Some general Lenten guidelines from our dean

Great Lent is the time when catechumens are being prepared for Holy Illumination. The challenge for all of us is to use this Lenten season to refocus on the “one thing needful,” and to seek the face of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ. For Christian believers, since the earliest times of the Church, Lent has reminded both newcomers and old-timers of the need to be planted firmly in Christ.

To help us in this season, the Church has put before us many time-honored practices such as:

• Praying to the Lord at home and throughout the day with greater regularity and intensity
• Attending Church Services more often
• Making Confession and receiving Communion more frequently
• Spending more time reading the Scriptures and other edifying writings
• Spending less time on entertainments (abstaining from various forms of media and social media, in particular)
• Fasting truly—that is, according to the rule of the Church, in terms of portions, and certainly in spirit, too
• Giving alms quietly for love of neighbor and to glorify God
• In consultation with our confessor and family, offering some kind of extra ascetical effort (e.g. keeping silent more often, cutting many types of entertainment, avoiding alcohol or other treats we might often enjoy, and abstaining from other things that are not sinful, but perhaps are worth taking a break from)

May we enjoy the excitement of these days to come; but may we not fail to pause
and to simply be with God. May we all turn once more to Christ and rediscover him as our “first love.” May all of our efforts be received and met by the love of God the Father, the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit, who promises to sanctify us in these sacred days.

—Archpriest Lawrence Margitich