Observing Lent ?

St Joan of Arc Parish

3801 E Greenway Rd

Phoenix Az 85032

602-867-9171

Lenten Activities

Feb 22, 2012 to Apr 6, 2012

Fish Fry: Fridays in Lent, 4:00-7:00p (NO Fish Fry on Good Friday)

Catholicism with Fr. Kline: 5:30p, ALL Fridays in Lent

Stations of the Cross: 7:00p, ALL Fridays in Lent

Confessions: 8:00-8:25a Mon-Sat, 5:30-5:55p Mon and Wed

The Journey of Lent

Written by Fr. Don Kline on February 26, 2012

A friend told me the other day that his parents finally took their Christmas tree down! He said, "As retirees, they ask me, "What's the rush?" I remember one year going home in May and finding a Christmas tree in their less traveled living room with recent vacuum tracks around it! My guess is they won't have taken it down by this Wednesday, and I will have a good reason to force the issue… Ma and Pa, its Lent!"

This is a strange statement, but I think that Lent has become more and more popular. I never remember the long lines of people on Ash Wednesday coming for their ashes as they do now. I can't help but think that in the excesses of our modern day culture, people realize they need to stop and do a reality check. Perhaps we know in our hearts that we are missing the mark, which is why we embrace the season.

I am confident that a well-spent Lent leads not only to an incredibly meaningful Easter but an enriched faith. An increase in prayer, fasting and almsgiving helps us. As one writer puts it, "These practices of discipline and deprivation, accompanied by an overall sobriety of self, are necessary conduits of virtue."

I challenge you to surrender something important for a few weeks—be it TV or ice cream or meat, or evening snacking—and you will emerge on the other side with lightness of being, seriousness of purpose, a greater connection to the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ and even pride of accomplishment, feeling good about your ability to curb the appetites that so often control us. challenge you to spend time in silence—driving, in our chapel, as a family—wherever and whenever. I challenge you to pick an added prayer discipline and stick with it and the results will be the same.

And finally, I challenge you to a greater sense of awareness of those who go without. Make an added contribution to St. Vincent de Paul or Maggie's Place or to the long list of worthy charities during this lean time in our nation‟s history.

In some churches, it is the custom to actually bury the word "alleluia" in the ground and have it rise again on Easter Sunday. Perhaps this could be our symbolic gesture as we bury our selfishness this lent and rise anew on Easter morning!

My heart is filled with joy and gratitude for all God is doing in our parish. May our Patroness, most powerful St. Joan of Arc obtain for each of us the grace to one day meet God face to face and may Our Lady be our solace and guide in every endeavor, joy, and trial! And may the Holy Eucharist be our wisdom and strength!

God Bless, Fr. Don Kline