Lent: A Journey of Listening and Conversion

Dear Friends,

Today, Ash Wednesday, we enter the holy season of Lent with ashes on our foreheads and the words echoing in our hearts: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” These ashes remind us of our frailty and mortality, yet they also invite us to a profound renewal, turning back to God, who alone can truly satisfy the deepest longings of our souls.

In his message for Lent 2026, titled “Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion,” Pope Leo XIV gently urges us to place the mystery of God back at the center of our lives. Amid the anxieties and distractions that so easily consume our days, Lent offers a maternal invitation from the Church to rediscover what truly matters: heeding the voice of the Lord and renewing our commitment to follow Christ on the road to Jerusalem, where His passion, death, and resurrection await us.

This year, the Holy Father highlights two intertwined paths of grace: listening and fasting. He calls us to attentive listening, not only to God’s word in Scripture but also to the cries of the poor, the suffering, and even the earth itself. Our parishes, families, and communities are invited to undertake this shared journey, making space for these voices so that conversion becomes communal and real.

Alongside this, Pope Leo proposes a practical and often overlooked form of fasting: one that extends to our language. “Let us begin by disarming our language,” he writes, “avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, and refraining from slander.” By refraining from words that wound, we create more space for kindness, respect, and others’ voices. In this way, words of hatred can give way to words of hope and peace, transforming our homes, workplaces, social media, and Christian communities into places of welcome for those who suffer.

This Lenten call is one of gentle yet radical conversion. As we fast from what distracts or harms, whether food, habits, or hurtful speech—and open our ears in prayer and compassion, we allow God to teach us how to listen as He does. No heart is too burdened, no situation too distant, for His renewing mercy.

May this Lent be for each of us a time of deeper attentiveness to God and to our brothers and sisters. May our fasting make us kinder, our listening make us humbler, and our journey with Christ bring us ever closer to the joy of Easter. Wishing you a blessed Ash Wednesday and a fruitful Lenten season filled with grace and peace