Preparation and Easter Joy

"Father, may our Lenten observance prepare us to embrace the paschal mystery and to proclaim your salvation with joyful praise ……." (Mass Prayer in Lent)

Our Lenten Observance:

• Prayer
  
• Fasting
  
• Almsgiving
  

When we pray, fast and give alms during Lent, we prepare ourselves to embrace more fully the paschal mystery. The paschal mystery is the mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without adequate preparation, we cannot enter fully into this mystery. With good preparation, we come to identify more closely with Christ. If we die with Christ, we rise with Christ. We come step by step to appreciate the power of the cross in our daily lives.