A Word on Evangelization

7th Sunday, Ordinary Time, February 23, 2025

Deacon Mike Meyer

A Word on Evangelization

   In a few short weeks it will be Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  I look forward to Lent every year because it offers me the challenge to make some new prayerful commitments of self-denial which have the potential to help me grow closer the Jesus and to live out the Paschal Mystery more fully than I have in the past.

   When choosing what to give up or what to commit to, we often tend to repeat past Lents and deny ourselves of certain things that we like such as chocolate, coffee, or social media.  Giving up these things can definitely be beneficial if we have the right attitude, and I always encourage people when they choose these types of self-denials.  These types of sacrifices can really help us to grow in the spiritual life to move us forward on our journeys of faith.

   That being said, I would like to suggest selecting something new and different this Lent that goes above and beyond what we have done in the past.  Getting up early to attend morning masses offered before work or school would be a prayerful commitment helping us to increase our prayer life.  Recognizing past repetitive sins and making an extra effort to avoid that sin, planning some intentional lifestyle changes that will help us to avoid the occasion that leads us into being tempted.  We can make prayer commitments such as praying a rosary every day during Lent, or going to Eucharistic Adoration and praying before the Blessed Sacrament for twenty or thirty minutes, or even an hour.  We can commit to daily reading of the scriptures, or to listen to a podcast.  Father Mike Schmitz has some popular podcasts.

   These are just some examples that can help us to grow in the spiritual life and open ourselves up more fully to God’s will and action on our day to day journey to our heavenly home.  Prayer keeps us focused on Jesus and the Holy Spirit and helps us to live out our faith in our daily actions.

   Whatever we decide to do, may this Lent be a time of renewal that brings us to a greater awareness of resurrection joy this Easter Season.