As the ladies were putting out the Lenten decor on the altar and in the Narthex this morning (Fat Tuesday) in anticipation of Ash Wednesday and the lenten season, I found myself looking ahead to the last days of this season of "growth in the Lord" and considering what is done in some Catholic churches starting on the 5th Sunday of Lent (March 26). The covering of crosses (until after the Good Friday liturgy and images (statues) until the beginning of the Easter Vigil turns our attention and reflection squarely to Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection which will be observed in its fullness in the Easter Triduum liturgy which begins on Holy Thursday evening and ends on Easter Sunday evening. More on the importance of full participation in the Triduum will come in future pastor's columns.Obviously, we still have our lenten experiences and journey right in front of us that will prepare us for the Triduum and the joyful 50 day Easter Season. Last weekend's column covered practices and prayers we can do on our own and in community to  make the lenten season special and helpful to us and others. Today I would like to add something else for us to consider doing at least until the 5th Sunday of Lent (when we cover up our images). I am suggesting that each of us choose a saint and reflect on the life of that saint throughout the lenten season and pray that we more and more imitate that saint in the virtues and actions that led them to be declared a saint. I recently watched a one hour documentary on St Pio of Pietrelcina. In light of my mom's recent physical suffering due to sickness and my mental anguish in seeing her suffer, I was reminded of how St Pio accepted and welcomed his physical suffering due to chronic sickness and the stigmata (wounds of Christ that he endured in his hands, feet and side for 50 years) and felt himself in union with Christ in his suffering. He endured it in patience and for whatever good would bless others from it (just as Christ's suffering was for the good of all humanity in redeeming and saving us)! I pray that reflection on Padre Pio's devotion to and hours up hours in the Coinfessional, will lead me to be a better instrument of God's mercy and help to those who come humbly and sincerely to the Sacrament of REconciliation during the Lenten season. I hope you will consider a saint either a priest, religious or a married one and read about and ponder their lives in the Lord and ask theri intercession for you to folow their example of imitating the Lord in thought, word, and deed! Starting and/or continuing such a lenten practice will surely make the Easter Season and our present and future lives filled with the joy and peace of the lord and lead us to anticipate, as the saints did, our eternal life with the Lord in heaven!