Where are you moving to?  I recently installed a Ring doorbell at my parents’ condo.  This gift has proven to be a great tool … and toy!  I’ve been able to log in and check to make sure their driveway and sidewalks have been shoveled and salted during a snow event.  The big advantage for my parents is that they no longer have to worry about “running” to the door to see who’s ringing their doorbell.  Now, they can answer their front door from the convenience of wherever they may be as long as they have their phones with them.
 
Given the many benefits of the Ring Doorbell, “we” decided (okay it was a sole decision by me), “we” would expand the coverage to include the driveway as well.  Ring makes a variety of different cameras, so expanding our coverage to include the driveway was going to be easy.  What wasn’t going to be easy was determining where I would install the additional camera.  My dilemma is that given the voluminous condo association rules (I think the U.S. tax code would be easier to decipher than the rules for my parents’ condo association), I cannot drill through, alter or make modifications to the siding.
 
After spending a bit of time studying the options and deciding that the brick wall would be best place for this installation, I decided it was time to round  up my parents and make the trek to our dinner location.  As we were leaving the condo, I was sharing my idea of how I was going to install the camera and not create any damage to the siding.  When I got done with my brief “presentation” to the “Board of Directors,” my mom piped up, “It doesn’t matter.  We’re never moving from this place anyway.  So, do what you have to do.  I don’t care.”  My dad then chimed in that what she said wasn’t necessarily true.  We were both confused.  My mom then said to my dad, “What do you mean?  We don’t have any plans to move.”  My dad then said, “Uh, YES, we’ll both be moving one more time.”  “What are you talking about George?  We’re not going anywhere.”  My dad then replied, “OH YES we are!  The next move is to Resurrection.”  It took me a minute but then I realized he was talking about the cemetery!  We all burst out into laughter.  So, the long and short of this story is that the camera is being installed on the brick!
 
Ash Wednesday:  This coming Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.  While Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, because so many people like to begin their Lenten journey with the celebration of Mass we follow our holy day mass schedule (with the exception of the normal vigil mass).  Our mass schedule on Ash Wednesday will be 7:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 12 Noon and 7:00 p.m.  Distribution of ashes will take place during each of these liturgies as well as throughout the day.
 
If you visit the Church during the day, you will be greeted by Fr. John, Fr. Bob, Deacon Tom or me; we will be present the whole day for the distribution of ashes.  We will have flyers with the readings of the day as well as material for further reflection to help you “kick start” your Lenten journey.
 
Please remember that Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting and abstinence.  Those who are 14 years old and older are obliged to abstain.  Persons age 18 until and including their 59th birthday are bound by the fasting obligation.
 
Concerning fasting, here’s a blurb from one of my favorite Catholic websites, bustedhalo.com:  “The Catholic Church, our Mother, His Body on earth, is a very wise mother. She knows we aren’t perfect. She knows we struggle. In her wisdom she asks very little of us when it comes to fasting. The Church officially lays out for the rest of us mortals the minimum requirements that to fast one must be between the ages of 18 and 59 (inclusive) and that fasting involves taking only three meals a day. I guess Taco Bell’s ‘Fourth Meal’ is out. Those three, by the way, should include no meat and that two of the meals together not equal the size of one full meal. Oh the fun I’ve had with this one over the years. Apparently, it’s considered cheating when one’s full meal consists of seven courses. Oh, and the two, count ‘em, two days of fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
 
“Most of us skip meals all the time. I think it’s only when discipline is attached that we really feel the pinch. This in itself is part of the big picture. We should feel a pinch. Remember, we’re giving of ourselves. The Church also asks those of us over the age of 14 to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and the Friday’s of Lent (and to perform some penitential act of sacrifice on all other Fridays). God, when does it end?! Trust me, it’s not as hard as we make it to be.”
 
 
Lenten Resolutions:  Have you decided on any Lenten resolutions yet?  Lent gives us concrete time to step back and set some spiritual priorities in our life.  Many people will give up chocolate, ice cream and the like.  But honestly, those practices do little to make us better disciples nor do they prepare us to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ.  What are your Lenten resolutions?  Here are some suggestions:  1) attend daily mass more often; 2)  spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration on Mondays and Thursdays at the Parish Center;  3) make more time for prayer or spiritual reading, possibly being faithful to reading the Little Black Book or praying the Liturgy of the Hours;  4) take time to read some of the amazing Lenten resources available on the internet (ewtn.org, osv.com, franciscanmedia.org, avemariaradio.net, sacredspace.ie, liturgy.slu.edu, to name a few).  As for apps on your iPhone/iPad or Android devices iMissal, iBreviary and Laudate are always favorite apps.  There is also the Stations of the Cross app from Ave Maria Press, the Vatican Radio app, the Mass Times app, the 3 Minute Retreat app, the Catholic TV app, the Rosary app, the 3D Catholic app, the Pray as You Go app, and the Rice Bowl app to name a few.  Consider having reflections sent to your inbox with Bishop Barron’s Daily Lenten Reflections (lentreflections.com).  There is certainly no shortage of material on the internet to help you on your Lenten journey.  Happy Lent!
 
Enjoy the week.  Know of my prayers.
 
In Christ,
 
gmb
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