Listening, Fasting: Focus of Ash Wednesday Liturgy
With solemnity and prayer, the Mount Saint Mary Academy community gathered in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception for the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.
Prior to the distribution of ashes, Monsignor William Benwell reminded the students, faculty, and staff, "The Lenten season invites us to place the mystery of God back into the center of our lives." He said that Pope Leo XIV invites to do this through listening and fasting.
"Our God seeks to involve us, He shares with us what is in His heart," said Monsignor Benwell, emphasizing that conscientious reflection on the word of God is important as it is "fully revealed in the Bible in our sacred scriptures."
Regarding fasting, Monsignor invited the community to reflect on the reality of hunger beyond bodily sustenance and to focus on what we truly hunger for in our lives. "Do we hunger for justice?" he asked. "Do we hunger for closeness to God?"
The Pope asks all in the Catholic Church to join in specific fasting and abstinence during Lent, said Monsignor, and "to refrain from words that offend and hurt our neighbors, to disarm our language, to refrain from slander harsh words, especially against those who cannot defend themselves."
"Instead, cultivate kindness and respect. Words of hatred should be replaced with words of hope and peace," he concluded.
We wish all members of the Mount community a blessed Lenten season.
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Prior to the distribution of ashes, Monsignor William Benwell reminded the students, faculty, and staff, "The Lenten season invites us to place the mystery of God back into the center of our lives." He said that Pope Leo XIV invites to do this through listening and fasting.
"Our God seeks to involve us, He shares with us what is in His heart," said Monsignor Benwell, emphasizing that conscientious reflection on the word of God is important as it is "fully revealed in the Bible in our sacred scriptures."
Regarding fasting, Monsignor invited the community to reflect on the reality of hunger beyond bodily sustenance and to focus on what we truly hunger for in our lives. "Do we hunger for justice?" he asked. "Do we hunger for closeness to God?"
The Pope asks all in the Catholic Church to join in specific fasting and abstinence during Lent, said Monsignor, and "to refrain from words that offend and hurt our neighbors, to disarm our language, to refrain from slander harsh words, especially against those who cannot defend themselves."
"Instead, cultivate kindness and respect. Words of hatred should be replaced with words of hope and peace," he concluded.
We wish all members of the Mount community a blessed Lenten season.
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