OUR LENTEN JOURNEY - This is one possible path for our Lenten journey. Probably the most important thing is to have a plan. There are certainly many paths. I suggest this one because it seems to correspond with our actual human experience and our nature. The FIRST PILLAR is to admit what is present, i.e., simply there! Essential to our very existence is having been created in a relationship with God. His love for us is a continuing action, not unlike your loving relationships wherein you trust the other! We don't have a lot of these relationships, maybe one, or two. Once you see that then you want to become aware of it. You want to make it part of your conscious aware life. To become trusting is to become Holy. Jesus grew in age, wisdom and grace. He learned trust from what he suffered. We want to trust God in good times and bad. To ride the waves of overwhelming joy and the deepest sadness and hurt. The SECOND PILLAR is the call to happiness. The invitation to delight, the experience of Joy. The happiness of fleeting joys and delight; the experience of what the catholic funeral rite calls "blessings in his life…signs of God's goodness" are essential to this life. Happiness is a crazy word because of its uses. "Happiness is a warm puppy". That is true if you like puppies. Happiness is a ten million dollar Yacht, for some. I think you see what I mean. Could we not just as easily use the word content? That ties it to our conscious state and our emotions and makes it independent of stuff. To be content is being happy and vice versa. The Father who created us wants us content; what father wouldn't? To be content is to live from an unconditioned place where the winds of caprice will not destroy you, it is to live with God. You are called to happiness. The THIRD PILLAR of Lenten renewal could be, Health of Mind and Body. They are mutually dependent. What could that mean? Any human appetite can addict us. A brief review could tell you whether you are doing harm to your body. Challenge yourself about this. Then make a plan to challenge it. Joining with others can help. Seeking professional advice can help. You have heard of many who are recovering from addictions. It Does Work. More subtle is health of mind. Our thoughts, our ideas, our beliefs, our assumptions explicitly stated or silently held and repeated without reflection are the subject of the pillar. Many persons cruise along in their lives with a whole bucket of irrational and dangerous ideas that they assume are true. Next week, I will list the most common IB's (irrational beliefs) that we could work on. Irrational and dangerous religious beliefs abound. Paper does not refuse ink, and sound waves from a mouth do not self-correct. Flying ideas can be so unhelpful. Jesus spent much of this time correcting false beliefs, sacrificed animals, removed sin, getting a million people to pray for something is more impressive to God and his is more likely to indulge your cause. It goes on and on. We could do well to correct our personal religious world. Getting to Easter with an increase of trust, happiness, and a refurbished mind are noble Lenten goals. ~Monsignor McGough