Message for Lent 2021

The season of Lent is a season of deep prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These are three pillars of Jewish piety. And, equally very important for us, Christians, because in prayer we recognize our need to relate to God and to ask Him for all our needs. In fasting, we recognize our weakness, how much we need to be disciplined inside us. And, in almsgiving, we recognize that we are one family. And that within this family, we have brothers and sisters who are poor.

Celebrating the season of Lent means a deeper relationship with God and a deeper relationship with our community. But what should guide us in the entire season of Lent is the love, the love that Jesus offered to the Father for our sake. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

My dear brothers, let us take seriously the various practices of Lent. Let us spend more time in prayer. Let us not be afraid to discipline ourselves. And above all, let us have a big heart to help our neighbors. It in is this way, the Lord will give us the grace of purification, the gift of conversion, and the gift of holiness. I pray for all of you that you may have a meaningful and blessed experience of Lent.

May our Ina, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, help us.

MOST REV. ROLANDO J. TRIA TIRONA. O.C.D.,D.D.

Archbishop of Caceres

Feb. 17, 2021