Well Begun is Half Done

The old saying that "Well begun is half done," is something that we can apply to our Lenten journey. Yes, Lent is a journey. Through Lent we are asked to leave our old self behind and move toward our new self. The destination in this journey is the Solemnity of Easter. Easter always falls on a Sunday, but unlike any other Sunday, we do not recite the Nicene Creed and, instead, renew our baptismal promises. After forty days of penance and self-examination, the chance to start anew is given to us through the celebration of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ. He who was dead, executed on a cross, is risen. The Gospels tell us that his glorified body is able to pass through walls at the same time that he is able to sit down and eat with his disciples. His body bears the marks of the crucifixion at the same time that he is freely walking with his disciples, discussing what has happened to him in the past three days, and, finally, commissioning his disciples to go forth to preach the forgiveness of sins. May your journey be a fruitful time of renewal.

Holy Father, you who teach our fingers to fight, teach also our shoulders to bear and our legs to stride, so that we may never stray from the way of liberty, which is the way of the cross.