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Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Dear Holy Cross Faith Community,
I pray that you and your families have had a safe and enjoyable Mardi Gras Season. We have often heard this “Fat Tuesday” celebration also referred to as “Carnival.” Interestingly, the Latin-derived term "Carnival" comes from "carne levare," which means "to remove meat," signifying the festive period before Lent when Catholic Christians traditionally abstain from eating meat. This period of time reflects the celebration's origins as a time of indulgence before a season of fasting—the Lenten Season.
As we know, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days, leading up to Easter. It is a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as we Catholic Christians prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Lent is a time when once again, we are called to “STOP” and to look inward. It is also a time to place others first and ourselves last, as true Servant Leaders.
The centerpiece of our Founder Blessed Basil Moreau’s spirituality is “Conformity to Christ.” This conformity which Fr. Moreau envisions is so transformative and complete that the Christian becomes “truly another Jesus Christ.” As such, Fr. Moreau calls us all to “be compassionate and kind to others and to treat everyone with dignity, regardless of his/her background or circumstances.” And, Lent affords us the perfect opportunity to live out this Mission.
Our beloved Holy Cross will provide a number of opportunities over the next 40 days for our Faith Community to participate actively in this Lenten Season. We have much for which to be thankful, and we should all desire to share our blessings with others. Matthew 6:3 is clear, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” This verse speaks powerfully about the nature of giving and our intentions behind helping others. When we look closely at what Jesus is saying, we see that He is urging us to give to others in need without flaunting our generosity. It serves as a reminder to keep our acts of kindness and charity private. Generosity is not about seeking praise or recognition from others. Instead, it is about sharing love, compassion, and empathy. It is a call to cultivate a spirit of selflessness. Fr. Moreau reminds us that “our zeal is always guided by charity. Everything is done with strength and gentleness.”
Fr. Moreau also said, “Prayer is a powerful tool for finding inner peace and strength. Make time for quiet reflection and connection with your spiritual self.” In order to take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves—Mind and Heart, Body and Soul. Hence, each of us is encouraged to take time this Lenten Season to look inward, to pray and to reflect, and to share that inner faith with others, especially with others on the periphery, with others who are ostracized, and to offer mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, just as Jesus modeled.
And so, may each member of our Holy Cross Faith Community “make time to take time” to STOP—to pray, to reflect, to fast, and to be “Pilgrims of Hope” for others. May each of us “go to the peripheries to meet Christ in our neighbors.” And, may all of us prepare for the coming of Christ as we travel on this Journey of Faith in solidarity with each other.
Crux Spes Unica!
Your Brother in the Cross,
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