We celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. All over the world today, men and women are beginning a period of preparation for their baptism at the Easter Vigil. Like them, we spend Lent preparing to renew our baptismal vows at Easter, looking forward to our blessing with Easter water and to receiving the gift of a new start.

The Lord gathers us in to his loving embrace, the Lord who invites us not to worry about tomorrow. Setting our hearts on his kingdom, we entrust all our tomorrows to him and ask him to help us live for this, his day

Loving the enemy and praying for those who make life difficult are two marks of a Christian, as Jesus teaches us today. We gather, aware of how difficult love can be, yet united by the saving mercy of God, on which we rely.