Categories
- Evangelization
- School of Prayer
- Worship
- Healing and Revealing
- Catholic Renewal
- Spiritual Warfare
- Apologetics
- Obstacles on the way to God
- Reading the Bible
- Sense of life
- Covenant with God
- Community
- Catholic Church
- Business and Christianity
- Family
- Witnesses of Faith
- Danger: Occultism
- Attention! Sects
Pope on the Meaning of Lent
18-02-2010
(17 Feb 10 - RV) On Wednesday Pope Benedict XVI dedicated his morning audience to exploring the meaning of the two formulae that characterise Ash Wednesday: Repent and believe the Gospel and You are dust and to dust you shall return.
"The first formula - "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel" - echoes Jesus's words at the beginning of his public ministry (cf. Mk 1:15). It reminds us that conversion is meant to be a deep and lasting abandonment of our sinful ways in order to enter into a living relationship with Christ, who alone offers true freedom, happiness and fulfilment. The second, older formula - "Remember, man, that you are dust and to dust you shall return" - recalls the poverty and death which are the legacy of Adam's sin, while pointing us to the resurrection, the new life and the freedom brought by Christ, the Second Adam".
Speaking in Italian he told the 7,000 pilgrims who filled the Paul VI Audience Hall that the 40 days of preparation for Easter are a favourable time to change the direction of our lives, by no longer following "superficial trends" or "moral mediocrity", but the "high standard "of Christian spirituality".
"This Lent, through the practice of prayer and penance, and an ever more fruitful reception of the Church's sacraments, may we make our way to Easter with hearts purified and renewed by the grace of this special season".
http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=357808
