FEBRUARY  2026

Dear Rev. Fathers, Religious, and People of God,

On 18th of February, we commence the holy season of Lent, a time for the preparation of the celebration of Easter through acts of penance, prayer and works of charity. We all know that the season of Lent is one of the best seasons in the liturgical year of the church. It is the best time as well as important occasion to retrospect our past life, amend our mistakes and deepen our faith and relationship with God. We are much aware that despite our goodwill, sinful situation continues to pull us away from God.

Lent is the God-given season to make a thorough examination of conscience, acknowledging our sinful nature and trying to amend our wrong doings and reconciling our ourselves with God and fellowmen. When we respond to God generously for our conversion, God is never tired of forgiving our sins and accepting us as His children. Conversion should involve the whole person and as such the heart should be at the centre of conversion. Fasting, remorse and repenting are the means of expressing sorrow and repentance for our sins. What God, however, wants is not mere external signs but genuine repentance, a real change of heart. In order to have total metanoia, Church gives us three ways, namely, prayer, fasting and giving alms.

The season of Lent invites us earnestly to spend more time in personal prayer, in particular, visiting the Blessed Sacrament and spending a lot of time before Blessed Sacrament. God invites us to forgive our enemies and offenders unconditionally, as Our Heavenly Father forgives us. Generations after generations Christians have discovered that prayer, penance and alms giving are ways and means to obtain forgiveness of our sins and to come closer to God. What we save from our fasting should be distributed to the poor and the needy. In addition, by our charitable works, we obtain the mercy of God and His forgiveness.

On Ash Wednesday, the ashes are imposed on our foreheads. The mark imposed on our foreheads may soon disappear, but the spirit of repentance should remain with us till we are totally purified and free from sin. We should walk through the Gospel ways of life till the end so that we participate in the glorious resurrection of the Lord. I wish you all a fruitful season of Lent filled with God's blessings. May God bless you.

Yours devotedly in Christ

+L. Thomas Aquinas
Bishop of Coimbatore