conceited or rude;

Love does not take offence or store up grievances;

Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing,

But finds its joy in the truth;

Love is always ready to make allowances …

to trust … to hope …To endure whatever comes; 

Love never fails.  (1 Cor: 4-8)

On Ash Wednesday, as each of us again puts on the face of Christ and hearkens to Jesus’ words:  “Repent and believe the Gospel (Mk 1:15), may we go forth to discover new ways to complete the sentence:  “Love is …!”  May we come to understand that love is not just a feeling, but, rather, a matter of choosing, doing, and being faithful.