Spiritual bonanza
B.F. SHOWRAYYA
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Lent marks the period of repentance and preparation for Easter.
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PIOUS SEASON A priest marks the forehead of a devotee with ash on Ash Wednesday.
On Ash Wednesday on February 21, 2007, a global plea went to people to bury their sinful past in the ashes. In the churches, with ashes priests made the sign of the Cross on the forehead of the people reminding, " man, you are dust and to dust you will return."
Lent has begun. Close to `Lente' in Dutch, `Lent' means spring known for the bursting of new life in nature. Adapted by the Church, Lent now denotes the 40-day period (excluding Sundays) before Easter - a season of spiritual regeneration and transformation.
The activity and the aspiration of the Church during this time is spiritual healing and spiritual enrichment. Three things come into focus in Lent: 1. A divine image of Jesus; 2.God's unfathomable love and compassion for the sinner whose return to Himself God is eagerly awaiting; and 3.The need for man's turning to God in repentance, resolving to renounce evil or sin.
Traditionally, prayer, fasting and penance are commended as a way of life during Lent. But far beyond earning God's forgiveness for oneself, the spiritual bonanza of Lent envisages a luminous and lofty spiritual excellence in the devotees , their becoming almost holy and perfect as their heavenly Father is.
The Lenten focus on Jesus easily convinces people of the divinity of Jesus and the resplendence of Resurrection gets more than ever emphasised during Lent. In fact, the entire Lent is a preparation for Easter.
Lent's assurance is that anybody and every body can have the same gift of eternal life of joy and glory in heaven if only one turns to Jesus in faith and prayer.
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