LENTEN MESSAGE from Rev. Fr. Varghese Paul SJ - President ACECI

LENT – A Time of Spiritual Renewal

Christians traditionally observe Lent through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through prayer a person establishes, renews his/her relationship with God or perhaps, he/she seeks ever more close relationship and intimacy with God.

Fasting is not simply giving up something like smoking, drinking, some delicious food or some unwelcome habits; but fasting is reaching out to God and seeking God’s will for oneself.

Similarly, almsgiving are not simply giving little help to the needy but it is reaching out to people in love and charity especially the needy and the deprived people. For, way to God goes through the people around us.

These practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are good for Lent. But they are also good for our entire life. So Lent is a special time for spiritual renewal which should outlast the 40 days of Lenten observations.

The Lenten practices as a means of spiritual renewal offers a Christian an opportunity to examine his/her values and attitudes in life. Is my life is in tune with the values and attitudes of Jesus Christ? Is there love instead of hatred? Is there service instead of carelessness and neglect? Is there genuine forgiveness instead of revenge, envy and of nourishing ill will?

In other words, is my life in keeping with my identity as a ‘Christian’? Is my life virtuous? St. Paul tells in his letter to the Philippians how to seek a virtuous life: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and whatever is worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4, 8).

This virtuous life which we seek, calls for communion with God in prayer. It is a prayer of silence in which I dispose myself totally to listening. In my peaceful silence God may speak to me in the death of my being.

Let everything in Lent helps us to this listening to God’s still small voice and seeking and doing His will. This silent listening is the call of Lent which is well articulated by Prophet Joel:
“Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with your whole heart.
Return to the Lord, your God.”Joel 2:12, 13)
(A M D G)

Fr Varghese Paul, SJ
PRESIDENT ACECI Back