Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz and this is Ascension Presents.

So in the season of Lent, we usually choose penances, right?

This is one of the things that we do.

And one of the reasons we do that is because we know we're supposed to, right?

Jesus says, when you fast, do it like this.

Jesus says that when the Braggin was with you, you don't fast, but when he's taken away,

you do fast.

Jesus seems to indicate that, yeah, at some point we're going to do penances.

In a previous video, we talked about the meaning of those fasts and the meaning of suffering

that it's actually meant to make us co-workers or co-redeemers with Jesus, to redeem the world.

That he's extended a particle of his cross to us, to embrace, and that he changes, transforms

the meaning of suffering.

The meaning of suffering is it can be redemptive for the whole world.

But one of the parts of penance that we have in Lent, or throughout the course of our

lives, is that it not only is meant to redeem the world, which is huge and amazing, but

it's also possible to use these penances to transform ourselves.

That not only can it transform the world outside of us, but it also can transform our inner

world, that it can actually change our minds and it can change our hearts.

And so if I say no to a certain thing, A, it can set me free.

For example, I might think that I need a thing in my life.

I need what, fill in the blank.

I need social media.

...