Way of the Cross
B.F. SHOWRAYYA
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Lent is observed in honour of Christ's 40 days of fast in preparation of bringing about a change in humanity.
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..TO DUST YOU WILL RETURN Lent is a spiritual persuasion
Dawn, March 1. The blessing of the ashes was just finished. Long lines of people moved, two in a row, towards the altar. With the ashes, the priest made the sign of the cross on their forehead. It was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
Lent comes from the English word `lencten', which means Spring. Lent, then, is `spiritual spring' time to start with. Excluding Sundays, it is a 40-day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. The 40-day span is in honour of Jesus' 40 days of fast in the wilderness as preparation for his revolutionary agenda of bringing about a new humanity which will form an ideal welfare state on earth and will rise into a glorious life of unending joy in heaven.
In Lent, the lifestyle of the devotee is one that is predominantly permeated by the dying-to-self yearning and activity. During Lent, `The way of the Cross' is specially popular.
Sad in spirit, and tearful at times people meditate on the most heart rending sufferings of Jesus between His condemnation and crucifixion, as they walk in the foot steps of Jesus to Calvary.
The last week of Lent, The Holy Week, is packed with drama as it depicts in liturgical services, the unique historic final events in the life of Jesus - his last supper, his agony, his trial, condemnation and crucifixion, and his crowning glory of resurrection.
Thus, Lent becomes a journey for the devotee - a journey from bondage to liberation, from sin to salvation, from misery to glory and finally from death to resurrection and to an eternal new life.
The current lifestyle that people pursue is self-centred, which often swings to the extremes of self deification and invariably leads to clash of egos resulting in conflicts . The spirit of lent helps us realise peaceful relationships with others and to build a better world.
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