Many
times people ask me as to what have I given up for this Lent? Many Catholics
decide to forgo something for the season of Lent; may be meat, alcohol,
chocolate, biscuits, smoking and so on. Apart from material forgoing, some make
decision to forgo the things that help them to rediscover God in their lives.
Why do we do that in the Lent alone? Why can’t we do other time of the year?
What makes Lent so significant for the people of God?
Lent
is one of the important seasons in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. It is a
season of Grace; a grace poured into our hearts ever since we were born. We
grow into an awareness of this grace and renew our relationship with God. In
this season we are invited to reflect on our lives and realign our lives
towards God. Lent offers us an opportunity to retrospect our commitment to God
through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and penance. We acknowledge that we are
weak and fragile before God despite our technological advancements. We turn
towards to God so that he can work in us through his mercy and compassion. We
also recognise our love for God and love for our neighbour. Hence it is a time
for fixing our relationship with God.
Lent
means ‘spring’; it is a springtime where we are renewed and refreshed through
the Lenten observances. We are washed clean so that we enter into paschal
mysteries of Christ death and resurrection. The Latin based language use the
word “Quaresma” for Lent, which
simply means 40 days. After the baptism, Jesus was tempted and tried in the
desert for 40 days and 40 nights whilst he was in prayer and fasting. Thus, the
Church invites the faithful to reflect on one’s own life in order to be aware
that we are also tempted in our every day life. Temptation is part of human
life, but how do we deal with it, is more important than dwelling on the issue
of temptation.
The
four pillars of Lent, prayer, penance, almsgiving and fasting help not only the
people in need but makes us empathise with the poor, in other words it makes us
feel the pain of the needy; for instance, when we fast, we feel the hunger that
a poor person goes through. These pillars help us to mend and to deepen our
relationship with God. How am I going to observe these fourfold pillars? Jesus
focuses on the aspect of humility in our Lenten observances. God knows our
hearts and minds; therefore I need not showcase my Lenten observances. Hence
Jesus’ words come true, those who humble themselves will be exalted and vice
versa.
When
we invite guests to our homes for dinner, we make sure we prepare well in
advance with a careful style. Each of us is invited to prepare ourselves for
Lent. We can prepare it spiritually and religiously with the four pillars as
help. What is that God wants to give me or show during this Lent? As I deepen
my relationship with God, subsequently God wants to show himself to me. Let me
sit back and listen to His voice. Probably, God wants to give me something; a
gift or may be God wants to free me from something that hinders my relationship
with Him. It is important for me to open to His call to freedom. We need to
identify the things that come between God and myself, hence erasing the block.
We
are in an extremely fast growing world, where we don’t have much time to stand
and stare. It is significant to find some time off for prayer, may be 10
minutes a day. In this busy world of ours, we are glued to our own little
gadgets like smart phones, televisions, computer, Facebook, movies etc. It is
significant for us to find some time for our own families. Can I eat one meal
together with my own family, and share the fellowship as Jesus shared with His
disciples on the Last Supper? Sacred Scripture help us understand the meaning
of life. They give food for our thought and heart. Can I spend a few minutes to
read the Sacred Scriptures? They nourish us and help us comprehend that the
Love of God has. This Love will conquer our hearts and give energy move on in
life.
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