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weekly Letter
Apostolic Administrator of Sigüenza-Guadalajara

for Sunday March 13, 2011

Dear Brothers

just the beginning of Lent. We follow Jesus, who walk to Jerusalem, where they place the events of his Passion and Death and Resurrection of the Holy Spirit Shipping to the nascent Christian community.

Lent is a trial and an expression of the believer's life, which begins with baptism and ends with the participation in death with Christ, which opens the way for the ultimate life with him in glory.

In his message for Lent this year 2011, Pope Benedict XVI wanted to underline the importance of Baptism in the journey of Lent and in life of Christians. Indeed, by Baptism we received the divine life to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. During our life on earth, walk to the definitive encounter with Christ on a path of purification. All life is marked by the purification, because all of it is also threatened by the temptation and the deviation from the true path.

Although Baptism we receive the participation of life in Christ, baptism is the beginning, not a guarantee of perseverance in this life. This can weaken, adultery, even lose and, of course, it is necessary to develop, grow, then adult bear fruits of good works. To live this life with intensity, we are exhorted especially during Lent, in preparation for the encounter with Christ in the celebration of the paschal mystery, and ours.

Baptism makes all our lives and is a permanent call to a sincere conversion to life received. Not surprisingly, at the Easter Vigil, Baptism is celebrated the Resurrection of Christ.

Lent also, especially so this year for the cycle A, is marked by baptism. Thus, on the first Sunday of Lent gives us the story of the Temptation of the Lord, and called also aware of our fragility and give to all that is incompatible with life in Christ. On the second Sunday in advance shows us the glory of the Risen goal that leads to baptism. In the third, in the story of the Samaritan woman, see the water of baptism and image field of the Spirit, which is to animate the life of the baptized. "Only this water can quench our thirst for goodness, truth and beauty!". In the fourth Sunday of light appears, that the Lord gives the man born blind, symbolizing the light of faith, of grace and divine life which the baptized are to preserve and enhance living as "children of light" . Finally, the fifth Sunday, the Resurrection of Lazarus Risen Christ puts before us, which is the resurrection and the life. Invites us to believe in him and put us well before our own death with the hope of a resurrection like his. It is the mystery which we celebrate during the week after Easter and Passover and that feeds our life.

Lent offers us a special opportunity to experience this Easter journey, exercising, through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, reading the word of God, the practice of the sacraments and other devotions . It's worth the journey when the goal is so fascinating, as is the encounter with the Risen Lord, rising with Him

greet you and bless,

† José Sánchez González

Adm. Bishop Emeritus and Apost. Sigüenza-Guadalajara