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Dear Catholic Exchange:
I suspect this has been voiced before, but I thought I would offer my two cents. In the beginning, man could eat of all the trees save one, or else he would die. In these times, man can essentially only eat of one tree, and reject the many, or he will die. Perhaps this is an oversimplification, but if you think about it, it is true. Life's earthly pleasures are for the most part forbidden, or at least may lead to destruction of one's soul. The road to salvation is narrow and arduous, as evidenced by the great number who fall by the wayside.
Just a thought for Lent — or any other time for that matter.
Harold Verdun
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Dear Catholic Exchange:
There is a rather ferocious argument raging in parts of my parish. Some of us are of the opinion that Lent ends with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, and any penitential practices adopted for Lent may then be abandoned. I was raised on the concept that the Easter Vigil, at the earliest, ended the period for penitential practices. I've had a sneaking suspicion that it ends with whichever Easter Mass one attends, but I've gone to Easter Vigil for most of my life.
Which one of us is correct? (I did point out that Good Friday still carries the observance of fast and abstinence).
Cynthia Van Cleave
Dear Cynthia:
Actually, everybody is partly right and partly wrong. Lent ends before the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. However, the fasting of Lent has traditionally been understood as a preparation to the *stricter* fast of Holy Week, particularly on Good Friday. In the early church, it was sometimes customary to eat nothing from Good Friday till after the Easter Vigil (and then to feast). Current practice in the United States is to fast on Good Friday.
Heaven knows this year we have plenty to fast about, given the scandals in the Church and the war. Let's ask God to make it count!
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
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Dear Catholic Exchange:
It has come to my attention through the media that at least one of the U.S. POWs, is a Catholic. Her name is Shoshana Johnson.
Her mother commented on a television program that she knew her daughter was praying to get through this ordeal. She also commented that Shoshana called her before she left for Iraq and stated that she had forgotten to bring her rosary. Her mother was praying that Shoshana was able to go back and get it before she departed for Iraq.
This statement was filled with such love and concern; it was a wake up call for me. It brought the war closer. Here is a woman, who doesn't have the ability to sit down with her rosary and quietly pray. And yet in the mornings I can. They are fighting for freedom, and yet they are not even free to pray right now the way we can. We should offer our rosaries for Shoshana and for all the soldiers.
I was also informed that in the last Gulf War, one of the POWs had commented that he prayed thousands of Hail Mary's to get through it. Our Lady has asked us to pray the rosary to end wars. Saints have flocked to her side and were not left unaided. We need to cling to her mantle and pray with confidence!
God Bless,
Wendee