I have a “fitbit” that keeps track of my steps, heartrate, sleep, and overall health. I know many of you are keeping track of your health using such a device. When I am at Zumba I always like to check my heart rate, and it is good to see that at times it is over 130!
I wish there were some type of spiritual “fitbit” we could wear especially during the Lenten Season to help us keep track of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Especially since this year we will be challenged to “Listen with your Heart!” In Matthew 6:21 we read “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I am encouraging us all to treasure this Season of Lent as a time to pay attention to our relationship to Jesus and His desire to teach us how to live. Christ desires to have a living relationship with each of us who take the time to listen to and with your heart.
As Catholics we are invited to use all our senses to encounter the presence of God; sight, sound, smell, taste and allow those senses to assist us in entering into the presence of God. Lent is never a private journey, it is communal. As a community of faith, we support each other on the faith journey, encouraging each other to become the people and community God calls us to be.
I want to highlight some of the many ways we provide for the personal and communal journey this Lent:
• There are 12 Prayer Stations on the window sills of the church leading us through Luke’s telling of the passion. (Remember this year we are reading Luke’s Gospel). I make it my intention to do two prayer stations a week during the six weeks of Lent. • Each weekend we will allow six candles to remind us of how important it is to remember that Christ came as the light of the world to dispel the darkness of sin. When we gather for the Easter Vigil, may we rejoice that our light is burning brightly in the center of our hearts. • This year for the first time we will be doing Stations of the cross on Zoom with Bernie Audette on Wednesday Evenings at 7:00 P.M. The link is on our website and will be in the bulletin. • Please check our website at sacredhearthopedale.org for links to learn about Lent for all ages.
So, take the time to set your “spiritual fitbit” for a forty-day journey listening to and with your heart! May our hearts beat one with the Lord!