It is not just for 40 days

Yesterday we began the liturgical period of Lent. With the imposition of ashes we are reminded of our own mortality. Yet Christians are a people of hope. We trust in God's mercy. We embark on a focused period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We intend to emerge on the other side of these forty days irrevocably changed. If our Lenten practices do not leave an indelible mark, they have been in vain. If we do Lent right, we will celebrate Easter as new people. Steps toward holiness will persist. As Pope Benedict remarks in his Ash Wednesday homily, the point of Lent is conversion.

"Today we begin the liturgical period of Lent with the emblematic ritual of the imposition of the ashes by which we intend to take on the task of turning our hearts towards the horizons of Grace", said the Pope in his homily. "This is not some superficial or transitory conversion, but a spiritual itinerary which has a profound effect on our conscience and involves a sincere intention to amend our lives".

"This means undertaking an authentic conversion to God - returning to Him - recognising His sanctity, His power, His majesty", the Holy Father went on. "Such conversion is possible because God is rich in mercy and great in love. His mercy is regenerating. ... God, in fact, does not want the death of sinners but their conversion to life. ... He offers us His forgiveness, ... so as to give us a new heart purified from the evil that oppresses it, so as to lead us to participate in His joy. Our world needs to be converted by God, it needs His pardon, His love, it needs a new heart".