February 16, 2024
Dear Friends in Christ,
Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These three practices set our minds, our hearts and our hands respectively toward our love of God and others, especially our neighbors in need.
Pope Francis shared the idea of this kind of spiritual coordination when I visited him in January to talk about the good works of the Knights of Columbus. As the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization, the Knights seek to grow in their faith and put that faith in action in countless ways big and small. I see this same spirit of faith in action each day throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
In these early days of the Lent season we reflect on our faith and how we put our faith into action. Faith grows in quiet moments of prayer and listening to the Lord. In turn, listening leads to an understanding of the goodness, truth, and beauty of the Jesus Christ. As we come to know Him more, we can also come to love Him more as our hearts are transformed from sin to grace. The eyes of faith show us the One “who is all good and worthy of all our love.”
Having fallen in love with God, we want to share that love. Faith leads us to action. We see this expressed in our commitment to almsgiving, not only by financial generosity but our direct service that we give lovingly to others with no prospect or expectation of repayment. It’s the diapers you buy and drop off at the crisis pregnancy center for the expectant mother you will never meet. It’s the sidewalk you shovel for your elderly neighbor, the casserole you make for Our Daily Bread and the child you foster until she or he can return home. In all these we share that love we first received.
Have a blessed Lent and a joyous celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection.
With warmest personal regards, I am
Faithfully in Christ,
Most Reverend William E. Lori
Archbishop of Baltimore