THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN
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February 18, 2007 The Good News ...Holy Season of Lent The Liturgical Season of Lent begins on Wednesday of this week, Feb. 21, 2007. Lent is a very special penitential time. It is a time of reconciliation, repentance and change. The practice of penance is a necessary part of our faith and Christian life. When we do penance, we are obeying Jesus Who commanded it. When we do penance, we imitate Jesus Who gave us the example of His prayer and fasting. When we do penance, we show our love for Jesus Who loved us so much that He suffered and died for us. As your Archbishop, I invite you and I urge you to make this Lenten journey a renewal of our Catholic faith. Through our prayers, sacrifices and charitable works, may we open ourselves to the mercy and love of God, our Father. May we be united with His Son Jesus, our Savior, and blessed and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Thus, during Lent, I ask you to consider participating in the Eucharistic celebration not only on Sundays (which is a most serious obligation) but even on some weekdays. I also remind you to avail yourselves of the sacrament of Penance by making a good Lenten confession. Join in the ceremony of the Stations of the Cross. Practice charity by respecting others. Sacrifice some favorite foods and events. Remember the poor and the needy. Fulfill your daily duties thoroughly and with joy. Thank God over and over for His many gifts and graces but especially now for this beautiful penitential season of Lent. And know that the Lord is truly with us! More Good News. . . Catholic Men’s Conference For 10 years in a row, the Catholic men of Oklahoma have experienced excellent annual faith conferences. Next Saturday, Feb. 24, will be the 11th successful and inspiring “In the Father’s Footsteps Men’s Conference.” Through this column today, I am extending a warm and sincere invitation to every man in this Archdiocese: “Come and join with your brothers in this exciting, informative and uplifting conference.” Our Catholic faith is a great gift from God. Like any gift, faith can be lost. Sometimes that happens gradually because of apathy, laziness or misinformation. Other times our faith might be jolted by a crisis or a failure or disappointment. Sometimes sickness or the death of a loved one challenges our faith. Perhaps fear and uncertainty have crept into our lives. Whatever stands in the way of our total, joyful response to God should be faced and overcome. Even if our faith seems to be OK, we should still want to build it up and grow closer to the Lord. Remember, God doesn’t love us just a little. God loves us totally and completely. God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to save us! Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus now offers us eternal life in heaven. Are you excited about this? You should be. This is not a chance offering. This is the explicit revealed promise of God. Whether you are a young man currently finishing high school or in college or an older retired man, or whether you are any age in between, this conference is for you. Whether you are a manual laborer or a highly skilled professional or whatever vocation you are following, this conference is for you. Whether you are married, widowed or single, this conference is for you. Men, young and old, come to this conference. Hear four dynamic talks. Pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Make a good Lenten confession. Celebrate Mass with me and “become the man God wants you to be!” Please come to the men’s conference next Saturday, Feb. 24 at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and the first presentation starts at 9 a.m. The day concludes with the celebration of Mass scheduled for 4:30 p.m. For more information: www.CatholicMen.net. I look forward to seeing you there! |