From the Pastor's Desk - February 15, 2026

Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,

I remember a friend of mine in the seminary showing me his list of things that he was going to try to tackle in Lent. It was long and demanding. I remember being impressed but also somewhat dubious. Usually to make one change in our life is hard enough, but to try and make eight or nine changes we’re only setting ourselves up for disappointment. As you prepare to enter into this season of Lent, which begins on Wednesday, my advice is to keep it simple. This isn’t so that you’re easy on yourself, because Lent should be a time that challenges us in a real way. Rather, we should keep it simple in recognition of our human nature and our capacity to make real and lasting changes.

As you discern how you may make resolutions in areas of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, also keep in mind your attitude in each of these areas. For instance, one may commit to more times of prayer, going to confession, or attending daily Mass. How does one’s attitude towards their relationship with God change in making these resolutions, though? If there is not a change of heart or mind, there’s a good chance the resolutions in prayer will amount to a forty day stint. One may give up eating meat or fasting from social media, but how does one’s attitude toward created goods change in these resolutions around fasting? Unless one sees that their unhealthy attachments prevent them from greater dependence on God, it’s a good bet that these resolutions will not be sustained long into the future. One may be more charitable to the poor or donate to the food pantry, but unless one’s attitude changes in regards to money and possessions and our dependence on them, one is not likely to actually become a more generous person in the long run. In a real sense, a change of heart is the goal of Lent more than any successfully sustained resolution. Lent is not a forty day period of stronger self-will, but a period that should challenge us to have a true metanoia, that is, a change of heart.

In Christ,

Fr. Dave