As we enter the season of Lent, receiving the cross upon our foreheads on Ash Wednesday, we begin a journey. 

With each day we are invited to follow the path of the 40 days in the desert that Jesus spent in prayer, fasting and responding to temptation    

The ashes and the words remind us of, not only our mortality, but also of the call to repentance and renewal. As Jesus spent this time before  His public ministry, we too can take these 40 days to strengthen our faith and reliance upon God.  We may feel tempted to ignore this opportunity yet it is the chance to ensure our priorities are aligned with our faith.

This sacred season calls us to pause, look and listen to what and where God is calling us.  

For those who serve both long and short-term with Mission Doctors around the world, they have heard and responded to the call to service and sacrifice. In remote hospitals and clinics, these dedicated Catholic medical professionals provide care for those who would otherwise go without. They walk into darkened homes without electricity, hold the hands of the suffering, and tend to wounds.

Their work embodies Christ’s words:
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Ash Wednesday calls us to sacrifice, to prayer, and to giving. It is a reminder that we are called to step outside of ourselves and serve others in love, following Jesus’ example.

This Lent, as we fast and pray, let us also remember the Mission Doctors who sacrifice daily to bring healing and hope and perhaps you may hear own call to service or sacrifice.

How might we join them in this mission?

• Through our prayers, we can lift up those serving and those in need.
• May  our sacrifices provide a clarity to how God is speaking to us, and the strength to do His will.
• And through our generosity, we can ensure that Mission Doctors are able to continue their life-saving work in communities across the globe.

On Ash Wednesday- when we receive the cross, and listen to a call for reflection and renewal may we all be nspireed to be instruments of God’s healing and mercy.

Let us walk through Lent, and beyond, with hearts open to serve, remembering that in every act of love, we encounter Christ Himself.

Deepen Your Lenten Journey