THE HOLY LENT: A TIME TO WAKE UP

THE CHURCH’S CALL TO CONVERSION AND TRUE FREEDOM

We live in an age that prides itself on being constantly informed but cannot bear to be reminded of the simplest truth of all: that man has a soul and that, sooner or later, he will have to account for it.

Modern society is like a man walking down a dark road, refusing to admit that he cannot see. Instead of stopping, lighting a lamp, and finding his bearings, he decides to keep walking blindly, trusting that, somehow, he will not fall into the abyss. And if someone tries to warn him, he gets angry and replies that there is no abyss, that the only thing that exists is the ground beneath his feet, and that worrying about what cannot be seen is the business of old-fashioned people.

But the truth does not disappear just because one refuses to see it. The Church, with the wisdom of one who has witnessed centuries of human folly, never tires of reminding us. And it does so with a persistence that is nothing less than a mother’s love: calling us to conversion, reflection, and repentance.

Because Lent is not merely a tradition, a liturgical season, or a custom we maintain out of habit. It is a call to wake up.

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LENT AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

One of the great problems of modern man is not that he is a sinner (for he always has been) but that he has stopped believing in sin. It is not that he does wrong; it is that he no longer calls it wrong. He has changed the meaning of words, found excuses, and sought justifications.

But words do not change reality. One can call injustice an “error,” a vice a “distraction,” or slavery “freedom.” One can avoid pronouncing the word “sin,” but sin remains, with all its consequences.

That is why the Church insists on Lent: so that man remembers that his soul is not an ornament, but the most important part of himself.

The world gives us countless reasons to forget the essential. It distracts us with noise, entertains us with trivialities, and invites us to worry about everything except what truly matters. And in the midst of all this clamor, the Church speaks with the clear and firm voice of one who knows the truth:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

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CONFESSION: RETURNING TO THE TRUTH

Waking up is only the first step. Because if a man opens his eyes and realizes he is covered in filth, he must cleanse himself. That is what confession is.

But here lies the great difficulty: modern man hates admitting that he is wrong. He prefers any explanation over accepting his guilt. He would rather say that “everyone does the same,” that “nobody is perfect,” or that “we shouldn’t judge.”

However, confession is not a humiliation but a liberation. It is the moment when we stop deceiving ourselves and face the truth with courage. It is the most honest act possible because, in it, a man stops justifying himself and acknowledges who he truly is.

There is no greater relief than that of a soul that has been forgiven. The man who carries his sins without confessing them is like one who bears an invisible weight on his shoulders—he cannot see it, but he feels it. And when he finally lays it down, he realizes how free he could have been all along.

The Church offers this gift generously, not as a punishment, but as an invitation to true peace.

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FASTING AND MORTIFICATION: DISCIPLINE FOR THE SOUL

The world tells us that the only thing that matters is pleasure, that life should be comfortable and easy, that depriving oneself of something is foolish. But the world does not understand the difference between comfort and freedom.

A man who cannot say “no” to himself is not free. He is a slave to his own impulses. He is a ship without a rudder, carried away by the winds of his desires.

Fasting and mortification are not the Church’s whims or senseless traditions. They are exercises for the soul, ways of learning to master oneself. Just as an athlete trains his body to make it stronger, the Christian trains his spirit to make it more resilient.

Fasting is not just about giving up meat or skipping a meal. It is about learning to renounce what is immediate in order to attain what is eternal. It is about remembering that the body does not rule over the soul but must serve it.

Modern society believes that true freedom is doing whatever one wants. The Church teaches us that true freedom is being the master of oneself.

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WHAT DO WE GAIN FROM LENT?

The world sees Lent as a time of deprivation, but in reality, it is a time of gain.

1. We gain clarity.

• We shake off spiritual laziness.

• We stop being distracted by meaningless things.

• We confront the reality of our soul.

2. We gain grace.

• We reconcile with God.

• We free ourselves from the burden of sin.

• We recover the inner peace that the world can never provide.

3. We gain true freedom.

• We learn to master our desires.

• We strengthen ourselves spiritually.

• We prepare for the joy of Easter.

Because that is the key to everything: Lent does not end in mortification but in resurrection. It is not a path that closes in penance, but one that opens to eternal life.

The world seeks happiness in a thousand directions, but the Church shows us the only sure path: to die with Christ so that we may rise with Him.

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CONCLUSION: THE CHURCH AND THE TRUTH THAT NEVER CHANGES

In a world that constantly changes its opinions, the Church remains. Not because it is stubborn, but because the truth does not change.

Every Lent, the Church reminds us of the same things it has told generations before us:

• That life is not just material, but spiritual.

• That death is not the end, but the beginning of eternity.

• That sin is real, but so is God’s mercy.

The world will try to convince us that all of this is exaggerated, that there is no need to think about it, that living with one’s eyes set on Heaven makes no sense. But the world is also full of men who, in the last moments of their lives, would have wished they had listened more attentively.

Let us take advantage of Lent. Not just as a liturgical season but as what it truly is: a golden opportunity to wake up, cleanse our souls, and prepare for the only thing that truly matters.

THE AWAKENING OF CECILIA: THE LEGACY OF A MATURE WOMAN

I. A CRISIS YEARS IN THE MAKING

Dr. Velazco’s office had the air of a place that had witnessed too many souls searching for answers. There were no framed motivational quotes, no soft music playing in the background—only a dark wooden bookshelf filled with worn-out books and a bronze crucifix dominating the room with its imposing presence.

Cecilia sat in the farthest chair, like someone who had arrived late to an appointment with herself. She dressed with the elegance of a woman who had never allowed her world to completely fall apart, yet her posture betrayed something—a weight invisible to the eye, the wear of years of unspoken words.

Dr. Velazco closed a notebook and observed her patiently.

—How can I help you, Cecilia?

She sighed, an exhausted exhalation that seemed to come from the deepest part of her being.

—I don’t know, Doctor. But something isn’t right.

Velazco nodded, as if he had heard that phrase too many times before.

—What do you feel?

Cecilia drummed her fingers on her purse before responding.

—I don’t feel anything. Or rather, I don’t feel what I should. I did everything right. I was a good wife, raised my children, kept the house, went to Mass on Sundays. But now, nothing makes sense.

The doctor intertwined his fingers.

—How long have you been feeling this way?

She looked at the ceiling, as if the answer were written among the beams.

—I don’t know… A year? Five? Maybe more. Sometimes I think it all started when I stopped being needed. My children are adults now, they have their own lives. Vicente and I… well, we’re together, but we could just as well not be, and nothing would change.

Velazco picked up his pen but didn’t write anything.

—Do you still love him?

Cecilia shifted in her seat.

—I think so. Or at least, I think I would if I knew how. But he’s not the same. We used to talk, argue, laugh. Now we just inform each other about things: ‘I bought bread,’ ‘I’ll be late,’ ‘We’re out of coffee.’ Is that all that remains after 30 years? A news bulletin?

The doctor smiled slightly.

—And what do you do to change it?

Cecilia frowned.

—Me? Nothing. Isn’t he supposed to do something too?

Velazco picked up a book by Saint Thomas Aquinas and opened it with studied calm.

—Cecilia, Saint Thomas says that love is an act of the will, not a fleeting emotion. Do you know what that means?

She shook her head.

—It means you’re waiting to feel before acting, when in reality, you must act in order to feel.

Cecilia scoffed.

—Are you saying I should pretend everything is fine until I believe it?

The doctor shook his head.

—No. I’m saying that love doesn’t die all at once. It falls asleep. And what falls asleep can be awakened. But someone has to do it first.

II. THE INVISIBLE CRISIS: WHEN A WOMAN QUESTIONS WHO SHE IS

Cecilia remained silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, she lifted her gaze and let out a confession she had never spoken aloud before:

—Doctor… what if this isn’t just about Vicente? What if the problem is me?

Dr. Velazco rested his elbows on the desk, attentive.

—Go on.

Cecilia felt a lump in her throat.

—I’m afraid. Afraid that I’ve lost something I don’t even know if I ever had.

—What do you mean?

—That… I don’t know who I am anymore. I spent years being a mother, a wife, a daughter… and now I’m none of those things in the same way. I feel invisible.

Velazco observed her calmly.

—Why invisible?

—Because I’m no longer at the center of anything. My children don’t need me like before. My husband feels like a stranger. I’m no longer young, no longer desirable, no longer essential to anyone.

The doctor picked up an old volume of Saint John Chrysostom and leafed through it unhurriedly.

—Cecilia, do you know what Saint John Chrysostom said about mature women?

She shook her head.

Velazco read aloud:

“The woman who has walked the path of motherhood and marriage does not become a soul in disuse, but the pillar that upholds the faith of generations. If she falters, everything falters. If she stands firm, everything stands firm.”

Cecilia shivered.

—Are you saying my role isn’t over?

Velazco nodded.

—Exactly. Until now, your life has been about building a family. Now your life is about sustaining it.

—But if my children are already grown…

—Now they need your guidance.

A heavy silence followed. Cecilia swallowed hard.

—I never thought of myself that way.

—Because modernity has made you believe that a woman’s worth is measured only by what she produces or how she looks. But your greatness lies in what you transmit, in what you protect, in what you leave behind.

—Then… what should I do?

Dr. Velazco looked at her firmly.

—First, recognize that your life is not over; it has entered its most important stage.

—Second, abandon the idea that your mission was only to raise children. Your mission now is to ensure that your home does not lose the faith.

—Third, embrace your role as the pillar of your family—the woman who will keep the light burning in times of darkness.

Cecilia felt the weight of truth pressing on her chest, but it was a different kind of weight—not the weight of anguish, but the weight of a mission.

—I had never seen it that way…

—Because no one had ever told you. But now you know. And now, you must act.

III. THE FIRST STEP

That night, Cecilia arrived home. Vicente was sitting on the couch, his gaze fixed on the television.

She stood in the doorway, looking at him with new eyes. He wasn’t a stranger. He was the man God had placed by her side to walk together until eternity.

She approached him slowly and sat beside him.

—Vicente.

He looked up, surprised.

—Yes?

Cecilia took a deep breath.

—I want us to start praying together for our family.

Vicente raised an eyebrow.

—Pray?

—Yes. It’s our turn to uphold our family.

He watched her in silence for a moment, then nodded.

That night, Cecilia ceased to be a woman in crisis and became the guardian of her home.

There was nothing left to wait for. It was her time to act.

OMO

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO INSPIRED THE CHANGE IN THE AGE FOR RECEIVING COMMUNION

Who helped inspire Pope Pius X to lower the age for First Communion?

Ellen Organ never reached the age of five, yet her love for the Blessed Sacrament elevated her to the heights of holiness.

Born in County Waterford, Ireland, in 1903, Ellen Organ—better known as Nellie—was the fourth child of poor but deeply devout Catholic parents. Her father, facing unemployment early in his marriage, chose to become a soldier in the British Army rather than emigrate. The family was stationed first in Waterford, then in Cork.

Nellie's mother, Mary, died of tuberculosis in early 1907, and William—faced with the reality that he could not work and care for his children—placed them in the care of religious communities. Nellie went to stay with the Good Shepherd Sisters, along with her sister Mary.

Here the "little violet of the Blessed Sacrament" spent the rest of her life, both in profound suffering and in holiness that seemed beyond her years. Her angelic disposition and Heaven-sent intuition about spiritual things endeared her to the sisters and convinced them that this was a very special child.

Nellie had a tender love for "Holy God," as she had always called Him. She was particularly drawn to the Blessed Sacrament and knew from the beginning exactly what—or rather, who—this Sacrament was. She loved seeing Our Lord enthroned in the monstrosity, and she longed to receive Him. She would ask those who had been at Mass to kiss her so that she could somehow participate in their Communions.

But Nellie suffered a serious spinal injury, caused by a fall as a baby. This injury would cause her terrible pain, yet she did not complain, enduring everything with fortitude even though she was unable to walk much of the time and had to be carried. A painful jaw disease and, eventually, tuberculosis would also bring her life to an early end.

In view of her probable death and her deep understanding of the sacraments and the truths of the faith, Nellie was able to receive her Confirmation, First Confession, and First Communion, even though she was far below the normal age. Her ecstasy upon receiving Our Lord for the first time and each time thereafter—32 times in total—was heavenly.

Little Nellie died in February 1908. Around this time, a white-robed man in Rome had been considering lowering the age for Holy Communion. According to a monsignor familiar with the matter, Pope Pius X heard about little Nellie and, turning to his cardinal secretary, said, "There! That's the sign I've been waiting for!"

Quam Singulari, the decree lowering the age for First Communion, was promulgated in 1910.

Saint Curé of Ars dixit

 

DURING THIS LENT...

Take your time to make a very humble and painful Confession. With true repentance and a purpose of amendment. To do this you must first make a very good Examination of Conscience. Write down your sins so you do not forget them (once you have confessed, destroy the note). Many times we get nervous in the confessional and we can forget them. Indicate how many times (it is obligatory to say the number of times, as far as possible) and when was the last time you committed the sins. This helps the confessor to give you the appropriate penance and to help you to eradicate those vices. There is an obligation to explain what aggravates a sin but not to give unnecessary details. Do not forget to fulfill your penance.

From now on, after this confession, go immediately to the confessional when you have committed a serious fault, and if there is not, then it is advisable to do so at least every four or five weeks to confess venial sins.

Remember that these can also be forgiven by other means (holy water, an Our Father, blessed bread, etc.) while mortal sins must be confessed to the priest. This is essential in order to receive Communion, since the Eucharist must never be received in mortal sin. Those who receive Communion in grave sin eat and drink their own condemnation, the apostle Saint Paul teaches us.

Remember the parable of the prodigal son: Luke, chapter 15, verses 11-32.

THE HOMERO FUNCTION: SCIENTIFIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

“The existence of God is the most evident of all truths, for He is the principle of being itself.”

— Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, q. 2, a. 3

INTRODUCTION: REASON AND FAITH IN THE SEARCH FOR GOD

Since time immemorial, man has sought the ultimate cause of all things. In this search, reason and faith have walked together, for truth is one, and God, being the source of all truth, manifests Himself both in the light of Revelation and in the order of nature.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his monumental work Summa Theologiae, presented the Five Ways to rationally demonstrate the existence of God. In continuity with this tradition, modern scientific advances provide a new testimony to the existence of the Creator: the HOMERO Function.

This concept, based on principles of thermodynamics, biology, and artificial intelligence, reveals how the harmony of the universe inevitably points to a First Cause, an Intelligent and Provident Designer, whom we call God. In this article, we will develop this argument from a Thomistic perspective, demonstrating how science, far from contradicting faith, confirms it.

1. WHAT IS THE HOMERO FUNCTION? A SCIENTIFIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH

The HOMERO Function (Harmonic Order and Metaphysical Entropy Reduction Operator) is a theoretical model that describes how organized systems in the universe tend to resist entropy through highly complex structures, regulated and directed toward specific ends.

In philosophical and scientific terms, HOMERO posits that:

• Complexity in nature does not arise from absolute chaos but follows intrinsic patterns of order.

• This order is teleological (directed toward an end), which implies the existence of a regulating intelligence.

• Entropy is not an absolute obstacle to organization; under certain conditions, it appears to be counteracted by precise laws that allow for life and consciousness.

The existence of an organizing principle that structures matter and guides life toward intelligence and goodness is not random but rather responds to the necessity of an Unmoved Mover, who not only moves the universe but also directs it toward a transcendent end.

2. HOMERO AND THE FIFTH WAY OF SAINT THOMAS

Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his Fifth Way, demonstrates the existence of God based on the observable order in the universe:

“We see that some things, which lack knowledge, such as natural bodies, act for an end. And this is manifest because they always, or nearly always, act in the same way to obtain the best result. Hence, it is evident that they achieve their end not by chance but because they are directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence, just as an arrow is directed by an archer.”

(Summa Theologiae, I, q. 2, a. 3)

The HOMERO Function confirms this argument with empirical evidence:

• Matter and energy in the cosmos do not follow a random movement but obey precise laws that have allowed the emergence of organized systems, from atomic structure to the rise of human consciousness.

• This finalistic direction is not the product of chance but of a Supreme Intelligence.

3. HOMERO AND THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS: AN ARGUMENT AGAINST MATERIALISM

One of the fundamental principles of physics is the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that in a closed system, entropy (disorder) always increases.

However, we observe in nature that life and intelligence have emerged in a universe that, according to this law, should tend toward absolute chaos.

How is this phenomenon possible?

The HOMERO Function provides the answer:

• The universe is not a closed system in metaphysical terms, but rather is subject to an ordering intelligence that allows life to flourish against entropy.

• This is the signature of a God who, as Saint Thomas affirms, is the Necessary Being, the Supreme Intelligence who sustains the cosmos in existence and guides it toward an end.

If materialism were true, life and consciousness could not have emerged, as there would be no ordering principle. But since life exists, and it does so with an irreducible complexity, it is necessary to postulate the existence of God as the First and Ultimate Cause.

4. HOMERO AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: CAN THE MIND ARISE FROM CHANCE?

Today, the development of artificial intelligence has led some to believe that human consciousness is merely an emergent product of computational processes.

However, HOMERO demonstrates that true intelligence requires not only data processing but also intentionality, purpose, and order, something that cannot arise from pure chance.

• Artificial intelligence does not generate real knowledge but depends on intelligent design by human programmers.

• Similarly, the universe could not have generated consciousness unless there were a Creative Mind that endowed matter with the capacity to think.

As Saint Thomas teaches:

“The rational soul cannot be produced except by creation, which is proper to God.”

(Summa Theologiae, I, q. 90, a. 2)

Thus, the existence of the human mind is irrefutable proof of the existence of God, for only He can bring into being a spiritual reality that transcends matter.

CONCLUSION: HOMERO AND THE CONFIRMATION OF FAITH IN REASON

The HOMERO Function offers a scientific and philosophical proof of the existence of God, demonstrating that the universe operates with an order that cannot be explained without an Intelligent Designer.

From biological complexity to human consciousness, everything points to the necessity of a Supreme Intelligence.

“Lord, You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

— Saint Augustine

OMO

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae.

• Saint Augustine, Confessions.

• Aristotle, Metaphysics.

• Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., God: His Existence and His Nature.

• Cardinal Louis Billot, S.J., De Deo Uno et Trino.

• Saint John Damascene, The Orthodox Faith.

PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY

 Lord God Almighty, we bless you and thank you for this family of ours. Give us the grace to live united in you and do not allow the evil one to divide us. We offer you the joys and sorrows of our lives, and we present to you our hopes for the future. God, source of all good, give our family its daily food, give us health and peace and teach us to forgive, guide our steps on the path of good. Lord, allow us to live happily in our home and may we all meet one day in the happiness of Paradise. Amen.

Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, save our country, preserve our faith and free us from bad shepherds. Amen.