Journeying towards Light
L
ent, in our minds, often means a period for fasting, alms giving and praying, which are very important indeed, but we all know that there is more to it. By concentrating on these three aspects we often limit Lent to our personal achievements. If one finds fasting difficult and dwells on it in a contrived manner, the Pharisee, who dozes inside, will wake up very happy and proud of his success. The other temptation is to withdraw into oneself in an effort to make sacrifices for sacrifice’s sake and forget about the spiritual reason for doing so. This is not what Lent is about. Lent is about helping us grow in God’s love. How do we do it then? There is no recipe obviously. This may be disappointing, but this is also a challenge. It is up to each Christian to find his (or her) way of living and loving Lent. What about focusing on the end of the journey, the Light of Easter? Conscious that Lent is not an aim in itself, let us walk along with a more open mind, exercising our spirit to become more aware of Christ’s presence. Let us take a bit more of our time here and there during the day to talk to Him. It is not pain that is redemptive, it is Love. Therefore what matters is not how much we suffer but how we suffer. Redemption is the victory of Love over evil. There are so many pains and worries that come as obstacles to our peace. Let us not be crushed by sufferings! Let us not be made gloomy by our sacrifices! Why not unburden ourselves and gather all these little crosses in a virtual basket that we can mentally deposit lovingly at the altar or in the hands of Our Lady. Mary is the one who can help us best. She was there on the way of the Cross; she is there with us at all times. Let us turn to her, the loving Mother of Our Lord, our Mother, to guide us on the Way of Love to the Light of Easter. MarieHelene Cook
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