This year, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, which is also Valentine's Day. The heart is an appropriate symbol for both of those days, Valentine's heart is a symbol of the love between a couple. During Lent, Jesus wants to get at our heart. On Ash Wednesday, we read from Joel, "Rend your hearts and not your garments." "Rend" means "a forceful change." What are our hearts like? Are they becoming more like Christ's heart - open, compassionate and forgiving? The Church gives us three ways of changing. The first is Prayer. Can we spend at least 5-10 minutes in private prayer? Open our hearts to speak to Jesus. Read a chapter from a Gospel each day, say a rosary, visit the Blessed Sacrament in a church. This year like last, the Diocese of Brooklyn is having a Lenten Pilgrimage. You can visit a different church in Brooklyn and Queens for prayer. You can go on the Diocese of Brooklyn website for more information. Second is Fasting. Can we give up something important to us? A favorite food, gossiping, too much social media. The third is Acts of Charity. Can we do something positive? Help in a soup kitchen, be more patient with our spouse or children, build someone up. But the main thing for us is to change our hearts and be more like Jesus.

Happy Valentine's Day and have a Blessed Lent!

Rev. Michael G. Tedone, SFC '78
Parochial Vicar, St. Bernard, Brooklyn
Chaplain, Kingsborough Community College