Dear Brother Knights and Ladies —
As we approach February 22nd, we enter into the Holy Season of Lent yet again. Ashes to Ashes, dust unto dust…we shall hear this on Ash Wednesday as we receive the mark of Christ’s Passion onto our foreheads. What does this mean to you and me? This means that we are created in the image and likeness of our Creator and Redeemer and Sanctifier. God the Father spoke, the Spirit separated and breathed new life into the world and all its creatures, and the eternal Son redeemed us from the Original Sin of our forefather Adam. Sadly that Original Sin left its mark on us all, and we must deal everyday with its effects of the struggle of sin and suffering and death…we have seen, my brothers so much suffering. In our parishes and communities, in our world especially in the Middle East and Turkey (let us pray for those who lost so many loved ones due to the earthquakes), and across this globe suffering can be seen everyday. But we must not lose faith!
Evil still exists in our world, as we see in the evening news — the evil that leaders choose across the world; especially in Ukraine, China, Nicaragua and Venezuela, anywhere in the world where totalitarian governments exist violence is found and used to oppress the truth of the Gospel. We must never fear though - to fear is to accept the evil of those in power. We must instead choose the path of Righteousness and Beatitude, as Jesus preached. “Blessed are the peacemakers, theirs is the kingdom of God!” We must always, as disciples of the Lord, follow the mandate of Jesus to choose righteousness instead of anger or jealousy or greed. This is so difficult in a world that glorifies these vices - however, this is what Jesus understood; “Blessed are the meek of heart…for they will inherit the earth”. We must accept in humility the suffering that comes due to choosing Christ over the temporal “goods” of this finite world.
And as Knights, we must stand with courage against all attacks — those from the secular world, and the attacks of those people who call themselves “Christian” but do not follow the Commandments of the Lord. We must in this Holy Season take on the armor of Prayer, the weapon of Fasting, and the garment of Almsgiving. These three “pillars” of the season will assist us to be true Knights - with courage, temperance and wisdom we can lead our families to the righteousness of Jesus’ Beatitudes. And we can discover the true reason of Lent - that conversion that the season is all about! Change our hearts, O Lord, we shall hear in church these six weeks of fasting, prayer and almsgiving…
May this holy season lead us all to a greater relationship with Jesus our suffering Savior, and may it also lead us to a greater devotion to the saints as models of the virtues of Beatitude. May Blessed Michael McGivney, Saint John Neumann, and all our holy patron saints assist us to imitate their ways of life that led to seeing the face of God!
Be strong and courageous my dear brothers, and may we lead our fellow Catholic men to discover the greatest gift of our holy Order, which is faith in a God who loves and forgives us and strengthens us for the battle of living in this very sinful world.
May our Blessed Mother Mary intercede for our needs!
God bless you all.
Father Rossi
State Chaplain