Peace be with you!

It's week 2 of Lent and it seems like we still have a long way to go until Easter. There is a great Lenten resource on the Hallow app called Pray40. Throughout Pray40 different guests make appearances to guide the listener through different Lenten themes using the Imitation of Christ by Thomas á Kempis.

This past Friday we heard from special guest Mark Wahlberg about the importance of fasting. In his brief 6 minute episode, Mark leaves us with a somewhat daunting challenge. This week, when we are met with hardship and suffering, let us choose to take up our cross with Jesus. Even when we fall and fail to remain close to Jesus, we have the opportunity to pick up our cross once again. When we fall and fail it is only final if we let it be. God always seeks to draw us deeper to Himself no matter what we have done.

We live in a world which is full of hardships and suffering. If we see someone who is hungry, let it be an opporunity to serve them. If we have a bad day at work, let it be an opportunity to grow in the virtue of humility. If we want to get angry at a bad driver on the road, let it be an opportunity to grow in the virtue of meekness. Our crosses all look different and each of us have a different area the Lord is working in, but we must always remember that Christ is carrying His Cross with us. When we fall, let us remember when Christ fell on the road to Calvary. When we encounter someone who is testing our patience, let us remember the words that Christ spoke from His Cross: "Father forgive them. They know not what they do."

This week, let us think about ways we can take up our cross, but let us remember that if we try to take up our crosses alone we will not get very far. Consider coming to the Stations of the Cross this coming Friday, March 10, at 7 pm. As we walk the Way of the Cross and reflect on Hunger, may we meditate on our crosses. If Friday isn't possible, check out our parish website for virtual Stations of the Cross. There are many great resources out there that will help us meditate on the Cross of Christ and on our own crosses.

Totus Tuus!

Corpus Christi-St. Bernard's Communications Team