Ash Wednesday and Lent

 

The Prophet Joel and the Gospel of Matthew today call us to repentance, reconciliation, fasting, prayer and almsgiving. This call takes us to the heart of the penitential season of Lent: a conversion of heart that comes from a renewed and revitalised relationship with our God who is gracious and merciful and bestows abundant life on all. 

As Christians we know that we are called to live life to the full. During Lent, this ‘joyful season’, we are called to give expression to the ‘greatest commandment of the law’, the love of God and the love of one’s neighbour which is at the heart of Project Compassion.  

This Lent, after the ash is washed away and we move through this journey to Easter, let us hold in our prayers the oppressed, the hungry, the broken-hearted, the captive, the prisoner. Can we fast so that others may have more of the world’s resources? In a time ‘when the divide between the mega-rich and the forgotten poor is ever widening’, may we bring the good news to those most deeply affected by the inequities in our world — let us take home a Project Compassion box or envelope set and give generously to some of our neighbours who are amongst the poorest and most vulnerable people in our world. 

This year Holy Cross College will continue with its amazing generosity to Caritas and the agency's many projects both overseas and in Australia. All students will be part of Liturgies today where they will listen to the words of Matthew preparing us for the 5 weeks before one of the most important weeks of the Catholic Church's year, Holy Week.

We urge all members of the community to become involved in 'Loving your Neighbour', whether that be those around you or those for whom we try to give a better life through our commitment to Project Compassion.