I'm going to start with a little joke I heard at the sermon on Ash Wednesday.

Mother:Its time out for you now.Please sit in that corner.

Little boy: (unaffected and singing away)

Mother:(in a stern voice) I told you to sit in that corner right now!

Little boy: Sits down and mutters " I may be sitting down on the outside but I'm still standing on the inside!

As it was for the little boy, Lent for us can sometimes be an external affair, having little or no affect on the internal.The readings have steadily been extending Gods invitation to " Return to Him" 

I love  Pope John Paul II's words and I'd like to quote Him here " Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” This I believe has to be internalized! We often settle into a mediocre show of spirituality and ritual during lent. Whether it results in the loss of sin or not , it surely results in loss of weight and addictions come back stronger than before.

The Church is reeling under a season of purification and needs conversion at every level.As members of Christ’s Body, we are called to grieve, repent and work for the healing and authentic conversion and renewal of this Church that we love.

The best place to start would be from "within " and then out....

It will take us " listening to God rather than merely hearing him out" . It will discomfort us , deeper than our hunger fangs and sorry tantrums deep down into our hearts.

Imagine what will happen if we people repented and turned to God and made our little suffering , fasting and purification count for His Kingdom.

Lord give us the grace to be lead to a true repentance by your Holy Spirit. Amen.