Dear friend:

Today, Ash Wednesday, we begin a "pilgrimage" through Lent with the desire to go with Jesus to Jerusalem. "In this time we always receive a strong call to conversion: the Christian is called to return to God 'with all his heart' (Joel 2, 12), (…) to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us" (Pope Francis).

The Lenten liturgy will guide us along that path. We highlight some of the fundamental issues related to the Redemption of Our Lord Jesus Christ:

Ash Wednesday: the beginning of the Lenten season: time of purification oriented to the celebration of the "Paschal Triduum" (Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ).

Almsgiving: Lent moves us to give not only something that we possess, but give ourselves.

Fasting: by fasting on my own will I can become a "gift" for others.

The announcement of the Gospel: God offers grace to the fallen man.

The Mercy of God is not a “cheap grace”: mercy does not ignore injustice, but conquers it.

The Baptism of Jesus Christ: Jesus begins his public life by taking the place of sinners.

The temptations of Jesus: Jesus enters into the drama of human existence to find the "sheep gone astray".

The parables of Jesus: let us not look at Jesus going from the present to the past, but from the present to the present.

Jesus made himself “a leper” so that we might be cleansed: God's love is stronger than evil.

Jesus is the true “Lazarus”: anyone who does not believe in the Scripture will not believe one who comes from beyond.

Jesus, the “true Jonah”: as it happened to Jonah, Jesus spent three days and three nights "disappeared" under the earth.

We also anticipate the Gospel and commentary of the Sundays of Lent (cycle A):

Sunday I: «The Spirit led Jesus into the desert that He be put to the test by the devil»

Sunday II: «Jesus' appearance was changed before them»

Sunday III: «Give me a drink»

Sunday IV: «Go and wash»

Sunday V: «I am the resurrection; whoever believes in me, though he die, shall live»

Through the options Table of Contents (of the service "Master") and the Perpetual Calendar you can consult more comments about Lent.

Thank you for your attention. Greetings from the evangeli.net Team.