Penitential Prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore Thee, a heart to delight in Thee, to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake, Amen

Today is the final day before the great fast of Lent for the Western Church (the East will observe this season beginning in mid-March). The season of Lent is a forty day period of preparation for the celebration of Christ's Resurrection, his victory over sin and death, by which he frees us from bondage to sin and death and makes new and unending life in him possible.

The goal of this season is not to beat yourself up for all the wrong things you have done. The purpose of this season is not to win points with God. It IS a time of seeking God and denying oneself - but for the purpose of having our hearts softened and shaped by God. Our awareness of sin and our shortcoming are intended to humble us and draw us closer to the heart of the Father - a heart that is filled with compassion and mercy as revealed in the coming of Jesus Christ into the world to live and die and rise as one of us, giving us hope of freedom, life and the resurrection from the dead.

May we all keep a holy Lent. Lord have mercy.

Grace & Peace to You,

Micah+