Father Manny in Lenten purple, 2015

It is a mere forty days. Jesus ventured in the desert for the same number of days and nights. There, Jesus prayed, meditated and fasted, all in order to prepare Himself for the sacrifice He was to make of Himself, for us.

The desert is a stark, desolate environment. There is life in the desert…but it is hidden, minimal and scarce. This is where Jesus chose to spend time, alone, to commune with God the Creator.

This Lent, our worship space will be plain, bare and simple. The plants have been removed as have most of the images of saints and holy women and men. The intent is to create an environment that, like the desert, is simple.

The small baptismal font is dry and filled with sand and iron spikes instead of blessed water

Let us journey together: To better prepare ourselves for the great Paschal Feast of Easter, let us journey together, in prayer, in silence, in worship and in the faith that Christ Jesus is with us, accompanying us on our venture through Lent.