The holy season of Lent is approaching — or may already be underway — as you read this article. Lent: that 40 day period (excluding Sundays) leading up to the celebration of Christ’s victory over sin and death. Traditionally these 40 days are a time when holy Mother Church calls her children throughout the world to an intensification of the usual disciplines of the Christian life: prayer, fasting and alms-giving. What follows are several examples of how we might intensify the spiritual discipline of prayer during this Lenten season and beyond.

This well-known proverbial saying is how I must begin as I consider sharing the Scriptures that God has used to open my very hard heart and stubborn mind. Whenever I see someone lost in sin, ignorance, bitter anger, abhorrent poverty, or addiction to false gods, I know that my on-going salvation has little to do with me, my intellect, or my will, but mostly God’s love, grace, and mercy. Even the little that has to do with my efforts—and continues to be my responsibility—is still only an active response to His grace. It’s all a gift. All of it. Thanks be to God.

My Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Years He who believes and is baptized will be saved. It wasn’t until I was a cognitive seven years old that the soul-altering waters of