Thursday, 16 February 2012 10:30

By Fr. John Lanzrath
In the last three years, Bishop Michael O. Jackels has been leading us as a diocesan family in a vision, a way of life. We call it TOGETHER: We gather. We learn. We serve.
As the Bishop has stated many times, this is a Christian vision and way of living life. Over these last several months, one of the fruits and spiritual graces that I have experienced watching our diocesan family respond to this invitation is that we are a diocesan family. We are one.
Though 90 parishes throughout the 20,021 square miles of Southeast Kansas exist in the borders of our diocese, we are ONE family of God. We are one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.
I wonder if the season of Lent becomes for us too often a time of spiritual introspection, in which we look at the state of our spiritual life, but in a way that is isolated from others. “I am going to give this up for Lent,” or “This Lent, I am going to do this...” But do we see that our acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving need to be seen in relationship to others?
By denying self, carrying my cross and following the Lord to the Kingdom of God, I am not only growing in holiness as an individual disciple, but as a member of the Body of Christ. My acts of Lenten practice are not for me, but for the glory of God and the benefit of others.
Lent is a season that we are to live TOGETHER. We do this as a Body of Christ, many members, with Jesus Christ as our head. May the 40 days of this season of Lent prepare us as a diocesan family to rejoice at the Resurrection on Easter Sunday morning! We walk this journey, not alone.
And may our hearts burn within us as they did within the two disciples on the road to Emmaus when the Lord spoke to them on the road. TOGETHER - We live this vision as disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Fr. Lanzrath is chancellor of the Diocese of Wichita.