Mardis Gras: Lent

Today is the last day before lent begins and my children keep asking "what do I give up?" Even I am not sure what I'm going to give up. My mantra for lent over the last 10 years is not necessarily what I'm going to give up, but what I'm going to do extra for the Lord.

Our Church will be having mass at 6pm and on Friday's, after mass, they will have the stations of the cross, one of my favorite lenten devotions. There are a lot more opportunities to focus on Christ during the lenten season, there's so much spiritual reading I need to get done, more time in prayer and adoration.

Instead of asking yourself, "What can I give up?" Try asking yourself, "What more can I do for the Lord?"

Interesting Population Statistics

In this Wired magazine article, the earth's population is slowing at a "phenomenal decline." Even though the total population is growing, it's growing at a much slower rate. For every 4.1 births, there are 1.8 deaths, give or take. The major centers for population growth are in the poorest areas of the world.

On St. John Bosco

Yesterday marked the feast of St. John (Don) Bosco. He spent much of his life working with school boys and forming their Catholic sensibilities through his wit. A remarkable work entitled Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco has some remarkable and relevant stories that frighten the unfaithful and bolster those who believe. On the death of Pope John Paul II, some recalled the last dream in this book which prophesied to the enth, the coming of Joseph Ratzinger as the new Pope.

One of the more horrifying dreams is when he visualizes the demise of several of the boys in his own care, due to their carelessness with their souls. He describes the path to hell being smooth and beautiful and many souls falling that way, sliding to their doom and his frustration in not being able to save them. Then he describes the thorny path towards heaven.

What remarkable lessons can we learn from St. John Bosco today. As with St. Alphonsus de Liguori and others, St. John reminds us, through the love of Christ, the importance of our souls. He urges us to be faithful stewards of it in this earthly life. He cautions us against laxity that could result in our eternal damnation. St. John Bosco, pray for us!