Attendance at Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, reflection on the Scriptures and
personal prayer nourish this relationship from which springs our relationship
with others.
Fasting sharpens our vision and our readiness in mind and heart to love God
and others, rather than ourselves. As a community we fast and abstain from meat
on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On other days, discipline in eating and
drinking trains us for our journey with Christ, who spent 40 days in the desert
in prayer and penance.
Works of love are the fruit of prayer and penance. Pope Francis reminds us
that though Jesus was rich, for our sake he became poor. When Jesus was baptised
by John, He did so not because He was in need of repentance or conversion; He
did it to be among people who needed forgiveness and to take upon Himself the
burden of our sins.
The Pope encourages us to acquire a new awareness of those who are in
destitution—poverty without faith or hope. He challenges us to be alert in
binding the wounds of those who suffer material destitution—lacking basic
rights, food, water and work; moral destitution—maybe a brother or sister is in
the thrall of alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, or no longer sees meaning
in life; or spiritual destitution—which we experience when we turn away from God
and reject his love.
The Gospel is the antidote to destitution. We are called to
proclaim the liberating news that forgiveness for sins is possible, because God
freely loves us at all times, and asks us to be joyous heralds of His mercy and
hope.