ASH WEDNESDAY

When you pray . . . 

Welcome to the season of Lent! Whether you are a longtime or first-time reader of our magazine or somewhere in between, we are sure that these next forty days can be a time of great blessing.

Every Lent, we take up the spiritual practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In today’s Gospel, Jesus encourages us to do them “in secret” so that our God, who sees into the “secret” of our hearts, can fill us and transform us from the inside out (Matthew 6:6).

We’d like to make a suggestion as you embark on these practices: try placing a special emphasis on prayer this Lent. Tell yourself, “I want to focus on encountering the Lord. I want to hear his voice in my heart and know his love more deeply.” You may, in fact, find it helpful to read our main articles in this issue, which focus on learning about prayer from Jesus himself.

As you pray, try to invite the Lord into those “secret” parts of your life that may be darkened by sin or wounded by past hurts. Because the more we seek the Lord, the more we will find him. And in finding him, we’ll experience a deep love and joy that can overcome every obstacle in our lives.

Imagine the blessings that can come as you spend time with the Lord over these next forty days! The God “who is hidden” won’t be as hidden as he once seemed (Matthew 6:18). You’ll begin to love him more, and you’ll come to see his cross as the ultimate act of love, both for you and for everyone around you. That love can warm your heart and help you treat everyone with that very same love.

So what do you think? Are you ready? Because the Lord is. He is ready to reveal himself to you—every time you pray.

“Here I am, Lord! Teach me how to seek you and find you in prayer this Lent.”

Joel 2:12-18
Psalm 51:3-6, 12-14, 17
2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18