Return to the Lord ✝️ Ash Wednesday & the Beginning of Healing скачать в хорошем качестве

Return to the Lord ✝️ Ash Wednesday & the Beginning of Healing

On Ash Wednesday, we hear powerful words as ashes are placed on our foreheads: 💜 “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” These words are not meant to shame us—they are meant to tell the truth. We are fragile. We are dependent. And we are deeply loved by God. In this homily, Father Jerry launches our new Lenten series Heal, inviting us to reflect on the wounds we carry in our lives. Some wounds are obvious. Others are hidden. Some are old and familiar, while others are still fresh and tender. But one truth remains: ✨ Healing is at the heart of why Jesus came. Lent is not about spiritual performance. It’s not about impressing God with perfect prayer, fasting, or generosity. Instead, these ancient practices help us return—to God, to truth, and to the healing we need. The Prophet Joel calls out to us: 🙏 “Return to me with all your heart.” And Saint Paul reminds us: 💙 “Be reconciled to God.” This Lent, our parish is inviting everyone to take a simple but powerful step of trust. After Mass, you can write down a wound, struggle, or burden on a piece of paper and place it on the Cross in our sanctuary. It might be grief. It might be fear. It might be a broken relationship. It might be something you’ve been carrying for years. Placing it at the Cross is a sign of surrender—saying to Jesus: "I trust you with this." Because the Cross is where wounds are brought. It is where pain is transformed. It is where healing begins. 🕊️ This Lent, we are invited to stop pretending we are fine and instead bring our real lives to the One who can restore them. Remember: You are dust… But you are dust filled with the breath of God. And God is not finished with your story yet.