Lent 2023
Each day of Lent has to be lived to prepare oneself to live with more love and responsibility the Easter Triduum. During Lent, there has to be a more and more growing impulse that manifests itself through the faith and love with regard to the Eucharist. All our deeds have to aim at Jesus the Eucharist. Fast, sacrifices, acts of mortification, alms serve to purify us to receive the Eucharist with a clearer and purer heart.
Today, Ash Wednesday, we celebrate the solemn beginning of Lent. I have always wondered why the faithful, beginning with us ecclesiastics, priests and bishops, must assume a sad and almost suffering attitude. Instead, in the Gospel it is written:“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Mt 6,16-18).
Pray, convert, believe to the Gospel. You have received the ashes: "Remember, man, dust you were and dust you will return". This should not worry you, for if you walk as I have told you to, you will reach Heaven.
From Letter of God, 13/02/2005
Today, the second Sunday of Lent, is the Sunday of the calling. When we talk about calling, we must give this word different meanings. It is always an initiative of God and then the calling to salvation is the first meaning to be given to this term. I won’t dwell on this subject, because I have been talking about it since several Fridays during meditation and explanation of the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans: God calls everyone.
From Homily of H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti, 17/02/2008
In no way I can think to resemble the Christ who is speaking, the miraculous Christ, the Christ of transfiguration, the Christ of resurrection and ascension, but the Christ sitting, tired and thirsty, on the edge of a well, yes, and I feel good in His company
From Homily of H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti, 24/02/2008
It is a beautiful, wonderful passage representing the meeting of humanity and divinity, the meeting of man with Christ and the reaction of men facing this event. In this page of John I see, and I think you too have seen a striking resemblance to our situation and our history.
From Homily of H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti, 02/03/2008