Approaching Lent, Approaching the Cross

As we approach the season of Lent in the Church, we approach again another opportunity to unite ourselves to our Lord Jesus in his Passion, Death and Resurrection.  Lent is called the “springtime” of the Church.  In the Spring, everything is flowering and bursting into bloom.  So, too, during the Lenten season the attitude of “conversion” should be bursting into bloom in our souls.  Conversion is a time to turn our focus to Christ to try to imitate him in all that we do.  Whether it is by fasting, by works of mercy, by alms giving or by a more enriched prayer life, all of our actions this Lent should lead us to the foot of the cross to simply adore and to gaze in wonder at what our Savior has done for us.