February 18, 2026

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

Today, I want to remind you to dedicate your Lent – the prayers and the mortifications – for a specific intention. Make your intention be for something that is important and meaningful to you. I believe that offering up your Lent will give a good meaning to this Lenten retreat – a special dedication. This intention – it may be a cause or a person – will bless these days and fill them with the Lord’s love. I believe that this will focus your attention on Jesus; this will make this a very meaningful retreat.

Lent is a time for change. This is our time to grow in holiness and in happiness. I encourage you as proper preparation for Lent to turn to the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah looks ahead in his time and brings his people to pray for the coming of the Messiah. He speaks of the Messiah as a Suffering Servant who will walk with us, as he does during our time of Lent. Isaiah writes: “If I truly believe that God is holding my hand and leads me, what might I need to let go of as I begin this Lenten retreat.”

Isaiah adds: “God has not forgotten us; God saves not by force, but through faithful, yet costly love.” Lent is not what we give up but is about teaching us how God works through hidden faithfulness, patient endurance and love that accepts wounds for the sake of others. As we begin Lent, comforted by God’s nearness, and following our Suffering Servant with deeper trust, our faithfulness comes alive.

I want to encourage you also to listen and read over the Sacred Scriptures for the liturgy of the Mass for Ash Wednesday. The first reading on that day is from the Book of Joel, a fourth century, B.C., prophet. His message for his people and for us is a powerful call to return to God. This is God’s call to the total involvement of the whole community: “return to me with your whole heart with fasting and weeping and mourning.” This is our challenge as we begin our Lenten retreat.

Joel asks his people and each one of us to dedicate ourselves to God. He writes: “Rend your hearts not your garments and return to the Lord.” In those days, a person would profess their contrition and seek reconciliation with God by literally tearing their clothing. Joel says, even better, “rend your hearts and turn to the Lord” in reconciliation seeking forgiveness. Lent is a time for us to “rend our hearts.”

In praise of God – Joel prays – reminding us of God’s goodness and the love of our God, “Forgiving and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness and relenting in punishment.” God is our guide throughout Lent.

The Second reading in the Ash Wednesday liturgy is a reading from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. St. Paul speaks of an apostle as an “ambassador of Christ.” We find our reconciliation in the forgiveness of Our God. St Paul urges us all to be reconciled in love with our God, forming a new and stronger relationship in love with God. “Now is the acceptable time.” You and I should recognize Lent as our acceptable time; may we use well our Lenten retreat.

Lent is a time of joy and happiness, not a time of suffering. We give up something to give ourselves the joy of being more Christian, more alive in the Lord, realizing how blessed and loved we are. God walks with us. May you experience the joy of coming alive as you draw ever closer to the Lord, Our Savior.