As we begin the Lenten season this Ash Wednesday, the Church gives us the two main thrusts for our journey. On receiving the ashes, we may have heard this formula: "Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel." Yesterday's thought dealt with the first. I encouraged us to focus on one or two sins this Lent that we truly want to eliminate from our life. Uprooting these will enable us to do the second, namely embracing the call of the Gospel to be holy. Throughout this season, we will hear the scriptures, at least at each Mass we celebrate. This is the Word of God for us. Do we truly hear it? Do we digest it? Do we act upon what we hear? In other words, Lent is not a time to do extraordinary penances, as good as these may be. Rather, it is a grace moment to do the ordinary in love. "Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel."